The Crypt at St Nicholas Court, St Nicholas at Wade, Thanet

THE CRYPT AT ST NICHOLAS COURT, ST NICHOLAS AT WADE, THANET P. J.C. LAMBERT AND K. H. MCINTOSH The origins of the crypt' under the lawn at St Nicholas Court have been a mystery to twentieth-century archaeologists and historians. 2 The site (NGR TR 2597 6687) has been visited on many occasions by members of the Kent Archaeological Society and more than once on Society outings. It was the very last structure to be examined by Kenneth Gravett a matter of days before the onset of his fatal illness. He had paid three visits there during the preceding year, noting further details on each occasion, all of which appeared to deepen the enigma rather than resolve it. He had verbally expressed the view that its style of construction - especially the mouldings - betokened the fourteenth century, a judgement shared by other commentators/ and very probably the first half of that century. The following is an amplification of his unfinished work and of the findings of a more comprehensive survey since his death. The Present Access The underground chamber is now reached from a ground floor room in a two-storey brick wing attached, at a slight angle, to the southwest corner of the main range (Fig. 1). This extension appears to be of eighteenth-century date, and modernised externally in the nineteenth century, when the new rendered front was created. There is a straight flight of nine brick steps in the corner of this room, which ends immediately under the south-east corner walls of the extension. From this point a slightly sloping passage runs at a thirtyfive degree angle for a distance of 10ft (3.05m), whereupon another flight of eleven mixed brick and stone steps descends to the entrance doorway in one arm of the underground chamber or crypt (Fig. 2). The pieces of stone set in the lower six steps of the bottom flight of stairs may be significant. Although they are now surrounded by brick, they may have been reused from earlier steps or be part of an intermediate phase of modified access. The 9in. (230mm) thick walls of 367 Crypt at St. Nicholas Court St. Nicholas at Wade Kent Fig. 1. Plan of Crypt, site & location plan. 0 0 Site r,. 8 ll.ft 2. 3 photo.- Key 􀀼 chalk block 􀀽 mixed chalk & brick = brick -photo. later passage possible tunnel niches elevations picked face of excavation o cantelbury Location Rec:u!ver .,..C> St Nicholas Fig. l St Nicholas Court: Plan of Crypt, site and location THE CRYPT AT ST NICHOLAS COURT, ST NICHOLAS AT WADE, THANET PLATE J St Nicholas Court: The Crossing and north-east arm of Crypt the entrance tunnel are of red brick of modern (i.e. pre-metric) dimensions set in a hard lime mortar, irregularly bonded but mostly in stretcher bond with some headers. The roof is constructed of semi-circular arches of the same brick, each adjacent arch of brickwork unbonded to the next. In one wall there is a neat brick recess for a candle, perfectly placed to illuminate both sets of steps. All this brickwork is probably of nineteenth-century date. At the bottom of the second flight of steps the brickwork of the tunnel abuts a small section of chalk block walling which runs at an angle close to the alignment of the top flight of steps. Part of this older walling was cut back for access when the new entrance tunnel and steps were constructed (Fig. 2). The main axis of the crypt is thus on an almost identical alignment to the main range of the present St Nicholas Court, which has not been inspected in detail but which appears to be a seventeenth-century and later re-building. From a hole in the north side of the descending brick wall a short section of chalk block walling of the earlier. possibly original, passage can be seen. This continues at a slightly diverging angle to the opposite chalk wall for another 2ft (610mm) before becoming lost in backfilled chalk and earth rubble. One of these walls may repres- 369 U,) -..J 0 Crypt at St Nicholas Court St. Nicholas at Wade Kent Fig. 2. Access and NW - SE Section H x, ________ ...,, ___ 􀀞---􀀟---􀀠---.:t....,.·--􀀡-------...:.at:.,,,,.,-·------- Oetan at Entranu 0 I 2. f I f I I C Ground Level Section X-Xt s R \􀀂 I I '-... 