St Nicholas Church, Milton near Canterbury

LOCATION: Lies two and a half miles south-west of Canterbury, close to the river Stour at c. 65 feet above sea level. It is isolated near a farmyard; the neighbouring Milton manor house (the court lodge) has been demolished.

DESCRIPTION: The parish church was totally rebuilt in 1829-30 by John Bell esq. and a new font inserted. Before this, Hasted tells us that it consisted only of 'an isle (sic) and chancel, the whole of it so very small as to be called only a chapel. It has a small pinnacle of stone at the west end, in which there was till lately an aperture in which hung one bell. There are no memorials in it, nor any remains worthy of notice.' (Hasted IX (1800), 31).
   The illustrations of the church before the restoration by Petrie (1806) and in Cozens (before 1793) show a door on the north side of the nave, and no west doorway. In 1829 the north doorway was filled up and a new west doorway (with Bathstone dressings) was made. Above it is a 2-light window (in Caen) with reticulated tracery. This is perhaps a copy of the earlier window, shown in Petrie's drawing. It seems very likely that the core of the present walls is medieval even though all the walls have been totally refaced in heavy knapped flint. All the main quoins are of Ragstone and there is a plinth all the way round (not shown on the pre-1829 drawings). All the other windows are 19th century and that on the south and east (a twin-lancet) are in Caen (therefore probably 1829-30), while the three wide lancets on the north have hood-moulds and are in Bathstone. These may be replacements of the 1860s when a small vestry (and new entrance to the vault below its floor) was added on the south. This vestry has quoins and a south 2-light rectangular window in Bathstone (Bathstone was probably not brought to this area until after the Railway arrived in 1846). The work in the 1860s was carried out by R.C. Hussey, who also added blind arcading inside, on the north side of the nave.
   The bell cote over the west end of the nave was rebuilt in the 19th century (it still has one bell in it), and Petrie shows an earlier bell cote, with a Dutch-gable-like top).
   There is no evidence that the church was built before the late 13th/early 14th century.

BUILDING MATERIALS: (Incl. old plaster, paintings, glass, tiles etc.):
All 19th century - heavy knapped flint face with main quoins and plinth of Ragstone. Window surrounds of Caen and Bathstone. The later (1860s) vestry on the south also has Bathstone quoins.

CHURCHYARD AND ENVIRONS:
Size & Shape: Small area around church.

Apparent extent of burial: A few headstones around the church of the later 19th + early 20th cent.

Boundary walls: Iron railing (19th cent.)

Earthworks: within: A slight hollow way (? path) in churchyard to west of church.

Ecological potential: Limited at the moment - surrounded by open pasture.

Late med. status: Rectory

Patron: The Lord of the Manor of Milton (from 17th cent., the Honeywoods, then the Bells from the early 19th cent.).

Other documentary sources: Test. Cant. (E.Kent, 1907), 217 - Lights to Our Lady, St George, + St James 'Nacche'. Hasted IX (1800), 31-2.

SURVIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEPOSITS:
Inside present church: Poor, due to major burial vault below, and major rebuilding work.

Outside present church: ?

Quinquennial inspection (date\architect): -

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT:
The church and churchyard: A completely rebuilt church of 1829-30, though it is possible that the core of the walls are medieval.

The wider context: Though a parish church, this is really just a manorial chapel, like the neighbouring one at Horton manor. The whole manorial site may be redeveloped when quarrying finishes, and would repay excavation beforehand.

REFERENCES: "Report on the bell vault, Milton St John, Canterbury" by Julian Litten (Typescript of 11.10.1984 in Victoria + Albert Museum).

Plans & drawings: Engraving (view from N.E.) in Z Cozens "A Tour through the Isle of Thanet....." (1793), Plate V op.p. 253, and view from S.W. in 1806 by H Petrie, showing ? Late 13th cent. 2-light window and small nave S.E. window.


DATE VISITED: 6th March 1993                           REPORT BY: Tim Tatton-Brown