Listed Building record TQ 64 SW 158 - OLD CHURCH OF ST PETER
Summary
Location
Grid reference | TQ 6260 4297 (point) |
---|---|
Map sheet | TQ64SW |
County | KENT |
District | TUNBRIDGE WELLS, KENT |
Civil Parish | PEMBURY, TUNBRIDGE WELLS, KENT |
Map
Type and Period (1)
Full Description
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 64 SW PEMBURY OLD CHURCH ROAD
5/394 Old Church of St Peter 20.10.54 GV I
Parish church. Norman nave and chancel, C14 tower, porch and nave roof, chancel much rebuilt in 1867 by R. Wheeler of Brenchley. Nave and older masonry of the chancel of sandstone rubble with ashlar quoins, rest is coursed sandstone ashlar. Red tile roof and tower spire is shingled.
Plan: Nave with south porch. lower chancel with C19 lean-to vestry on the north side. West tower.
Exterior: Relatively short single stage west tower with large diagonal buttresses. Low spire surmounted by an old, possibly C18, weathercock. Quatrefoil lights to the belfry. West doorway has a 2-centred arch with moulded jambs and hoodmould. Above a 3-light window of ogee-arch headed lancets.
On the south side of the nave gabled porch to left. 2-centred outer arch with double-chamfered arch ring and hoodmould. Triple lancet above and slit windows in the side walls. C19 tile floor but roof of old collared common rafter couples. South doorway is probably Norman, a plain round-headed arch containing a C19 panelled door. To right the porch covers the lower part of a Norman round-headed lancet. To right a restored quare-headed 3-light window with Perpendicular tracery and a hoodmould. South side of chancel is 2 bays, left one with 2 cinquefoil-headed lancets and the right one has a 2-light window containing Y-tracery which once descended further down but the lower part is cut by a small C19 arch-headed priests door. Buttresses on south side and east end have diagonal buttresses, most enriched with carved armorial bearings, some are replacements of the C14 originals. Arms of Hardreshull and Colepeper families. East window C19 3-light window with decorated tracery and hoodmould. North side of chancel has a similar 2-light window and a triple lancet window. North side of the nave has a 3-light Perpendicular window similar to that on the south side and the west bay has 2 tall lancets.
Interior: The glory of the church is the splendid C14 roof over the nave. 3 bays. Moulded tie-beams and arch braces with spandrels carved with open trefoils and quatrefoils. Tall crown posts and collared common rafters with soulaces. Chancel roof is C19; 4 bays of a boarded 6-sided arch with chamfered ribs and purlins. Similar chancel and tower arches, probably C14 with chamfered double arch ring on moulded imposts. Plastered walls C19 tile floor, mostly red and black tiles but encaustic tiles included in chancel. Also in chancel 2 good graveslabs, one in memory of William Amhurst (d. 1663) the other in memory of Richard Amhurst (d. 1664). C19 sedilia.
Furniture and Fittings: Main centre part of the C19 reredos has been removed but flanking end parts remain combining symbols of the Evangelists. C19 brass altar rail with tubular standards and leafy brackets. C19 plain pine stalls. C19 oak drum pulpit on stone base, its sides open with Gothic arcades. Contemporary brass eagle lectern and C19 plain pine benches. C19 stone font in Perpendicular style.
Memorials: Oldest is a brass plaque in the north wall in memory of 7-year old Elizabeth Rowe (d. 1607). A number of memorials have been reset in the tower; best are those in memory of John Whitaker (d. 1802), Lord Spencer Churchill (d. 1746) and Henry Woodgate (d. 1818). In nave large Gothic style monument to Lydia Shaw-Woodgate (d. 1909) carved with praying angels.
Source John Newman. West Kent and the Weald, Penguin Buildings of England series (1969), pp.450-1. Listing NGR: TQ6268442960 (1)
Description from record TQ 64 SW 3 :
[TQ 62604297] St. Peter's Church [NAT] (2) The church of St. Peter at Pembury comprises chancel, nave with south porch and a western tower with a spire (see illus. card) It is built of local sandstone. The plan and remains of Norman architecture indicate a late 11th or early 12th century date. The nave is largely of that date with part of the north wall of the chancel. The latter was enlarged in the 14th century and the tower erected at the same time. The porch is late 14th century and the nave windows were inserted in the 15th century. The church is mentioned in Domesday and the advowson can be traced from the 13th century. (3) [Add ref.] (4) The church is used at the present time for ecclesiastical purposes. (5) No change. (6) Parish Church of St. Peter. Grade B. The fabric is Norman. Nave and Chancel (for full description see list). (7) Old (parish) church of St Peter. Norman nave and chancel. C14 tower, porch and nave roof, chancel much rebuilt in 1867. Grade I. (8)
<1> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.
<2> OS 6" 1907 38 (OS Card Reference). SKE48318.
<3> Arch Cant 28 1909 327 336 plan photo fig (W Townsend Storrs) (OS Card Reference). SKE34925.
<4> Hist of Kent 5 1798 269 ff (Hasted (OS Card Reference). SKE43990.
<5> F1 ASP 15-JAN-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE42119.
<6> F2 ASP 16-JAN-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE43118.
<7> MHLG 2433/11/A Tonbridge RD 1949 115 (OS Card Reference). SKE47096.
<8> Field report for monument TQ 64 SW 3 - January, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3267.
<9> Field report for monument TQ 64 SW 3 - January, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3268.
<10> DOE (HHR) District of Tunbridge Wells, Kent (Bidborough et al) 24th Aug 388-389 (OS Card Reference). SKE40544.
Sources/Archives (10)
- <1>XY SKE16160 Map: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. [Mapped feature: #37705 building, ]
- <2> SKE48318 OS Card Reference: OS 6" 1907 38.
- <3> SKE34925 OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 28 1909 327 336 plan photo fig (W Townsend Storrs).
- <4> SKE43990 OS Card Reference: Hist of Kent 5 1798 269 ff (Hasted.
- <5> SKE42119 OS Card Reference: F1 ASP 15-JAN-59.
- <6> SKE43118 OS Card Reference: F2 ASP 16-JAN-63.
- <7> SKE47096 OS Card Reference: MHLG 2433/11/A Tonbridge RD 1949 115.
- <8> SKE3267 Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 64 SW 3 - January, 1959.
- <9> SKE3268 Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 64 SW 3 - January, 1963.
- <10> SKE40544 OS Card Reference: DOE (HHR) District of Tunbridge Wells, Kent (Bidborough et al) 24th Aug 388-389.
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Record last edited
Jun 1 2021 12:24PM