0 0 \ 7 ,,. :z -3 􀀜M Plan of Ae<:80$ -t - xr-,----- · Ii () 􀀇 􀀊 Fig. 2 St Nicholas Court: Access to Crypt and NW-SE section H / -i Key C chalk block walls A chalk arch B brick wall CB chalk & brick wall s stone arch R rebuilt recess H house ? possible tunnel 2'2.0•I. :-0 :-0 􀀈􀀉 ;,:: :l= 􀀈 6 en :r: THE CRYPT AT ST NICHOLAS COURT, ST NICHOLAS AT WADE, THANET PLATE II St Nicholas Court: Niche A in the north-east arm of Crypt ent the alignment of the original entrance tunnel or external steps to a missing building. There is a brick cellar under part of the main range of the house but this shows only seventeenth-century or later characteristics and the projected lines for the older tunnel do not appear to meet this cellar. The doorway which gives access to the crypt has jambs of cut stones (now painted white) with a two-centred head formed by four voussoirs and a smaller keystone (which does not project), the best face is inside with a broad flat chamfer. One jamb only has a broach stop. There are two pintles for a missing exterior door, which could not be used if it were still in existence because it would foul the later brick steps. Originally this doorway would have led directly into the north-west arm of the cruciform crypt but now it leads into a passage, one wall of which is made of the chalk blocks and mortar used throughout the original structure. The other wall of the passage is constructed partly of different chalk blocks and mortar, which abut the jamb of the door with a straight joint, and partly of the same bricks used in the present approach tunnel. This is evidence for an intermediate phase of alteration when part 371 P. J.C. LAMBERT AND K. H. MCINTOSH PLATE Ill St Nicholas Court: The Crossing and south-west arm of Crypt of the north-west arm was separated from the entrance door, perhaps even completely walled-off. In the nineteenth century this wall seems to have been partly demolished and then built up with brickwork and finished with a brick barrel roof identical with the roof of the descending tunnel and clearly contemporary. The return wall which now completely blocks off the north-west arm of the crypt up to the apex of the vault is mostly of brick but has a panel of reused chalk blocks set deliberately in the middle of it (Fig. 4, J). It is clear from the visible section of original vault that the roof of the north-west arm of the crypt collapsed and most of it was walledoff. It is not possible to see into this section to discover how much original wall and vaulting remain. The Crypt As originally constructed, the long axis of the crypt, which is of irregular cruciform shape, was aligned north-east to south-west and was designed to be 36ft long overall internally (l0.974m). This was not achieved with complete accuracy, as can be seen from the plan (Fig I). the principal error being the southwards deflection of the southwest arm. The shorter axis was designed to be about 26ft overall in- 372 THE CRYPT AT ST NICHOLAS COURT, ST NICHOLAS AT WADE, THANET ternally (7.925m). The designed width of the four arms varies; three are 9ft wide (2.743m) and the fourth is 10ft 6in. (3.20m), the wider arm containing the original entrance door. All the original walling and also the pointed barrel vault is constructed of chalk blocks, carefully s􀂏uared and laid to courses. The blocks, and therefore the courses, vary in depth between 3½ and 7in. (89-178mm), most are 5 or 6in. deep (127-153mm) and there is virtually no gradation in size from top to bottom of the walls or vaults. The vault springs from a chamfered, projecting chalk block string course. Because of variations in width and also due to settlement, alterations, repairs, and probably errors in building, the height and shape of the vaults vary between 10ft 3in. and 11ft 6in. with the keystone of the crossing ribs at about 11ft above floor level. With the floor level of the crypt measured at 16 feet below the level of the lawn there is between 4 and 5ft of almost level ground above the masonry of the roof. The crypt floor has not been excavated; however, apparently undisturbed chalk was found at about 6in. (153 mm) lower than the bases of the stone quoins. The existing floor is a shallow, uneven mixture of soil, chalk fragments and debris fallen from the walls and roof. There is no apparent indication of any burials in the floor and no remains of any ancient surfacing material, such as tile or stone. The vault of the crossing is carried on flat-chamfered stone ribs springing from chamfered stone quoins with moulded part-octagonal caps and bases. The four bases of the quoins are similar to each other (Fig. 3, E) but the capstones vary considerably in design; however, they are clearly all of the same build (Fig. 3, A, B, C, D). The quoin stones (they are not continuous pillars but individual stones bonded to the walling) have been noticeably rubbed