Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

St Mary's Church - 13th c Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1066 to 1891 A 13th century church which was restored in the 19th century, the nave in 1888 and the chancel in 1891 by Cowell and Bromley of Canterbury built of flint with stone quoins. Tiled roof. Chancel and nave with wooden tile-hung bell turret at the west end, the timber and structure Mediaeval

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Medieval to Modern - 1200 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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[TR 22026057] St. Mary's Church [NAT] (1) The Church of St. Mary, Stodmarsh, is 13th c. restored in the 19th c. (2) In normal use. (3) Church of St Mary, Stodmarsh Road, Stodmarsh. Grade I. C13, restored, the nave in 1888 and the chancel in 1891. (4) [For full description see list]. Additional bibliography. (5)
This church was quite heavily restored in the late 19th century (Nave, 1888-9 by Cowell and Bromley of Canterbury, and chancel in 1891), and virtually all the fittings in the church date from this time (pews, choir stalls, floor-tiles, font, etc.,) as does the south porch and renewed top (and shingle work) of the bell-turret. The whole of the north wall of the nave was also refaced in 1888-9, and all the dressings of the north and south windows were renewed in Bath stone, as were many of the external quoins of the nave, including the western angle-buttresses. The chancel quoins and external window-jambs were also mostly renewed with Bath stone in 1891. Internally the nave walls were re-rendered/plastered in l888-9, but not the chancel walls. The boarded ceiling in the chancel, and perhaps the thin wall under the Rood Screen also perhaps date from 1891. The pulpit was given in c. 1900.

Despite all of this, the church still retains several very fine medieval features. The earliest part of the present fabric is the 12th century north and south walls of the nave, which contain one original splayed window on the south-west. This is of Caenstone, and is round-headed internally, but slightly pointed externally (hence perhaps a later 12th century date). The flint quoins on the south-east side of the nave (butted by the 13th century chancel south wall) may in part be original 12th century work, though the original quoins here were probably of Caenstone.

There are two loose architectural fragments on the southern wall-plate in the vestry, which have relief decoration on them of a mid-12th century date (compare the font in St. Martin’s church, Canterbury - 4 miles away to the south-west). They may be fragments from an earlier font. One fragment has parts of two engaged cushion capitals, while the other has interlocking circles with pellets, and appears to be a rin fragment.

The chancel was rebuilt in the mid-13th century at about the time when the church was given to the Poor Priests’ Hospital Canterbury, with pairs of lancets in the north and south, and east walls (the latter pair being larger). There are also the remains of the probably contemporary piscina (south-east) and aumbry recess (north-east) in the chancel. The internal jambs of all the windows and rere-arches are of chalk block, while externally (now only visible on the north), the jambs were of Reigate stone. Underneath the west lancet of the north wall, at external ground level, there are traces of a flint relieving arch. This possibly indicates an earlier (or ?contemporary) burial here under the north wall. Nothing of this is now visible inside. The chancel walls were originally rendered externally.

The south doorway of the nave, which is a plain pointed arched doorway with a continuous flat chamfor, was also probably a 13th century insertion. It has a mass-dial, and various crosses cut into the jambs, and is made of Caenstone, as are the internal jambs.

At some time perhaps in the earlier 14th century, the west wall of the nave was demolished, and rebuilt slightly further westwards with diagonal buttresses. One can still see the long Ragstone ties on the north and south sides. On this date is the now boarded-up (internally) west doorway, and the two-light trefoiled window (with square head) above. This window has jambs of Caen and of late victorian Bathstone, while the doorway below has internal Caenstone jambs, and worn Reigate stone jambs and arch outside (with a continuous hollow chamfer). Unfortunately quite a few of the stones were replaced in the 1980’s with Lepine stone. This mechanically cut material now stands proud of the rest. There are carved head stops on either side of the doorway, externally, in Reigate stone (north) and Caen (south).

Inside the west end of the nave is a fine timber frame on four massive posts on raised ground-plate (the latter probably replaced in 1888-9). On the north and south sides are large scissor braces, while to the east and west are large arch-braces with moulded caps below which support the timber-frame (now above a boarded ceiling). In this bell-turret, which was restored externally in 1888-9, are two ancient bells: a late 16th century treble inscribed’ Above all things love God’, and a very early tenor, inscribed ‘Ave Maria Gracia Plena’, possible of 13th century date. The area under the bell-frame is now a curtained-off vestry.

Although the two-light north window in the nave was large re-made in 1888-9, its traceried top still contains some c. 15th century stained glass canopies. Hasted describes this glass, still complete in the late 18th century as ‘the figure of the blessed Virgin, crowned, with the child in her arms; and the figure of a woman, with the head of an old man lying on her arm; both beautifully done’. Sadly all this had gone.

There is a brass indent in the nave, from which a brass inscription (now on north wall) was taken it says: ‘Here lieth Willian Barnedyle gentleman the which William died the X day of July in the year of oure Lord thousand cccclxiiii (ie 1464) on whose sowll 1.H.S. have mercy. Amen? The two bay crown-post roof over the chancel, and the three-bay crown-post roof over the nave are both probably of 15th century date. The earliest south porch (replaced in the 1888-9 restoration), may also have been 15th century. There are also two grave-markers (?in situ) outside the south wall of the nave (Recorded by Ben Stocker). (7)

Description from record TR 26 SW 165:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5273 WICKHAMBREAUX STODMARSH ROAD (north-west side)
Stodmarsh Church of St Mary TR 26 SW 5/690 30.1.67
I
2. C13, restored, the nave in 1888 and the chancel in 1891 by Cowell and Bromley of Canterbury built of flint with stone quoins. Tiled roof. Chancel and nave with wooden tile-hung bell turret at the west end, the timber and structure Mediaeval. Three crown posts to nave, 2 crown posts to chancel. The bell turret has enormous cross braces to base. Perpendicular screen. One lancet has grisaille glass.
Listing NGR: TR2176460484

Description from record TR 26 SW 97:
Listed building : no additional information available (8)

<1> OS 6" 1960 (OS Card Reference). SKE48367.

<2> MHLG (1953/11/A Dec 1960) 71 (OS Card Reference). SKE46960.

<3> F1 ASP 15-NOV-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42128.

<4> DOE(HHR) Dist of City of Canterbury Kent Mar 1980 241 (OS Card Reference). SKE40912.

<5> BOE NE and E Kent 1983 469 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38249.

<6> Field report for monument TR 26 SW 21 - November, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5904.

<7> Diocese of Canterbury (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1996, Stodmarsh, St Mary:Diocesan church survey (Unpublished document). SKE29509.

<8> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading