I have been to St Mary on at least four previous occasions, but the last of which was some three or so years ago, and as I had revisited the others in the Nailbourne Valley, I thought we would go here too.
Just as well we did, as I saw so many other features and interesting details, and met a nice chap who was on his way to visit friends.
There is the most amazing glass here, and wall paintings, complete with the best rose window outside of Barfrestone.
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A charming village church with a greater number of interesting furnishings than is usual in this part of the county. There are twelfth-century window openings in the chancel, whilst a lavish south doorway tells of an extremely wealthy medieval church. Next to it are the remains of eight mass dials – which must be a record! Inside the south, or Bifrons, chapel is separated from the aisle by a screen and steps and there is a plain hagioscope to the chancel. Many mural tablets catch the eye and tell of the long association with the village of the Conyngham family. However, it is the stained glass which really deserves our attention at Patrixbourne. Set among very basic nineteenth-century glass are many panels of seventeenth-century Swiss origin, including scenes of the Garden of Gethsemane, St Elizabeth of Hungary and the Raising of Lazarus. With the exception of Temple Ewell. this is the largest collection of pictorial Swiss glass in a Kent church. By way of contrast, the north aisle displays an excellent twentieth-century window by G.C. Abbs.
www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Patrixbourne
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LOCATION: Situated to the west of centre of the (later) village near the Court Lodge, with Bifrons (now demolished) not far to the north-west. The park was immediately beyond the churchyard on the west with its own gate. It is at c. 70ft above OD on Head brickearth (over chalk) with the road and Nailbourne to the south-east.
DESCRIPTION: The coursed whole flints in the west wall of the nave of this church suggest that its earliest fabric may date from the late 11th/early 12th century, though there is no certain evidence for this. A church is mentioned in Domesday Book (1086), so the nave of this church (or the west end of the nave) may well be the early Norman one.
This church is well-known because of its fine late 12th century south doorway under an unusual contemporary south tower-porch. There is also a fine wheel-window in the east gable of the chancel of the same date, as is the chancel arch and other windows in the chancel. The church and particularly the late 12th century features have been discussed and described in various articles (see references below), so will only be briefly described here. As usual, it is Livetts’ paper of 1909 (though unfortunately the outside walls were almost completely covered in ivy at that time), and the brief notes of Stuart Rigold (1970) that are most useful for the building history. The various 19th century rebuildings (in c. 1824, 1849 and 1857), however, complicate matters.
As Stuart Rigold suggests, the church was perhaps rebuilt in the 1190s as a cell for the Augustinian canons of Merton Priory, Surrey. The elaborate chancel and the lean-to south aisle, straddled by the tower-porch were both built at about this time, no doubt for the canons (as well as parochial) use. Externally the chancel has been heavily restored with knapped flint and Bathstone, but the general form of all the windows on a string-course must be original, as is the small late 12th century south doorway with scalloped capitals and chevron mouldings. However early 19th century views show the south-east chancel window with 2-lights with trefoiled heads (?13th century), cutting the string-course. There is also a late 13th century piscina below it (and an aumbry) inside the chancel. The simple roof trusses over the chancel are also of later medieval date.
As Livett has ably shown, the tower porch on the south was originally flanked by a contemporary aisle on either side with a shed roof, probably continuing the line of the nave roof. There is external evidence for this at the west end of the aisle, where the lower part of the wall can still be seen to be original. There is also an original west window, and the lower part of a blocked south window (a new two-light window was inserted in the 15th century when the aisle wall was heightened. The heavy knapped flint gable on the west is 19th century. As Livett has also suggested, there was probably a similar aisle on the east side of the tower, but this was completely replaced in the 15th century when the new chapel of ?St John was built.
The tower itself is a fine late-12th century structure with a magnificent monumental decorated south doorway, last restored in 1939, when the flanking brick sloping buttresses were removed, and ties were put in. The upper part of the squat tower has a string-course with, above it, small round belfry windows. There is a later medieval shingled spire on top of it, and a 19th century clock inside (with south clock face). Beneath the tower, there is an original half-round arch into the south-west aisle, and simple pointed arches (?13th century) into the nave and south-east chapel. The chancel arch is also late 12th century but the arcades were replaced by Scott in 1857. A plain late 12th century north doorway to the nave (and the decorated window to the west on it) were reset in the north wall of the c. 1824 north aisle.