smooth in an area between 12 and 30in. above floor level. The stone is a pale yellow, fine-grain sandstone, almost certainly from Caen. 4 After the walls and roof of the crypt were built, the chalk blocks were hacked to give a key for a rendered, and probably plastered, finish (although there is only slight evidence for the latter). The rendering, which survives in places on the roof and walls, and in the niches, is identical to the mortar between the chalk blocks; a sharp sand/lime mix with much fragmented flint, crushed sea-shells and small waterrounded black flint pebbles. Such a mixture can be collected today from north Thanet beaches. There are several features of interest on the crossing ribs. On the soffit of the keystone (Fig. 3, F) is an irregular rounded hump which may be the remains of a boss, mutilated partly by two iron fixings (now almost perished) perhaps for a hanging lantern. One of the adjacent voussoirs (Fig. 3, G) has a projecting 'flange' on one side, which at 373 --􀀄􀀈 -, - ' 'I 'I " Cap A x, _i y-,.1 􀀉 <'􀀉---.!..-' ... , ,....,, ./_V'.!,... , ., , .... ..,, .... ' t,,J.... 􀀉 ..... ...􀀃 I, ·- 1 - 1 / - Vousso!r G CapsC& D fl 3o 10 3 Crypt at St. Nicholas Court St. Nicholas at Wade Kent Fig. 3. Details of mouldings, keystone & voussoir. Bases E (, s 'I-- 3 2 ----- INGH. Fig. 3 St Nicholas Court: Details of Mouldings, Keystone and Voussoir in Crypt :--'."' .. 0 ... 􀀊 l? CX, •L ! 10 ;:,:: 8 ;i:: 7 (, z s ""1 ,. ::i: 3 l. CJ<>. THE CRYPT AT ST NICHOLAS COURT. ST NICHOLAS AT WADE, THANET PLATE IV St Nicholas Court: View toward, south-west arm of Crypt present is not covered by any rendering although it has been 'pecked' for a key. Why this voussoir only has such a projection is not known; it could be evidence of re-use. Some of the voussoirs vary in width but this might not have been noticeable with poor illumination. Fragments of roofing tile have been used to wedge the voussoirs tightly whilst the mortar set. At the south-east corner of the crossing the capital shows the masons· setting-out lines for the top two sections of moulding. The Niches The visible walls of the crypt contain nine recesses (Fig. I) and these are asymmetrically placed along the walls and vary in height from the floor, opening size, depth, degree of ornamentation and, presumably. function. The two most ornate niches are situated in the end walls of the north-east and south-west arms (Fig. 4). The north-east niche [A] has a well-finished. slightly ogee-shaped. trefoiled head, with sunk mouldings and wide. flat chamfers and is formed from two pieces of chalk. 375 Key a b C d e f 9 A B e G -􀀃 =-1\ HL 􀀄 cusps now rounded, shape assumed. heads of two inclined chalk blocks. head stones re-cut in situ to form point re-fronted in brick. stone cut as niche formed. end wall of NE arm. chalk rear arch to call)I side wall over recess. h j k Crypt at St. Nicholas Court St. Nicholas at Wade Kent C D Fig. 4. Niches & Elevations \ E ··􀀝------􀀞j􀀟------􀀠u....-----~-"'- /'. ///// / / H plan/ --------/ . / 9 / /'.// // i--􀀊 / /􀀋/􀀌/- stone head to recess brick floor passage to access wall closing off NW arm F 0 • 12 3l) d ,. ..... 60ems E'.,2001. Elevation l Elevation 1 oi'2i¼ I = J Fig. 4 St Nicholas Court: Crypt Niches and Elevations 0 . THE CRYJYf AT ST NICHOLAS COURT. ST NICHOLAS AT WADE, THANET PLATE V St Nicholas Court: The crossing showing recess I in south-east arm Some of the details of the shape have been lost because of damage to the soft chalk and it is possible that the very slightly ogee shape was more of an accident of construction than of deliberate design, especially since most of the chalk blocks forming the heads of the niches do not meet with precision. It is placed at a slightly higher level in the wall than any other niche and although not exactly centred in the wall, it clearly had a higher status than other openings. The south-west niche [B] is plainer and, apart from a flat chamfer, has a flush-faced, pointed trefoil head made from two inclined blocks of chalk. The better quality work of these two recesses implies a special, perhaps devotional, use. The three niches [C, D, E] are similar in size and shape with twocentred heads formed from two inclined chalk blocks and there are the remains of flat chamfers on the heads and jamb blocks. Niche [Fl was probably similar but was re-formed when the wall around it was re-built. These four recesses were doubtless used to hold some form of illumination. Two other smaller, lower-set openings in the north-east arm of the crypt