Cowden Church, Kent

( 81 ) COWDEN CHURCH, KENT. BY J. OLDRID SCOTT, P.S.A. THIS is a small church, and though of great merit and considerable interest its architecture will not detain us very long. It is probable that parts of the walls are as old as the thirteenth century, the earliest Decorated windows appearing to have been inserted in an older wall. It is possible that the inner arch of the west window is of this earlier date; it can hardly belong to the Perpendicular tracery, and has the character of an Early English arch. Next to this the oldest features in the church are the two eusped lancets near the west end, within the enclosure of the tower, and the small circular window in the west gable ; these may date from about the year 1300, The chancel roof, with its beautifully moulded beams, follows closely on these windows. It is well worth careful study, as such finely moulded woodwork of this early period is very rare. There is little to distinguish the chancel roof from that in the nave ; they are similar in design and construction, but the mouldings in the nave roof are rather less bold in their sections, and I am inclined to think it a few years later. The large double wall-plate or cornice is a striking and unusual feature, and it will be observed that the same arrangement is continued into the tower enclosure, though the mouldings here are omitted. As the form of the rafters is also just the same as in the nave roof, I have come to the conclusion that the western part of the roof, together with the fine timber framing which carries the tower, was constructed with the nave roof probably not later than 1330. This is, I believe, a much earlier date than VOIi. xxi. a 82 COWDEN CHURCH, KENT. belongs to other timber towers of this kind, and on this account, as well as for its intrinsic merits, it deserves careful attention. The timbers are enormous, and for the most part in very perfect condition, while the form of the arches and other parts is very striking. The spire appears to be of the same age, and the timbers are in equally good preservation. The way in which oak shingling is used, not only to cover the spire and tower, but also for the roof of the west part of the church, is, I believe, unique. Turning once more to the stone work, I would draw attention to the varieties of Decorated windows which occur in this small church, all nearly of one age, and yet evidently by different hands. The window in the north wall of the chancel shews what the opposite one was like before its mullion and tracery were removed to make room for some very indifferent stained glass ! These windows must belong to the first quarter of the fourteenth century. The one west of the south porch follows them closely in design, but may be a trifle latei*, while the window east of the porch, though of about the same age, differs widely in its character from any other in the church. They are all of good design, and eminently suited to a country church. The west doorway is another example of the same age, as well as the windows in the tower and west gable which I have already mentioned, and I think all will agree that few churches of its size can shew so many and such excellent examples of this beautiful style. The succeeding century is also well represented at Cowden, though not so conspicuously. The porch, the south doorway, and the windows in .the south wall of the chancel are all good examples of the Perpendicular style. The west window is of the same age, as well as an especially fine one now in the wall of the north aisle, which appears to have been inserted in the year 1487. This is said to have been moved to its present position from the north wall of the nave when the aisle was added in 1837. Whether this is authentic or not I am not prepared to say; certainly the masonry of the aisle walls looks older than this, but that the church was considerably enCOWDEN CHURCH, KENT. 83 larged at this time is vouched for by a notice-board in the tower. The present east window is modern, as well as the vestry and organ arches. Till lately there were no arches between the nave and aisle, iron columns having been used previously to carry the roofs. I t is greatly to be regretted that the rood-screen, which till recently divided the nave from the chancel, was removed by a previous incumbent—no trace of it remains, but it is known to have stood some 2 or 3 feet within the chancel. The two piscinas in the north and south walls at the entrance to the chancel, which are very unusual, shew that there must have been altars standing against the rood-screen on each side of the central doorway. Among the smaller details of the church I would draw attention to the beam which appears over the head of the fine window in the middle of the aisle wall; it has mouldings similar to those in the nave roof, and belongs to the same period. The peculiar junction of the nave and chancel roofs suggests the thought that there was a chancel arch at the time of their erection, but I would not pledge myself to this opinion. The old fittings of the church have disappeared, except the pulpit with its sounding-board, which is Jacobsean in style; it has a good iron stand for an hour-glass. It should be noted that of the two small Perpendicular windows in the south wall of the chancel, that furthest to the east was moved from the north wall when the vestry was built. FURTHER NOTES BY GRANVILLE LEVESON-GOWER, P.S.A. I have been asked to say a word about the images in the church, of which there were an unusually large number, and to give a few extracts from early wills relating to them and to the fabric. JOHN SAXPES, 1505.—"• To the image of the blessed Mary Magdalene 6/8."