The church underwent a major rebuilding in the 15th century when a five-bay crown-post roof was put on the nave, and a 3-light perpendicular window, with its new gable above, was put into the west wall (below it are traces of a filled-up earlier west doorway). Two western buttresses, with plinths, were added, and, as we have seen, the south-west aisle was heightened and given a new 2-light south window with a square hood-mould. The south-east chapel was also rebuilt at this time, but this may be a rebuilding of an earlier rebuilding. The east window of this chapel replaced a simpler perpendicular window with a square hood-mould in the 19th century when the fireplace and chimney flue above (in the gable) were put into the Conyngham `pew’. This chapel has a tomb recess in its south wall, and externally there are two south buttresses and a continuous plinth, but it too has been heavily restored and refaced externally (and given a new roof). There is a squint into the chancel from this chapel, and a reused 12th century niche in the south-east corner.
The fine south door is 17th century (restored in the 19th century).
The north aisle was built in c. 1824 and has triple course of buff-bricks half way up, and reused Caenstone quoins; also cement render around the windows, and some reused windows and doorway (see above). The chancel was restored by Mr Marshall of Canterbury in 1849, when the triple east windows and the south doorway were reopened. (Fine 16th-17th century glass was then put into the windows, and the Conyngham vault was made beneath the chancel. Finally (Sir) Gilbert Scott was brought in, in 1857 to restore the whole church, and he created new arcades in the nave, paid for by the Conynghams. (The screen at the west end of the nave was originally from behind the 19th century high altar – was it first a Rood screen?)
In 1939, the brick buttresses were removed, and metal ties were put into the tower.
BUILDING MATERIALS (Incl. old plaster, paintings, glass, tiles etc.): The west wall has coursed whole flints, and all the late 12th century work is in fine quality Caenstone, with Ragstone quoins being used in the 15th century for quoins, etc.
There are some brick repairs, but much 19th century knapped flintwork with Bathstone dressings. The east quoins of the chancel appear to be of Tunbridge Wells sandstone, as well as the original Caenstone.
EXCEPTIONAL MONUMENTS IN CHURCH: Various Conyngham monuments of the 19th century.
CHURCHYARD AND ENVIRONS:
Size & Shape: Rectangular area to south and west of church with small 19th century extensions to south and west.
Condition: Good
Boundary walls: 19th century iron-railings and low flintwall to road on south east.
Exceptional monuments: Some good 18th century headstones and memorials.
Ecological potential: ? Yes, but mostly now neatly mown. Line of fastigiate yews from south door to iron gate into Bifrons grounds. [It is worth noting that on 19th December 1668 (according to the Registers) the vicar had some Ash trees planted in the churchyard, to replace two very old rotten ash trees.]
HISTORICAL RECORD (where known):
Earliest ref. to church: Doomsday Book, where it is just called Bourne.
Evidence of pre-Norman status (DB, DM, TR etc): Possibly an early Minster church; it had the Chapelry of Bridge attached to it after the Norman Conquest.
Late med. status: Vicarage, appropriated from 1258, with the Chapelry of Bridge attached to it.
Patron: Given by the Lord of the Manor to Beaulieu Priory (near Rouen in Normandy) c. 1190. In c. 1410 it was transferred to Merton Priory in Surrey. After the Dissolution to the crown. Then to the owners of Bifrons.
Other documentary sources: Hasted IX (1800), 284-6. Test. Cant. (E Kent, 1907), 245 mentions lights of Our Lady and the Holy Cross; also the chapel of St John (? that on the south east).
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD
Finds within 0.5km: Pagan Anglo-Saxon cemetery on the higher ground _ mile to the south.
SURVIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEPOSITS:
Inside present church: Good.
Outside present church: Good, except ? disturbed on the north by new aisle.