are different in form to the other niches and probably had a different function. That in the north-west wall, close to the corner [G), 377 P. J.C. LAMBERT AND K. H. MCINTOSH TABLE 1: NICHE DIMENSIONS AND SILL HEIGHT ABOVE FLOOR LEVEL (inches) Niche Width Height Depth Height from Floor Level A 20 29 18 42 B 22 21 22 38 C 22 21 20 29 D 21 21 21 31 E 20 21 15 28 F 23 18 15 33 G 9 14 10 24 H Sext IOext 16 14 13int 16int I 30 60 9 78 has a simple two-centred pointed head and is half the width and depth of the previously described niches. H owever, it is the opening in the opposite wall which is curious and differs most from the others [HJ. It is about 14in. above the floor and although it has an aperture of only 5 x lOin. it opens out into an almost square space 16in. deep, and for some reason extends behind the face of the end wall. It is hard to resist the conclusion that this was a storage place for small items used in the crypt. There are no niches in the northern walls of the long axis of the crypt nor in the original wall of the approach tunnel. None of the recesses have signs of hinges, wooden fittings, shelves, basins, drains or any features intended to be viewed from outside the underground walls. If the two odd niches [G, HJ were used as piscina/stoup and aumbry respectively, no evidence for this now remains. The walls of all these recesses were rendered to cover the chalk but where it has fallen away it reveals that all were formed as the walls of the crypt were built up. This is especially noticeable in the backs of the niches [C] and [F], where pick marks in the undisturbed chalk face are visible. As can be seen from the elevation drawings (Fig. 4), the chalk blocks forming the sills, jambs and heads of the openings [G] and [H] were cut to shape as work progressed and only the trefoiled blocks had to have extra work done to them. This was an economical, labour-saving and sound method of construction: only sufficient chalk to allow for the walls of the crypt to be built needed to be excavated; 378 THE CRYPT AT ST NICHOLAS COURT, ST NICHOLAS AT WADE, THANET building the walls against a firm, quarried base gave extra stability to the vault (it would also explain why inaccuracies of setting out and/or excavation were not corrected by cutting back the chalk faces to straighten the alignment of the arms of the crypt); and, in addition, the stability of the underground structure would not be jeopardised by any building standing above it and vice versa. Without excavation it is not possible to say what, if anything, actually stood over the crypt. The ninth recess [I) poses several important questions. It is situated high in the end wall of the south-west arm and it has been reconstructed in eighteenth- or nineteenth-century brickwork. Similar brick-work surrounds the recess and extends to ground level, where there is a brick paved section of floor and two half-brick thick piers built against the sides of the chalk walls to string-course level and dying into the vault. However, the top of the recess is formed of four stone voussoirs with flat chamfers, forming a curved arch, otherwise similar to the door head of the crypt entrance. The soffit of the vault at this point is level with the head of the recess; indeed, part of the arch chamfer is lost above the vault. This may be an error in construction, sign of settlement or that the arch has been re-set. The sill of the recess is 6ft 6in. above paving level and the opening is 5ft high, 2ft 6in. wide and one brick deep. There are at least three possible reasons for this recess, depending on whether it is original and rebuilt in situ, has been re-positioned when a later opening was made or is a totally new opening re-using a stone head. If original and substantially of the same shape and in the same location in the wall, it could be either a blind niche simulating a window, an actual window opening or a doorway. A blind niche of this size seems unlikely so close to the vault and none of the other recesses have stone heads. A window also seems out of character and would require a ground level of at least 1 Oft below present levels, which would then have exposed the top of the vault, unless the end wall of a building stood immediately above it. An exterior door is more likely but presents the same problem of levels; also possible is an interior door to a ground-floor room above, and longer than, this arm of the crypt. If this recess is a later construction, as at present seems likely, there remains the question as to