Details
TR 24 SE ALKHAM ALKHAM VALLEY ROAD
(North side)
4/5 Church of
22.8.62 St Anthony the
Martyr
GV I
Parish church. Circa 1200 and late C13, altered C14 and C15. Restored 1872.
Flint with plain tiled roof. Chancel and north chapel, nave and south aisle,
western tower and south porch. Western tower much restored, in two stages
with triple offset corner buttresses, string course and low spire. Cl9
Early English style west doorway and oval oculus over, and restored lancets.
South aisle with buttresses, string course and parapet, all carried over to
include large porch with restored gable end and wave moulded south doorway.
C15 fenestration, except replaced lancets at west and east ends. North nave
wall with exposed blocked arcade to now demolished aisle, with re-set lancets.
Circular clerestorey windows. Chancel and north chapel separately roofed
and stepped down from nave, with heavy offset corner buttresses and string
course carried over from aisle and with C15 fenestration. Four-light cusped
C14 East window, with 2 lancets and sexfoil over eastern assembly to chapel,
with 4 lancets on string course to north, lancet and roundel to west walls.
The original early C13 church was of nave with aisles extended into the
chancel, with large later C13 north chapel, this arrangement apparent
especially within. Interior: nave with chamfered arch to tower with
moulded hood on round responds with 'water-holding' bases and bell-capitals.
Arcade of 4 bays to south, 2 to north, the western 2 bays blocked in at
time of building north chapel. Built 3 bays to nave, 1 to chancel with
short stretch of wall between 2 bays and with no chancel arch; round piers
with moulded bases and bell capitals, with continuous hood mould, and
clerestory windows over. Cl9 roof of 4 crown posts. Chancel of same early
C13 date with string course, off which the C14 inserted window springs, with
exposed jambs of C13 window reveal. C14 eastern arch with double chamfer on
octagonal responds to north chapel. Part of group of "High Early English"
in this part of Kent, with Folkestone and Cheriton. Nine bay blind arcading
in groups of 3 on north wall, with deeply undercut tri-lobed arches on
Bethersden marble colonettes, the plinth raised 3 times to accommodate 3
steps to sanctuary. Five lancets over with attached shafts set on string
course all with moulded hoods. East window of 2 tall lancets and oculus over,
all with doubled attached shafts and undercut moulding. Cl9 Roof of 3 crown
posts. Fittings: triple sedilia in chancel, C13, with tri-lobed heads, hood
mould and hollow chamfered surrounds, the 2 westernmost separated by attached
colonette, the easternmost with integral piscina with trilobed head and hollow
chamfer. Hollow chamfered shelved piscina in north chapel, simple chamfered
piscina in south aisle. All other fittings (including font and screen to
tower) Cl9, apart from C18 brass chandelier of 2 tiers with 8 branches over
8, and enriched handle at base. Monuments: fine C13 tomb slab in north
chapel, with faint cross and very clear lettering, to Hubert, son of Simon,
and first known Rector of Alkham (1199-1203). Sarah Slater, d.1720. Wall
plaque in chancel of white marble, with fluted sides, cornice and
achievement on apron with cherub. Fine series of marble floor slabs before
chancel. The church was appropriated to Abbey of St Radigunds in 1258,
which may date the north chapel work. (See BOE Kent II 1983, pp 127-8; see
also Lees & Humphrey, Alkham Parish, 1985).
Listing NGR: TR2559142299