Quinquennial inspection (date/architect): JUNE 1993 A Clague
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT:
The church and churchyard: An important church because of its late 12th century rebuilding with high quality sculpture. It was, however, over-restored in the 19th century (and given a new north aisle in c. 1824). There was a major rebuilding in the 15th century when the nave was rebuilt along with the south east chapel.
The wider context: One of a small group of churches in East Kent showing high quality later 12th century architectural sculpture.
REFERENCES: Note by S Rigold Arch J 126 (1970), 214-5 + plan. Note by G M Livett Arch J 86 (1930), 316-7 + plan. W A Scott Robertson `Patricksbourne Church, and Bifrons’ Arch. Cant. 14 (1882), 169-184 (with list of vicars). G M Livett `Architectural notes on Patrixbourne church? Arch. Cant. 28 (1909), 305-310. S R Glynne Notes on the Churches of Kent (1877), 26-7 (He visited before 1849).
Guide book: Recent leaflet (undated and anon) – not very accurate.
Plans and early drawings: Early 19th century view from SE in V+A Museum (nave is covered in ivy). Also Petrie view from SE in 1807 (No Ivy!). Also engravings of Norman doorways in Antiquarian Itinerary, Vol VI.
DATE VISITED: 22nd August 1993 REPORT BY: Tim Tatton-Brown
www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/01/03/PAT.htm
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PATRIXBORNE
IS situated the next parish southward from Bekesborne last-described. It is called in Domesday, Borne, which name it took from the bourn or stream which runs through it; and it was afterwards called Patrixborne, to distinguish it from the neighbouring parishes of Borne, situated on the same stream. There are two boroughs in this parish, viz. of Marten, alias Cheney, and of Patrixborne.
The PARISH is pleasantly situated in a fine healthy country; the bourn or stream of the Little Stour runs through this parish, close to it in the valley is the village, with the church, court-lodge, and vicarage near together, the latter a neat genteel habitation; opposite to them is a house called Heart-hall, formerly belonging to the family of Sabine, or Savin, but now to Mr. Taylor, of Bifrons. The upper, or north part of the village, is in the parish of Bekesborne, in which is a house, formerly the residence of the Coppins, now the property of Mr. Milles, of Nackington; and further on, one formerly owned by the Pordages, and afterwards by Mr. Litheridge. Eastward this parish extends up the hill, over the high downs, to within one field of Ileden, and from the village southward, across the Dover road, to a wild hilly country, as far as Whitehill wood, part of which is within this parish. It is well cloathed with trees along the valley, where the soil is fertile, especially towards Hoath, for both hops and corn, but the hill parts round the outskirts, are in general poor chalky land, covered with stones. There is no fair.
AT THE TIME of taking the survey of Domesday, in the year 1084, this parish was chiefly owned by Odo, bishop of Baieux, under the general title of whose lands it is thus described in that survey;
In Brige hundred, Richard, son of William, holds of the bishop, Borne. It was taxed at six sulings. The arable land is eight carucates. In demesne there are three carucates, and forty-four villeins, with three borderers having ten carucates. There is a church, and one servant, and four mills of sixteen shillings and eight pence. A fishery of six-pence. Pasiure, of which the foreign tenants have plougbed six acres of land. Wood for the pannage of four hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor it was worth eighteen pounds, when be received it ten pounds, now nineteen pounds.
Four years after the taking of this survey, the bishop was disgraced, and this manor, among the rest of his possessions, escheated to the crown. After which it appears to have been divided into moieties, one of which, called afterwards THE MANOR OF PARTIXBORNE MERTON, was held by Margerie de Bornes, who carried it in marriage to John de Pratellis, or De Pratis, as he was sometimes written, a Norman, who soon after the year 1200, gave it to his new-erected priory of Beaulieu, or De Bello loco, in Normandy, to which it afterwards became an alien cell. (fn. 1) In which state this manor continued till the 11th year of king Henry IV. when it was, with the king’s licence, alienated to the priory of the same order of Augustine canons of Merton, in Surry, whence it acquired the name of Patrixborne Merton; and with this priory it remained till the suppression of it by the act of the 31st of king Henry VIII. when this manor coming into the hands of the crown, was granted that year, together with the rectory and advowson of the vicarage of Patrixborne, and all liberties, free-warren, &c. to Sir Thomas Cheney, to hold to him and his heirs male in capite, as of the castle of Rochester. After which, king Edward VI. by new letters patent, in his 4th year, regranted the whole of them, to hold to him and his heirs for ever. He was succeeded in it by his only son Henry Cheney, esq. afterwards lord Cheney; (fn. 2) and he soon afterwards alienated it to Sir Thomas Herbert, who in the 21st year of that reign sold it to Thomas Smith, who passed it away before the end of the same reign to William Partherich, and his grandson Sir Edward Partherich, of Bridge, alienated it in 1638 to Mr. afterwards Sir Arnold Braems, of that parish, the heirs of whose son Walter Braems, sold it in 1704 to John Taylor, esq. of Bifrons, in this parish, in whose descendants it continued down to Edward Taylor, esq.’ the present possessor of this manor, with the rectory and advowson of the church of Patrixborne.