whether it was a niche or a genuine opening. Since successive owners have taken care to keep this structure in good condition, especially in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, it could be that a window-like recess was thought appropriate when repairs were necessary. However, the additional brickwork and particularly the paving (signs of which were seen elsewhere), suggests that the crypt was in use in the nineteenth century and a storage cellar is likely; perhaps the one for beer mentioned in the sale particulars of 1790,5 and this represents an ex tern al access to 379 P. 1. C. LAMBERT AND K. H. MCINTOSH it. There are no signs of an internal staircase or steps in this position, and, apart from a few iron brackets in one rebuilt section of wall, nothing remains to indicate what activities were taking place here at any time in the crypt's history. DOCUMENTARY HISTORY The early history of this site awaits further research. The parish of St Nicholas at Wade is in the north-west corner of the Isle of Thanet and was anciently part of the archbishop of Canterbury's manor of Reculver, acquiring parochial status in 1296. By the early fourteenth century there were already two long-established churches in the recently-created parish - St Nicholas and its chapelry of All Saints Church at Shuart - the first within half a mile of St Nicholas Court and the second under a mile. This makes the creation of a crypt here even more puzzling: and eliminates any theory that the crypt could have been a trial build, subsequently abandoned, for a new church for the village, although its existence as a private chapel remains a possibility in spite of its proximity to the two other churches, such instances having been noted at Manor Farm, Little Chesterford, Essex, and at the Manor House at Charney Basset, Berkshire.6 There is evidence of major rebuilding work at All Saints Church at Shuart in the thirteenth century although it fell into disuse and decay later, and it is pointed out that 'the upkeep of two large churches in a rather remote rural parish must have been too much of a financial burden' ;7 and, indeed, Shuart may have been one of the three ruined churches out of the eleven once extant on the Isle of Thanet mentioned by Leland8 but not, alas, named by him. The earliest known map of the Isle of Than et is that drawn by Thomas of Elmham in 1410 and both churches are shown on this - but nothing that could be construed as representing the crypt at St Nicholas Court. In the first half of the fourteenth century, the postulated date of the crypt, All Saints was still standing and much work was being carried out at St Nicholas Church. A new 'sumptuous' tower was added there in 1310,9 (when the parishes of All Saints and St Nicholas were united) and the north arcade erected in 1343. 10 Similarly, work was done on the windows, probably in the mid-fourteenth century. It could be that further work to the church and/or this crypt was projected - only to be abandoned at, or as one of the consequences of, the Black Death. The influence of Canterbury masons on the church building has been noted, 11 and it might be presumed that the parish was well-known to them at the time of the building of the crypt, if not the crypt itself. 380 THE CRYPT AT ST NICHOLAS COURT, ST NICHOLAS AT WADE, THANET None of the thirteenth- and fourteenth-century names which have been associated with the village are known with any degree of certainty to have been of people living at St Nicholas Court (even the de St Nicholas family), although medieval buildings must be presumed to have existed on the site for the name of the Court to have survived. (The Manor of St Nicholas is referred to in connection with the vicarage there 'All tithe grain to be put into the barn of the manor'). 12 In spite of the fact that no fourteenth-century names specifically attached to St Nicholas Court have been found so far (in itself perhaps of significance), 13 there is a record of (Prior) Henry of Eastry acting sede vacante after the death of Archbishop Reynolds (between November 1327 and July 1328) giving permission for Petronella, widow of John of St Nicholas, to hear mass and divine office in some 'decent place' (probably the solar) within her house, but only when the weather is too bad for her to get to her parish church, i.e. within the winter months. 