Listed Building record TQ 94 SW 47 - CHURCH OF ST MARGARET

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1300 to 1799. Though documentary evidence suggests that there was a church here by the 12th century at least, the earliest visible remains seem to be of the early to mid 14th century nave and aisles with its two fine 3 bays of arcading. The Kentish ragstone masonry for the piers and arches is very fine, and still clearly exhibits tooling, mason's marks, etc. There are also 'Decorated' windows above the north doorway and at the west end of the S aisle, but these have been heavily/totally restored in Bathstone externally. The south doorway (into the porch) is, however, still an intact 14th century 2-centred arch. The two light windows at the west end of the N aisle was perhaps late 13th century, but it was totally restored in Bathstone in 1873 (see Pearman (1886), 67). The lower outer aisle walls are also 14th century, and they were heightened in the 15th century when new three light windows were inserted into the south and north aisle walls on either side of the doorways (they all have external square hood moulds and have been heavily restored in Bath stone). Also in the 15th century, crenellated parapets were added to the aisles, and the fine west tower was built (in c 1420-30, according to MacMichael) also with a crenelatted parapet and a large semi-octagonal stair turret, that rises above the tower. The chancel arch has carved corbels below it, and a large rood-screen was built across it and the neighbouring chapels in the mid 15th century. The remains of this screen were removed in the 19th century, but fragments of it were reused in the choir stall and vicars stall fronts and in the pulpit. The stairs to the rood loft start at the SW corner of the SE (Lovelace) Chapel, and it is likely that the rood-loft (and screen) were put in at the same time as this chapel was built (the Chantry for the Lovelaces was founded in this chapel - the ? Lady Chapel in 1460). Earlier there had only been a chapel at the east end of the S aisle (the piscina here is just visible), and new arches were made from the end of this aisle and the chancel into this new chapel after the rebuilding of the chancel (also a new piscina). The two 3-light windows (E + S) in this chapel have 4-centred heads with an external drip mould. The crenellated parapet above is slightly below the level of the aisle parapet, and a wide external 'buttress' between the aisle and chapel marks the rood stair. It has a small rectangular window in it, and a strange corbelled head at the top of its chamfered SW angle. A chantry priest's door into the chapel is still visible externally but blocked internally. In 1851, according to Pearman (op. cit) the church was 're-seated in plain oak pews, open and uniform' and the remains of the rood screen were removed. In 1873 much external stone work was renewed in Bath stone, and 'the roofs were opened'. They now appear to be very heavily restored. The south porch has also been almost completely restored.

Location

Grid reference TQ 92792 40264 (point) Centred
Map sheet TQ94SW
County KENT
District ASHFORD, KENT
Civil Parish BETHERSDEN, ASHFORD, KENT

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

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

<1> OS 6" Prov edit 1960 (OS Card Reference). SKE48390.

<2> Arch Cant 16 (1886) pp 66-69 (A.J Pearman) (OS Card Reference). SKE34489.

<3> MHLG (West Ashford RD) 1887/11/A Oct 1960 2 (OS Card Reference). SKE47067.

<4> F1 ASP 15-DEC-61 (OS Card Reference). SKE42117.

<5> F2 CFW 02-JAN-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43197.

<6> DOE (HHR) Dist of Ashford, B Kent, Oct 1980 24 (OS Card Reference). SKE40199.

<7> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 155 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37849.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 94 SW 2 - December, 1961 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4788.

<9> Field report for monument TQ 94 SW 2 - January, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4789.

<10> Diocese of Canterbury (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1992, Church Report - St Margaret's Church. (Unpublished document). SKE7548.

<11> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2008, An archaeological watching brief at St Margaret's Church, Bethersden, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE16620.

Sources/Archives (12)

  • ---XY Map: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. [Mapped feature: #21510 church, ]
  • <1> OS Card Reference: OS 6" Prov edit 1960.
  • <2> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 16 (1886) pp 66-69 (A.J Pearman).
  • <3> OS Card Reference: MHLG (West Ashford RD) 1887/11/A Oct 1960 2.
  • <4> OS Card Reference: F1 ASP 15-DEC-61.
  • <5> OS Card Reference: F2 CFW 02-JAN-64.
  • <6> OS Card Reference: DOE (HHR) Dist of Ashford, B Kent, Oct 1980 24.
  • <7> OS Card Reference: Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 155 (J Newman).
  • <8> Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 94 SW 2 - December, 1961.
  • <9> Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 94 SW 2 - January, 1964.
  • <10> Unpublished document: Diocese of Canterbury (Tim Tatton-Brown). 1992. Church Report - St Margaret's Church..
  • <11> Unpublished document: Canterbury Archaeological Trust. 2008. An archaeological watching brief at St Margaret's Church, Bethersden, Kent.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

  • Non-Intrusive Event: St Margaret's Church (EKE5628)
  • Intrusive Event: Watching brief at St Margaret's Church, Bethersden (Ref: SMCB-WB-07) (EKE10863)

Record last edited

Oct 11 2021 5:19PM