The OTHER MOIETY of the manor of Patrixborne, called afterwards THE MANOR OF PATRIXBORNE CHENEY, after the bishop’s disgrace, came into the possession of the family of Say, in which it continued till Sir William de Say, in Henry III.’s reign, gave it to Sir Alexander de Cheney. He afterwards resided here, whence it gained the name of Patrixborne Cheney; but his son William having married Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir Robert de Shurland, of Shurland, in Shepey, removed afterwards thither. After which it remained in his descendants down to Sir T. Cheney, K. G. of Shurland, who having obtained from Henry VIII. in his 31st year, a grant of the other moiety of the manor of Patrixborne, as above-mentioned, became possessed of the whole of this manor, which, notwithstanding, continued as two separate manors, in both which he was succeeded by his son Henry Cheney, (afterwards created lord Cheney, of Tuddington) who in the beginning of that reign alienated them to Sir Thomas Herbert. Since which they both remained in the same succession of ownership, as has already been mentioned before, in the description of the manor of Patrixborne Merton, down to Edward Taylor, esq. the present possessor of both these manors; which appear now to be united, as one court only is held for both of them, stiled, the court leet and court baron of the manors of Patrixborne Merton and Cheney.
BIFRONS is a seat in this parish, situated at a small distance westward from the church, which was originally built by Mr. John Bargar, or Bargrave, whose ancestors were originally of the adjcining parish of Bridge. Robert Bargrave, of Bridge, died in 1600, leaving a numerous issue; of whom John, the eldest son, was the builder of Bifrons, and Isaac, the sixth, was dean of Canterbury, and ancestor of Isaac Bargrave, esq. of Eastry, where further mention will be made of him. They bore for their arms, Argent, on a pale, gules, a sword with the point upwards, the pomel, or, on a chief, azure, three bezants. His grandson John Bargrave, esq. sold it in 1662 to Sir Arthur Slingsby, knight and baronet, descended of a younger branch of the Slingsbys, of Scriven, in Yorkshire, and created a baronet at Brussells in 1657; his arms were, Gules, a chevron, between two leopards faces, in chief, and a bugle born, in base, argent. His son and heir Sir Charles Slingsby, bart. in 1677, alienated it to Mr. Thomas Baker, merchant, of London, (fn. 3) on whose death it came to Mr. William Whotton, gent. of London, and he in 1680 passed it away to Thomas Adrian, esq. who kept his shrievalty here in 1690. He alienated it in 1694 to John Taylor, esq. the son of Nathaniel Taylor, barrister at law, descended of a family at Wlitchurch, in Salop, whose arms were, Gules, three roses, argent, a chief chequy, argent and sable. He died in 1729, leaving four sons and four daughters. Of the former, Brook, the eldest, was LL.D. and F. R. S. a learned and ingenious gentleman, who, among other treatises, wrote one on perspective. He died in 1731, leaving an only daughter Elizabeth, married to Sir William Young, bart. Herbert, in holy orders, of whom hereafter; Charles, a merchant at Moscow; and Bridges. Of the daughters, Mary died unmarried, at Bridge-place, in 1771, and Olive married John Bowtell, D. D. vicar of Patrixborne. The eldest son Dr. Brook Taylor succeeded his father in this seat, but dying without male issue in 1731, his next brother the Rev. Herbert Taylor became possessed of it, and resided here. He died in 1763, leaving by Mary, one of the daughters of Edward Wake, clerk, prebendary