14 This, though, is not a licence for a chapel. Some of the uncertainty and confusion over names is mentioned by Hasted 15 and arises because of there being two similar names for two different estates, viz, St Nicholas Court and St Nicholas Court Farm. Hasted also added to the confusion because he links St Nicholas Court, which he describes as being about two miles away eastwards of · the village, 16 with Queens' College, Cambridge, as the owners in 1473 and John Bridges as the tenant-occupier in 1796. The other estate he called St Nicholas Court Farm and gave no location but quoted the owners in his time as the Finch family. However, it is now clear that the house now known as St Nicholas Court, of which this crypt is part, is the one then occupied by the Bridges family in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century as long-term tenants of Queens' College, which came into possession of it by deed of gift from Joan Burgh in 1473. 17 The freehold came into the possession of the family of the present owner only in 1947. The Bridges family are noted to be residing in the parish in the Visitations in 1640 and in the Hearth Tax Return of 1674. In 1785 Thomas Bridges was the tenant of St Nicholas Court and in 1790 there was sale of the contents of the house, which mentions two cellars - one for wine and one for beer- but does not locate them. The underground chamber is not mentioned at all in the sale particulars. The Tithe Map of 1841 does not show any feature identifiable as the crypt. In 1866 there was a sale of the main portion of the St Nicholas Court estate and the accompanying map of the sale shows the house with virtually its present shape and what may be a carriage drive sweeping round the front of the house, very close to the ground above 381 P. J.C. LAMBERT AND K. H. MCINTOSH the northerly arm of the crypt. By 1876 William Broadley may have been in residence and he was here until he died in 1932. 18 Thus there are no reliable documentary sources for the crucial period when the crypt and any associated structure might be in existence or being built. DISCUSSION AND PROVISIONAL CHRONOLOGY The chief problem with this structure is that its form has suggested several possible functions none of which can be proven. The unusual cruciform shape, the apparently intended east-west alignment, the position of the decorated niches and also the other small niches in the easterly arm, imply that it had a religious use, either as a crypt beneath a ground floor chapel, a chapel/undercroft beneath a house, or as a wholly underground, clandestine religious meeting place. The suggested chronology and theories as to the origin and possible uses of this puzzling structure are summarised as follows: Phase One If the fourteenth century is accepted as the earliest and most likely date for building the crypt there are several possibilities which have to be considered: - A crypt to a ground floor private chapel, now demolished. Although this seems a very likely interpretation there is no documentary evidence to support it and other examples are rare. The crypt below part of the chapel of St John's Commandery at Swingfield, Kent, is little more than a shallow cellar and has no early features of quality. At Horne's Place, Appledore, the vaulted undercroft is partly above ground level and integrated into the chapel above. - An undercroft to a missing ground floor house. The highly unusual cruciform shape and the difficulty of gaining access to such a deeply excavated structure would require explanation. 19 - An underground structure only, perhaps used for private or secret worship. This is a controversial interpretation but if the tunnel approach is original it could be correct. If the purpose were clandestine, then the convictions of those building it must have been persistent enough to sustain much planning and strength of purpose, and the men involved well-endowed financially. A pathway leads from the Court to the river Wantsum, then navigable and about a quarter of a mile distant, thus allowing an unobserved approach by water. Phase Two At an unknown date the north-west arm of the chamber is modified by 382 THE CRYPT AT ST NICHOLAS COURT, ST NICHOLAS AT WADE, THANET the building of a wall which partly or completely closes off the area, leaving only a passageway into the remainder of the crypt. This may be associated with a new access, perhaps external steps, replacing the tunnel and possibly done at the time of the rebuilding of the main house in the seventeenth century. Phase Three Major alterations to the access following a collapse of the vault of the north-west arm. This could have happened as a result of the new carriage drive