Patrixbourne’s Wheel Window
by Mary Berg, Chairman, KAS Churches Committee
Kent has many great treasures and none more precious than its Norman churches. Two of these have 12th century wheel windows set in the chancel gable: Barfrestone and Patrixbourne, both near Canterbury. The only other wheel window from this period set in an eastern gable is in Castle Hedingham church in Essex and that was recycled from the castle. The dimensions of the inner part of the windows at Barfrestone and Patrixbourne are almost exactly the same and they are strikingly similar in style. This begs the question of whether they were originally intended – or even used – as a pair elsewhere, perhaps in a transept of a much larger local building. However interesting it is to speculate about that, it is beyond the scope of this article.
Patrixbourne’s name is from the family called Patri(c)k who were lords of the manor from soon after 1066 until 1191. They were tenants of the Conqueror’s half brother Odo, Earl of Kent and bishop of Bayeux in the Bessin area between Bayeux and Caen, although their principal manor was at La Lande-Patry in southern Normandy. A church is recorded at Patrixbourne in the Domesday Book (1089) and Tim Tatton-Brown and others have discerned some evidence of late Anglo-Saxon work in the present church. What we see today is largely a 12th century church where the roof was raised in the early 15th century to accommodate a large west window and a chapel to the south-eastern end of the nave. The north aisle was added in the 19th century when other restoration and rebuilding programmes were carried out. Surviving decorative 12th century work includes the splendid south door and the chancel arch as well as the east end. It is well worth visiting.
The wheel window is certainly Norman work but new evidence (see below) indicates that it may not have been part of the original scheme for the east end but inserted some time later. That could have been towards the end of the 12th century, perhaps during the work of the 15th century or later still. It underwent considerable restoration in the 19th century, as did that at Barfrestone, making it virtually impossible now to determine when either was inserted. During recent work on the beautiful post-medieval Swiss glass installed in the lancets below the Patrixbourne wheel, cracks were observed in and around the wheel. The churchwardens commissioned reports from the Canterbury Archaeological Trust, a glass restorer, a stone mason and a structural engineer.
Close inspection revealed some instability but not an immediate threat of collapse. Some damage appears to result from the 19th century repairs when some stonework on the exterior of the wheel was replaced by inferior Caen stone and the window was reset and re-glazed. Repair work is necessary but sadly English Heritage is not providing funding. It is hoped that the 2010/11 winter is not as severe as 2009/10 as the effort to raise the necessary funds gets underway.
Friends of St Mary’s Patrixbourne (FOSM) may be contacted c/o Dr Andrea Nicholson, Riverside Cottage, Patrixbourne, Canterbury CT4 5BU who will be delighted to receive contributions!