of Canterbury, and first-cousin to the archbishop, two sons, Herbert and Edward, the eldest of whom succeeded him in this seat, with his other estates in this county, but dying unmarried in 1767, his brother, the Rev. Edward Taylor, succeeded him in it, and afterwards rebuilt, nearly on the old scite, this seat of Bifrons, so called from its double front, and the builder of it, in commendation of his wife, placed this motto on the fore front: Diruta ædificat uxor bona, ædificata diruit mala. It was a handsome spacious house, the front of which had a very grand and venerable appearance. He died in 1798, leaving by Margaret his wife, daughter of Thomas Turner Payler, esq. of Ileden, who died at Brussells in 1780, four sons and three daughters, of whom Edward, the eldest, is a captain in the Romney fencible dragoons; Herbert is a captain likewise in the army, private secretary, and aid de camp to the duke of York; Brook is private secretary to the secretary of state for foreign affairs; and Bridges, the youngest, is a lieutenant in the navy. Of the daughters, the eldest, Mary Elizabeth married Edward-Wilbraham Bootle, esq. M. P. Charlotte married the Rev. Mr. Northey, and Margaret. Edward Taylor, esq. the esdest son, succeeded on his father’s death to this seat, and continues owner of it.
HODE, now usually called Hothe, and Hothe-house, in this parish, was antiently part of the possessions of the family of Isaac, who bore for their arms, Sable, a bend, in the sinister point, a leopard’s head, or; one of whom, John Isaac, held it in the 20th year of king Edward III. His descendant Edward Isaac had his lands disgavelled by the act of 31 Henry VIII. and his descendant of the same name, at length leaving only three daughters his coheirs, this estate went in marriage by Jane, his only daughter by his first wife, first to Martin Sidley, esq. of Great Chart, and secondly to Sir Henry Palmer, of Howlets, who by his will in 1611, gave it to his son in-law Sir Isaac Sidley, bart. and he conveyed his right in it to his brother-inlaw Sir Henry Palmer, from whose descendant it went by sale to Merriweather, and Edward Merriweather, about the year 1680, alienated it to Thomas Adrian, gent. who conveyed it, with Bifrons and other estates in this parish, in 1694, to John Taylor, esq. in whose descendants it has, in like manner, continued down to Edward Taylor, esq. the present possessor of it.
RENVILLE is a manor, in this parish, which formerly belonged to owners of the name of Crippen, one of whom, Thomas Crippen, died possessed of it in the beginning of king James I.’s reign, leaving an only daughter and heir Joane, who carried it in marriage to Robert Naylor, gent. whose arms were,Argent, on a bend, sable, three covered cups of the field, their rims, or. His son John, about the year 1638, sold it to William Kingley, S. T. P. archdeacon of Canterbury, who left a numerous issue, of whom George, the eldest son, succeeded to this estate, whose only son William died in 1701, leaving William, of whom mention will be made hereafter; and Anthony, who was ancestor of Thomas Pincke Kingsley, gent. now of London. From William Kingsley, esq. the eldest son, this estate came down at length to his grandson lieutenant general William Kingsley, who resided at Maidstone, where he died in 1769 unmarried, and bequeathed this manor by will to his first-cousin Mr. Charles Kingsley, of London, for his life, (fn. 4) on whose death in 1785, it came by the entail of the above will to his second son Mr. Thomas Pincke Kingsley, now of London, who is the present possessor of it.