which passes over this part of the crypt. The mid-nineteenth century seems to be the most likely date for this work. There are other hypotheses which must be considered, if only to be rejected: that it was originally built as an ice-house or as an elaborate folly, or the old existing crypt was converted to such uses in the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries. An ice-house is a possible use for the crypt and would explain a new high door for access to the exterior. However, there is no sign of any drainage system for the run-off of melt water, which was considered essential in ice-houses. Also, the access to the house via any tunnel and steps would be too low to gain access to the stored ice. The creation of an elaborate folly is a more attractive idea for its use. The prosperous Bridges family were occupying St Nicholas Court and land adjacent to the ruinous church at Shuart, which might have provided some of the worked stone. However, there are a number of objections which, when taken together, tend to rule out such a theory. There are too many subtle construction and design features present which would be difficult to replicate; the differences in the niches and their positions, the underground entrance tunnel, the position so close to the new front entrance, the absence of any publicity, recorded or written evidence for such a prestigious feature, and finally the almost complete lack of any pre twentieth-century graffiti in the soft materials of the walls. There remains one small, later feature which may be of significance to its more recent history. Visible from a hole in the vault of the north-east arm is a cast iron rainwater pipe, presumably linked at some time to the house gutters. Was it during the digging of a soakaway for this that the crypt was rediscovered or had it so fallen out of use that it was thought only of value to take rainwater run-off? It is to be hoped that further documentary and archaeological research will shed more light on this enigmatic structure. 383 P. J. C. LAMBERT AND K. H. MCINTOSH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Our thanks are due to Mr and Mrs Nicholas Tapp, M. Cockett, R. Q. Edmonds, Mrs J. Gaskell, Canon P. J. Gausden, R. Pout, and Mrs M. J. Sparks for much help given in various ways in the preparation of this paper. Plates I-III and V are from the collection of the late E. W. Parkin, in the possession of P. Lambert. NOTES 1 The word 'crypt' has been used freely throughout the following account: this is not meant to be a pre-judgement of its function. 2 See for example, Archaeologia Cantiana, xlvi (1934), 224: Newman, J ., North East and East Kent, The Buildings of England, ed. Nikolas Pevsner (Penguin, 1969), p. 433. 3 Ibid. 4 This was being extensively used in the new work at St Nicholas Church in the 14th century. 5 Catalogue of the Sale of the Contents of St Nicholas Court for Thomas Bridges, 1790. 6 Wood, M. E., 1950, 'Thirteenth Century Domestic Architecture in England', The Archaeological Journal, CV ( 1950), supplement, p. 19 & fn. 7 Jenkins, F., 'The Church of All Saints, Shuart in the Isle of Thanet', in (ed.) Detsicas, A., Collectanea Historica - Essays in Memory of S/Uart Rigold, pp. 147-154. 8 Leland, J., The Itinerary of John Leland the Antiquary, vii, part 2, appendix to 3rd edition, published from Stow's Transcript, 1769, p. 137. 9 Newman 1969, op. cit. (see note 2), p. 64. 10 Weller, M., n.d., A Brief History of St Nicholas-at-Wade Church. 11 Newman 1969, op. cit. (see note 2), 438. 12 Du Boulay, F. R. H., 1964, 'Calendar of the Desmesne Leases made by Archbishop Warham, 1503-32', in (ed.) Du Boulay, F. R. H., Medieval Kentish Society, Kent Records, XVIII, p. 285. 13 Hanley, H. A. and Chalklin, C. W., 1964, 'The Kent Lay Subsidy Roll of 1334/5', in (ed.) Du Boulay, F. R.H., Medieval Kentish Society, Kent Records, XVIII, pp. 71-74. Thos de St Nicholas is the only one with a place-name but he pays a very low tax. 14 Dean and Chapter, Canterbury. Register Q folio 129 verso. 15 Hasted, E., 1797, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent, Vol. 10, Pt 2, pp 241-2. (Vol. 9 in 1972 reprint.) 16 Now called College Farm but in the past St Nicholas at Wood. 17 Calendar of Patent Rolls /467-77, Edward IV and Henry VI; 1473. 18 Quested, R. K. I., I 996, The Isle of Thanet Farming Community, Wye College Press, p. 195. 19 Wood, M. E., 1965, The English Medieval House, p. 89; re: cellars at Winchelsea, Sussex, and elsewhere, which are not far below ground level. 384