St Michael All Saints Church, Offham

LOCATION: About half a mile north of the village centre, with the Court Lodge (now Church Farm) immediately to the S.W. It is c. 250 feet above sea level on the Lower Greensand ridge, about half way between Rochester and Tonbridge. In area, the parish is very small.

DESCRIPTION: This church has recently been very well analysed and described by Peter Tester (Arch.Cant) 103 (1986), 45-52), and I have nothing new to add to this or to disagree with.

The nave is the earliest part of the church, and dates probably from the late 11th century. There are remains of two internally-splayed original windows on either side (only the N.W. one is open and complete). The masonry is ragstone rubble (much of it set 'herringbone') with Tufa quoins (N.W. nave quoin + external window quoins). The original chancel arch can be seen above the later one.

In the 13th century a new (probably longer and wider) chancel was built which is about the same size as the original nave. There were four lancets on the south and two on the north with a contemporary tower/chapel to the N.W. The walls are more rubbly with 2 lancets (restored externally) in the north wall one above the other (the upper one to light a first-floor chamber). There is a trefoil-headed piscina in the S.E. corner of the chancel, and an aumbry, to the N. (with plaster outside it). Also in the 13th century a new south aisle was added to the nave with two large arches being inserted in the S. aisle wall. The piers have quoins of ironstone with chamfers on the arisses with bar stops at the top and brooches at the base. The arches over just have rough block voussoirs.

In the early 14th century a fine new 'decorated' 3 light window was put in the east wall of the chancel (heavily restored externally). Also a small new 2-light window was inserted in the E. wall of the tower/chapel.

Sometime later in the 14th century (perhaps as a result of depopulation in the parish), the south aisle was demolished and the arcade was blocked. At the same time two new 2-light windows (? early perp.) with square hood-moulds were put into the east end of the nave (N.+S.), and a new porch and S. door was built. The porch has a worn outer arch (with statue niche over) and two small side windows (and 1 internal bench). The moulded outer wall plates of the porch survive with a simple rafter-and-collar roof above (restored). The nave roof is also a simple trussed rafter affair, though the tie-beams (and central tie-beam decorated wall supports) are restored. The chancel roof is 19th century. Another later 14th century feature is the small lower 2-light window (with square head) on the S.W. side of the chancel (restored externally). The lancet base was cut into here, and its upper part was filled in. It was opened again in the later 19th century. There are quite a lot of ? late medieval glazing bars in the chancel windows. In the nave there is a 14th century trefoil-headed piscina on its S.E. side, and a fine new pointed chancel arch (of well-cut Ragstone blocks) inserted below the Norman one.

The two-light perpendicular west window probably dates from the 15th century, and later in this century an upper stage was added to the tower (the bell chamber) with single light trefoil-headed windows (with square hood-moulds) all round. There is a moulded string-course above it and a plain parapet.

In the late 15th century, a rood beam (and ? loft) was put in across the west side of the chancel arch (only the corbels for its survive). Below them, and between the original and the later chancel arch jambs are two squints.

Sir Stephen Glynne visited the church in 1840 (as did W.P. Griffiths in 1848) giving a description before the 1873 restoration. The main features of this restoration were the roofs and the replacement of much external window jambs and tracery. The church was also refloored and a new font was put in the S.W. corner of the nave. The S.E. buttress to the nave was put on the porch gable, and the nave west gable (with quatrefoil) was completely rebuilt in 1984. The stone pulpit in the S.E. corner of the nave was put in 1948.

BUILDING MATERIALS (Inc. old plaster, paintings, glass, tiles etc.):
Ragstone predominantly, with tufa blocks for the quoins in the 11th/12th century phases. Occasional Roman bricks. Later medieval features have well-cut Ragstone blocks. The quoins of the piers for the S. nave arcade are of sandy ironstone.

3 old stained glass panels set in W. windows on S. side of chancel (c. 15th century).

CHURCHYARD AND ENVIRONS:
Size & Shape: Rectangular, with new extension beyond farmyard entry to N.

Condition: Good - well maintained.

Boundary walls: On E. of stone, with drop down to N-S lane.

Building in churchyard or on boundary: Farmyard buildings immediately adjacent to the south, including large barn which collapsed in 1990.

Exceptional monuments: Some fine 18th century tombs and headstones.

Ecological potential: ?

HISTORICAL RECORD (where known):
Earliest ref. to church: Textus Roffensis.

Late med. status: Rectory.

Patron: Lord of Offham Manor, then the crown from 1545.

Other documentary sources: See Hasted IV (1798), 541-2.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD:
Reused materials: A few Roman bricks.

Previous archaeological work (published\unpublished work): None, but architectural analysis by Peter Tester (Arch. Cant. 103 (1986), 45-52).

SURVIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEPOSITS:
Inside present church: ? quite good, though ? some burial vaults in chancel.

Outside present church: ? good, but drainage channel cut around outside of church.

RECENT DISTURBANCES/ALTERATIONS:
To structure: Upper W. wall of nave (gable) rebuilt in 1984.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT:
The church and churchyard: Much of the walls of the early Norman nave survive, and there is a fine early 13th cent. chancel and N. tower. The removal of the S. aisle in the later 14th century is unusual.

REFERENCE: Arch. Cant. 103 (1986), 45-52, and J. Russel-Larkby, The Relignary + Illustrated Archaeologist (Oct. 1901), and Arch. Cant. 21 (1895), 263 + 26 (1904), 299 (passing refs) + S. Glynne. Notes on the churches of Kent (1877), 293.

Guide book: Leaflet by F.D. Johns (1984 with Corrigenda 12/88).

Plans & drawings: Plan in P. Tester's article, and copy of 1838 drawing (from S.E.) in leaflet. Also view from S.E. in 1807 by Petre (KAS Library).

DATES VISITED: 6/11/91. REPORTED: Tim Tatton-Brown