Details
ASH STREET
TR 2858
(south side)
10/79 Church of St.
Nicholas
11.10.63
GV I
Parish Church. Circa 1190, altered C14, with central C15 tower. Restored
1847 by Butterfield and 1861 by Christian, 1896 by Edward Fry. Flint with
rubble stone and re-used tile and plain tiled roof. Cruciform with
chancel, north chapel, nave,north aisle, large north porch and central
tower. Double gabled west end with offset buttresses to centre and
corners. Doorway and west windows largely of 1847 in Decorated style.
South nave wall with exposed 2 bay arcade, now blocked, to last south
aisle; C19 Perpendicular style fenestration. Transepts and chancel late
C12 in origin, fenestration much restored, only 1 lancet survives in
chancel south wall. Original C14 Decorated mouchette tracery in north
chapel. South transept heavily restored and buttressed 1675, and set with
many stones recording names of various benefactors and churchwardens at
that date. C19 north porch. Central tower of 3 stages, top stage offset,
with string courses and battlements and tall needle spire. South west
stair turret, circular changing to octagonal and battlemented top stage.
Interior: four bay north arcade in nave, the westernmost probably
originally the base of a north-west tower, the walls thickened, with heavy
recessed chamfered arches. The other 3 arches with large chamfers and
head mould on round piers with moulded octagonal bases and capitals. Part
of blocked 2 bay south arcade exposed. C19 scissor braced roof.
Crossing; 4 identical C15 arches, continuous hollowed, double wave
surround, and round responds with octagonal bases and capitals. South
transept with tower stair turret intruding. Aisle arches with roll
moulding, carried on imposts with nook shafts to responds. Decorated arch
from north transept to north chapel, with continuous moulded surround and
mutilated head corbels. North chapel with the only original scissor
braced roof left. Chancel with string courses as base and head to windows
and south door and piscina. Chamfered arch to north chapel, and also wall
pierced over monuments. Fittings: arched aumbry in chancel east wall,
also a square aumbry. Large trecusped piscina with label hood.
Perpendicular screen to north chapel, of 4 bays, with cusped and traceried
panels and moulded beam. Font: of white marble, with moulded octagonal
bowl and stem on square plinth. Purchased by the churchwardens (R.M. and
A.F.) for £10 in 1726. Poor box, dated 1727, R.M:A.F, fixed to north
west crossing pier, moulded with coved top, swept base and panelled
sides. Royal Arms of George III in north aisle, and painted stone C17
Royal Arms, draped, over north aisle/north transept arch. Brasses: Maud
Clitherow, c.1435 under central tower; 4'6", with canopy, only the upper
part remains, her husband Richard lost totally. In the chancel: Jane
Keriel d.1455. 30.5 inches high with unique (for brasses) horned
headdress. William and Annys Leweis, d.152 5/6, crude figures 1 foot high.
North chapel : Christopher and Mercy Septvans (d.1575 and d.1602); 3'6"
figures, he ruffed and armoured. Walter Septvans d.1642 and Jane
Septvans, d.1626, 25 inch figures he (son of Christopher) no longer
armoured. Monuments: an outstanding series Sir John de Goshall
(attrib.) armoured knight in stone, c.1310, wearing hood, coat of mail,
surcoat, leather aillettes, with legs crossed. Arms of Goshall were once
visible on the shield. Below him a lady, said to be his wife, in Purbeck
marble, wearing a wimple and praying. Sir John Leverick (attrib.) c.1350,
under the remains of a vaulted triple canopy. Embossed armour, executed
with great detail and precision, legs crossed with lion at feet, head
turned slightly towards altar. The rear of the monument (i.e. in the
north chapel) has an integral piscina and open arch. John de Septvans
(d.1458) and Katherine Martin (d.1498). Alabaster figures on Purbeck
marble chest tomb, earlier and here re-used. The figures may have been
moved (in C15) from Sittingbourne Church. Heavily restored crocketed
ogee canopy. Sir Thomas Septvans, d.1617, and wife Bennett, d.1612.
Large alabaster wall monument; knight and his lady kneel opposite each
other over a lecturn. Coffered arched surround with (Corinthian)
architectural surround, with mourning children (now only 7 girls) on
scrolled base. Christopher Toldervey, d.1618, similar theme and quality
to the last, though in coloured marble with less elaborate surround.
Richard Hougham, d.1601, wall tablet erected 1666, and Mary Lowman,
d.1743, with scrolled open segmental pediment and cornucopia. Other small
but interesting plaques to Henry Roberts, d.1718, the Cartwright family
(from 1722), William Brett, d.1769, Dorothea and Thomas St Nicholas,
d.1605, and Innocent Nicholas, d.1588. Three charity boards, two of 1742,
1 of 1837 (See BOE Kent II 1983, 128-131; see also church guide, Sir
Reginald Thomas Tower, 1928 (1979 reprint).
Listing NGR: TR2875758386
