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© Mr Derrick Chiverrell ABBP., ARPS
IoE Number:
406840
Location:
CHURCH OF ST THOMAS A BECKET AND MOUNTING BLOCK ATTACHED,
SNARGATE, SHEPWAY, KENT
Photographer:
Mr Derrick Chiverrell ABBP., ARPS
Date Photographed:
11 December 2005
Date listed:
09 June 1959
Date of last amendment:
09 June 1959
Grade
I
The Images of England website consists of images of listed buildings based on the statutory list as it was in 2001 and does not incorporate subsequent amendments to the list. For the statutory list and information on the current listed status of individual buildings please go to The National Heritage List for England.
TQ 967 265 SNARGATE
FAIRFIELD
5/118 Church of St. Thomas
a Becket and
9.6.59 Mounting block attached
I
Parish church C15, possibly on earlier foundations with C18 fittings.
Reconstructed, and most of timbers renewed, in 1912-13 by W.D. Caroe.
Timber framed, clad 1912-13 in chequered red and grey brick with thin
tiles to corbels (possibly replacing C18 brick-work). West gable end
plain brownish-red brick. Wood shingled bell turret. East end of nave
tile-hung above chancel, east end of chancel weatherboarded above wall-
plate. Plain tile roofs. Nave, incorporating west bell turret; south
porch; small low chancel. Bell turret has pryamidal roof. Nave and
chancel roofs gabled, chancel with decorative, possibly medieval, barge-
boards. Leaded rectangular casement windows throughout church, except
chancel east window which contains small quantity of stained glass; all
1912-13. Boarded outer and inner doors to porch, the former with thin
tiles to head of architrave. Chequered red and grey brick mounting block
to west end, probably 1912-13.
Interior: Nave and chancel separately framed, with evidence for virtually
closed close-studded partitions to west truss of chancel and to east truss
of nave. Chancel of 2 timber framed bays, nave of 2½, with gunstock-
jowled principal posts and some evidence for arch braces to wall-plates; walls
otherwise rendered. Cambered arch-braced tie-beams, (those to chancel about 7
feet from ground), braces chamfered, with solid spandrels and continued with
chamfered fillets. Similar moulded octagonal crown-posts to central trusses of
nave and chancel. Half bay to west end of nave, beneath bell turret, enclosed
to north and south with close-studded partitions, each with door to east, leaving
central area open to west gable end to contain font. On circular stone base
with heptagonal plinth and base.
Fittings: Heptagonal ragstone font on circular stone base with
heptagonal plinth and base; possibly C15, or possibly 1660s (J. Newman,
Buildings of England Series, West Kent and the Weald, 1980).
Altar rails: early C18 balusters with plain handrail; Laudian plan.
Text boards to east end bearing Lord's Prayer, Creed and Decalogue.
C18 box pews to nave and south side of chancel, with fielded panels except
last pew to west on each side which are plainer. C18 3-decker pulpit,
said to be the only one surviving in Kent. 9 oval text boards to nave,
one dedicatory dated 1804.
The church is in an isolated position in the marshes and has no churchyard.
Reference to a timber-framed church on the site, in poor condition, 1294
(E. Woodruff, "Some Early Visitation Rolls", Archaeologia Cantiana Vol.
XXXII 1917). Referred to by Hasted as built of brick and seeming to be "but
of very modern date..." (Hasted, The History and Topographical Survey of the
County of Kent, Vol.VIII, 2nd Edit. 1797-1801, Republished 1972). Photographs
in west end of church showing work in progress 1912-13.