St Lawrence Church, Godmersham

LOCATION: The church is situated close to the River Stour at c. 115 ft. above O.D. just south of the now - demolished (1955) Godmersham Court Lodge. This is in the gap where the river cuts through the North Downs.

DESCRIPTION: I have written a very full history of this church (published in Arch Cant 106 (1988), 45-81), which includes a full description of the fabric, so only a summary is needed here.

The earliest part of the church is the nave and western half of the chancel, which have quoins of Roman bricks and ferruginous sandstone. This is almost certainly the church mentioned in Domesday Book, but whether it was built just before, or just after, the Norman Conquest in uncertain.

In the early 12th century, a west door was inserted (blocked in 1865) and three rounded-headed windows were put into the north side of the nave. A north transept chapel (with apsidal east end) and tower was also constructed at this time. Though heavily restored in 1865-6, this still continues its hemidome over the apse. The arch into the east end of the nave was blocked in the later Middle Ages.

By the end of the 12th century a new south aisle and arcade had been added to the nave, but this was destroyed after the Reformation. The fine mid-12th century font (similar to that at Westwell) was also destroyed, but a few fragments of it are walled up in the west doorway.

In the mid - 13th century, at about the time when the fine new Court Lodge to the north was built, the chancel was extended to the east and given three fine new lancets, as well as a sedilia. There are some fine capitals, columns and bases on the inside of these features (The sedilia also has a moulded trefoil head).

In 1363 a new Chantry chapel of St Mary was built on the south-east side of the nave, but this too was demolished after its abolition as a Chantry at the Reformation (The final traces were removed when the family pew extensions were built in the early 18th century).

In the later 14th century a piscina, various new two-light windows were put into the chancel, as well as some new oak stalls (on the ends of three of these were carved TCP Ann. Dom. 1409). These were recorded in the early 18th century, but have long since disappeared.

The west window in the nave, and the surviving crown-post roof probably date from the 15th century. The fine three-light window towards the east end of the north side of the nave probably dates to the early 16th century. A new north doorway into the chancel was perhaps also built at this time.

The doors into the Rood stair at the north-east corner of the nave (now blocked) can also be seen. These were perhaps also made in the later 15th century when a new loft was built (fragments of the screen - now gone - were found in the West gallery in 1865).

In the 1720's the south side of the nave was rebuilt in brick, and the earlier south aisle disappeared and two new brick family pews (over vaults) were built projecting southwards over the side of the former chantry chapel. All of this, however, was swept away in 1865. Various drawings of these before 1865 are available). Two new diagonal buttresses to the chancel were also built at about that time, which survive, as well as a west gallery in the nave and west and north porches (demolished 1865).

As we have seen, a very major restoration of the church took place in 1865-6 under William Butterfield. A new south aisle, porch and south transept were built, as well as an organ - chamber south of the chancel. Much earth was dug away from the western and southern sides of the church at this time. The vicar and instigator of this work (Revd. Walter Field) made very useful notes and sketches of the state of the church before the restoration (in the parish records). Most of the windows were restored at this time, and the north (chancel) and west doorways were blocked after their 'mean' porches were removed. The top stage of the tower was rebuilt in brick with a flint external face, and a pyramid roof on top. There was also a new chancel roof and screen (painted 1875), and many new pews (to re-place the box ones), as well as a new pulpit and font.

BUILDING MATERIALS (incl. old plaster, paintings, glass, tiles etc.):
Flint rubble (with ferruginous sandstone and Roman brick quoins) is used for the earliest church with Caen stone dressings from the early 12th century. Some Reigate stone was used for jambs, etc., in the 13th century chancel extension. There is also some Ragstone for later windows.

Red brick was used for 18th century repairs and buttresses (and the family pews), and the large amounts of Bath stone was used for the 1865-6 repairs, restoration, Saisle, etc.

EXCEPTIONAL MONUMENTS IN CHURCH:
Bas-relief figure of Archbishop (12th cent.) on S. wall of chancel, put here in 1933. It came from the neighbouring Court-Lodge, but was probably originally from Canterbury.

1516 brass of W. Geoffrey on S. wall of chancel.

R. Bun memorial (1682) on N.E. side of nave, and T Knight (1894) by Shout in S. aisle.

CHURCHYARD AND ENVIRONS:
Size & Shape: The churchyard of c. 1½ acres is a rough square around the church, extending down to the river on the east.

Condition: Good

Boundary walls: c. 19th cent. stone & brickwalls around it.

Building in churchyard or on boundary: Small 19th cent. shed on boundary immediately N. of the tower with Medieval gravelmarker reused in gable.

Ecological potential: Good

HISTORICAL RECORD (where known):
Earliest ref. to church: Domesday Book, 3,13.

Evidence of pre-Norman status (DB, DM, TR etc.): Paid 28d, Chrisin in D.M.
Challock was a chapel-of-ease to Godmersham.

Late med. status (vicarage/appropriation): Vicarage with formal appropriation to the Priory in 1400 (the vicarage was endowed from 1380).

Patron: Canterbury Cathedral Priory (given by Archbishop in c. 1037) till Dissolution, then, from 1546, the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury.

Other documentary sources: For wills, (Test. Cant. (E. Kent 1907), 136-8. They mention various lights, the Roodloft, 'Holy Cross before the door' etc. For the Chantry of St. Mary, see Kent Chantries (ed. A Hussey) Kent Records XII (1932-6), 131.

See also Hasted (2nd ed. 1799), 328-32.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD:
Reused materials: - Roman bricks.

Finds from church\churchyard: Some Roman bricks and pottery found by the Revd. S G Brade-Birks. One discoid grave-marker still exists to the S. of the church, by the path. Old hand-bells were also found in the churchyard in 1865.

Finds within 0.5km: Grave-marker found in Court Lodge excavation to N.

SURVIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEPOSITS: Good. The chancel floor was apparently just covered up in 1865-6.

Outside present church: ? Quite good, but disturbed in 1865-6.

RECENT DISTURBANCES\ALTERATIONS:
To structure: In 1986 the c. 1687 bell-frame was removed from the tower (this is now stored at the Canterbury Archaeologist Trust). In 1992 the later N-S cross wall in the N. apsidal chapel was demolished.

To graveyard: None (but shed in churchyard to be restored as W.C. in 1993).

Quinquennial inspection (date\architect): Feb. 1989 - George Denny.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT:
The church and churchyard: Despite very heavy restoration work in 1865-6, there are important remains here of an 11th century church with added north tower/transept with apsidal chapel of the early 12th century. Also an extended mid - 13th century chancel.

The wider context: Apsidal chapels in Kent parish churches are a very rare survival, as is the unique 12th century bas-relief now in the chancel.

REFERENCES: T. Tatton-Brown, 'The parish church of St. Lawrence, Godmersham: a history' Arch. Cant. 106 (1988), 45-81.

Guide Book: None, though there was one by an early long-serving vicar S G Brade-Birks (1930-77).

Plans & drawings: Plans before + after 1865-6 restorations, and 1865 sketches of church are in the parish records - see art. by Tim Tatton-Brown above.

DATE VISITED: 21/12/92                                     REPORT BY: Tim Tatton-Brown