HIGHAM is another manor, for it was formerly so accounted, though it has long since lost the reputation of having been one, situated at the boundary of this parish, upon the high grounds, at a small distance from the northern side of Barham-downs. It was antiently owned by a family of the same name, one of whom, Nicholas, son of William de Higham, by a deed of the 13th year of king Edward III. to which his seal is appendant, viz. a lion passant regardant, between six crosses formee, fitchee, appears to have held it at that time, together with the manor of Northington, in the hundred of Downhamford, not far distant. Not long after which it passed into the name of Bourne, and afterwards of Haut, of the adjoining parish of Bishopsborne, in which it remained till at length Elizabeth, daughter and coheir of Sir William Haut, of Bishopsborne, carried it in marriage to Thomas Colepeper, esq. of Bedgbury, and he, in the 34th year of king Henry VIII. alienated it to Sir Anthony Aucher, in whose descendants it continued down to Sir Hewit Aucher, bart. who dying in 1726, s. p. by his will gave it to his sister Elizabeth, who entitled her husband John Corbet, LL. D. of Salop, to the possession of it. He left five daughters his coheirs, viz. Katherine, married to Stephen Beckingham; Elizabeth to Thomas Denward; Frances, to Sir William Hardres, bart. Antonina, to Ignatius Geohagan; and Hannah, to William Hougham, who became on his death jointly entitled to it. After which, Ignatius Geohagan, esq. before-mentioned, about the year 1768, built the present seat, called HIGHAM PLACE, and resided in it for some time, and then alienated his fifth part of it, as did the heirs of Katherine, Elizabeth, and Hannah, who were before deceased, their respective fifth parts, about 1781, to James Hallet, esq. who now resides in it, and has since purchased the remaining fifth part of the heirs of Frances, widow of Sir William Hardres, bart. who died in 1783. (fn. 5)
Charities.
SIR HENRY PALMER, of Bekesborne, by will in 1611, gave the sum of 10s. to be yearly paid out of his manor of Well-court, towards the relief of the poor of this parish, and he left the like som towards the relief of the poor of several of the neighbouring parishes, none of which has ever been paid to them.
The poor constantly maintained are about eight, casually 12.
THIS PARISH is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Bridge.
The church, which is dedicated to St. Mary, consists of one middle and two smaller side isles, a high and a south chancel, having a spire steeple on the south side, in which there is only one bell. This church is but small. It seems very antient. The pillars in it are very large and clumsy, and the arches circular. In the middle isle are several memorials of the Dennes, of this parish. The south chancel, formerly called the Isaac, but now the Bifrons chancel, as belonging to that seat, is covered with pews. In it are monuments for the Taylors, of Bifrons. At the entrance a memorial for John Bargrave, builder of Bifrons. In the north isle, in a window, are the arms of Fogge. Under the steeple, on the south side, is a fine arched doorway, circular, ornamented with much carvework and emblematical figures of Saxon architecture, much like that at Barfriston, (of which a plate is given in Grose’s Antiquities, vol. i. præf. p. 66); and a smaller one on the south side of the high chancel, of a similar sort, over which is a small stone figure, having on its head, seemingly, a crown, and head-dress on each side hanging down, with its hands listed up as if having had something between them, perhaps for the virgin and child; but it is so corroded by time, that what it was meant for, can only be guessed at. At the east end of the chancel is a small circular window, of different compartments, like that at Bartriston. In the west part of the church-yard, are tombs for James De Roussell, esq. a truly good and worthy man, obt. 1775, and Elizabeth his wife; and for John Bowtell, D. D. vicar of Patrixborne, and Olive his wife; and one for Mrs. Mary Taylor, who died in 1771.
The church of Patrixborne, with the chapel of Bridge annexed, was given and appropriated to the priory of Merton, in Surry, as early as the year 1258, anno 43 Henry III. on condition that three canons should reside, for the performance of all parochial duties; and if the profits increased, more should be sent for that purpose. (fn. 6) In which state this church continued till the dissolution of the priory, by the act of the 31st year of king Henry VIII. when it came, together with the manor of Patrixborne Merton, belonging to the priory, into the king’s hands, who granted both that year to Sir Thomas Cheney. Since which they have passed, in the same tract of ownership as has been already related before, in the description of that manor, down to Edward Taylor, esq. the present owner of the appropriation and advowson of the vicarage of this church, with the chapel of Bridge annexed.
¶It is, with the chapel of Bridge, valued in the king’s books at 5l. 7s. 3½d. and the yearly tenths at 10s. 8¾d. In 1578 here were thirty-nine communicants. In 1640 it was valued at fixty pounds, communicants fifty.
