Church of the Holy Cross

Details

GOODNESTONE THE STREET TR 25 SE (West side) 3/97 Church of the 11.10.63 Holy Cross GV I Parish church. Late C12 origin, extended C13, tower rebuilt C15. Nave south porch and chancel by Rickman and Hussey, 1839-41 in C13 style. Flint, knapped and coursed in C19 parts especially,with plain tiled roof. Nave and chancel with north aisle and chapel, west tower and north and south porches. West tower with plinth, 3 string courses, triple offset buttresses and battlements, with south eastern octagonal stair turret. The west door and triple light window form an ensemble, the string course raised over the window enclosing a shield, with more shields in the spandrel of the hollow chamfered doorway, and inscription. Orate P.T. boys adjustor isti op; recording the financing of the church's rebuilding by Thomas Boys. Sundial on stair turret and clockface on eastern tower face. Nave, chancel and south porch all of squared, knapped and coursed flint and entirely of 1839-41 with plinth, corbel table, parapet, buttresses and quatrefoil headed fenestration in shafted surrounds, with triple lancet east window. Triple lancet east window also to north chapel but genuinely C13. The north chapel and aisle have lancet windows and C14 and C15 trefoiled and ogee headed lights, C19 north porch, probably not part of 1839-41 work, with four centred arched doorway. Interior: tower stepped up from nave with hollow chamfered arch on round responds with octagonal bases and caps with simple chamfered arch on imposts to north aisle now blocked with smaller doorway. Nave and chancel of unified design of high quality (given the date) with string course, shafted reveals to windows, moulded drip moulds, with 4 bay north arcade of chamfered arches with drip moulds on piers with stiffleaf capitals, with a further 2 bays from chancel to chapel. Hammer beam-Roof multiple mouldings on chancel arch on triple clustered shafts. The side windows in the chancel with an inner tracery screen. Two stone transverse arches to roof, that to east on shafted responds. North aisle and chapel all of one build, with roof of 5 crown posts on crenellated wall plates with moulded tie beams. Fittings: trefoil headed piscina in north chapel, otherwise mid C19, especially the font, trefoil arcaded stone pulpit, sanctuary panelling, rails, benches and pews. An ancient octagonal font bowl stands beneath the tower. Glass: fragments in a north window, C14 St. Michael and bishop and C15 bishop. Chapel lancets with glass by E.S. 1899, also signed AS EA EP. Brasses: M L L William Boys d.1507, 15 inch figures crudely engraved with 5 sons and 3 daughters, with the principal figures speaking with small Trinity over. Thomas Engeham, d.1558, an armoured man and his wife about 18 inches high, with 2 sons and 5 daughters, with achievement over and pawky verse. Vincent Boys d.1558. Two feet high. Figures of man and wife with achievement over. On the north wall is a brass of a lady with damaged inscriptions, about 15 inches high, reset on a wooden block. Monuments: St. Thomas Engeham, erected 1621. Black wall tablet with white surround with fulsome inscription, with strapwork base and ribband side pieces with death's heads and symbols of time, of a pattern similar to local chest tombs (e.g. Woodnesborough churchyard). Edward Engeham, d.1636. Wall monument in black and white with kneeling figures under coffered arch, with 4 sons and 2 daughters kneeling below, with apron draped and decorated with cherub and death's head. Broken pediment on Corinthian pilasters to surround. Gabriel Richards, d.1672. Black wall tablet with white and gilt surround. Latin inscription to the founder of the Almshouses still standing in Goodnestone Street. Swagged base with enriched brackets with draped and foliated side scrolls and triple recessed segmental head with cherub and 3 arms cartouches. Brook Bridges, d.1717, monument erected 1752 and signed P. Scheemakers. Veined white marble wall plaque with garlanded scrolled sides with winged cherub in segmental head with urns over, and cartouche on base. (See B.O.E. Kent, II, 1983, pp. 334-5.)

Listing NGR: TR2541554411

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

177958

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Newman, J, The Buildings of England: North East and East Kent, (1983), 334-5

Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 24 Kent,

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