St Mary's Church, Wingham
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St Mary's Church, Wingham, is an
Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
parish church in Wingham,
Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
. It is recorded in the
National Heritage List for England The National Heritage List for England (NHLE) is England's official database of protected heritage assets. It includes details of all English listed buildings, scheduled monuments, register of historic parks and gardens, protected shipwrecks, an ...
as a designated Grade I
listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
.


History and architecture

The church dates from the early 13th century, however many elements of the church vary in date. The east sections, the
chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse. Ove ...
and transeptal chapels, all belong to the late 13th century. The tower as well as the transepts date to the 14th century, while the
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
and south
aisle An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of non-walking spaces on both sides. Aisles with seating on both sides can be seen in airplanes, certain types of buildings, such as churches, cathedrals, synagogues, meeting halls, parl ...
belong to the mid 16th century. John Newman goes into more detail: the earliest features of the church are the west arches of the north chapel (all now being blocked), as well as the south transept, all being built in the late 12th century. The north and west walls of the north chapel contain reused Early
Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...
masonry. By around the turn of the 13th century, the church had grown to include an aisled nave, as well as either transepts or chancel chapels. Benjamin Ferrey's provided restoration work on the church between 1874 and 1875, however this work dealt only on the chancel in the east. The chancel and transepts were rebuilt as a result of the college foundation process. This can be best studied in the architecture of the south transept; the window of the shallow east projection is unrestored. The window was three-light, featuring three circles in the head, each being enclosed by three pointed
trefoil A trefoil () is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings, used in architecture and Christian symbolism, among other areas. The term is also applied to other symbols with a threefold shape. A similar shape with four rin ...
s. The chancel arch and the chancel's east window were restored during Ferrey's 1874-1875 work. The north chapel was originally duplicated from the south transept; both chapels open into the chancel through identical arches in an Early English style. There exists a two-storey eastward extension of the north transept, dating to the 15th century; the north window of this extension is timber, possibly dating to the 18th century. The chancel windows stand upon a continuous string course, retaining their original houd moulds. The east
piscina A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, or else in the vestry or sacristy, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. For Roman ...
and the triple
sedilia In church architecture, sedilia (plural of Latin ''sedīle'', "seat") are seats, usually made of stone, found on the liturgical south side of an altar, often in the chancel, for use during Mass for the officiating priest and his assistants, the ...
are cinquefoiled, featuring flattened arches upon detached shafts, as well as moulded caps and bases. The west tower begun construction during the late 13th century; this is evident in the remains of the lancets in the lower stage. The spire is recessed and dates to the 14th century; it reaches a height of 63 feet, and is built in a Hertfordshire style. Angle
buttresses A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more ancient buildings, as a means of providing support to act against the lateral (si ...
are present almost to the top. A stair-turret is built into the northwest of the tower. The west window is renewed. There is a tower arch high up, on octagonal
respond A respond is a half-pier or half-pillar that is bonded into a wall and designed to carry the springer Springer or springers may refer to: Publishers * Springer Science+Business Media, aka Springer International Publishing, a worldwide publishi ...
s with the
capitals Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
dotted with four-petalled flowers. Rebuilding of the nave and the south aisle began in the late 15th century, with the 14th-century south porch being retained as a two-storey structure, minus its upper floor. The north aisle however was not rebuilt, giving the church its current unique shape. The walls of these reconstructed sections are of knapped flint and are carefully laid; triangular stones can be found set into the south wall. This reconstruction work was continued slowly, and last until well after the Dissolution of the Monasteries; there are regular
bequest A bequest is property given by will. Historically, the term ''bequest'' was used for personal property given by will and ''deviser'' for real property. Today, the two words are used interchangeably. The word ''bequeath'' is a verb form for the act ...
s to the rebuilding recorded between 1526 and 1562. Work was underway during the 1540s, however in 1555 money meant for the rebuilding was embezzled by a local beer brewer. This resulted in the arcade being completed in
timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
instead of the intended stone: the
piers Piers may refer to: * Pier, a raised structure over a body of water * Pier (architecture), an architectural support * Piers (name), a given name and surname (including lists of people with the name) * Piers baronets, two titles, in the baronetages ...
are unmoulded posts, braced weakly. At some point before the 19th century, the braces were dressed up in
plaster Plaster is a building material used for the protective or decorative coating of walls and ceilings and for Molding (decorative), moulding and casting decorative elements. In English, "plaster" usually means a material used for the interiors of ...
so as to look like
Doric columns The Doric order was one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of col ...
; during Ferrey's restoration work the braces were undressed again.


Fittings

The church possesses a 15th-century stone
reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for ex ...
, purportedly from
Troyes Troyes () is a commune and the capital of the department of Aube in the Grand Est region of north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about south-east of Paris. Troyes is situated within the Champagne wine region and is near to ...
; above are five scenes of the
Passion of Christ In Christianity, the Passion (from the Latin verb ''patior, passus sum''; "to suffer, bear, endure", from which also "patience, patient", etc.) is the short final period in the life of Jesus Christ. Depending on one's views, the "Passion" m ...
, and below is the
Last Supper Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art have been undertaken by artistic masters for centuries, ...
and
Adoration of the Kings The Adoration of the Magi or Adoration of the Kings is the name traditionally given to the subject in the Nativity of Jesus in art in which the Biblical Magi, three Magi, represented as kings, especially in the West, having found Jesus by fol ...
; the lower two occupy the same length as the Passion scenes above. The base to a 15th-century
rood screen The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or ...
is present. There are four
misericords A misericord (sometimes named mercy seat, like the biblical object) is a small wooden structure formed on the underside of a folding seat in a church which, when the seat is folded up, is intended to act as a shelf to support a person in a par ...
on the north side, as well as three on the south side; the latter are older, probably dating to the early 14th century. The chancel's south window contains early 14th century
grisaille Grisaille ( or ; french: grisaille, lit=greyed , from ''gris'' 'grey') is a painting executed entirely in shades of grey or of another neutral greyish colour. It is particularly used in large decorative schemes in imitation of sculpture. Many g ...
glass in the head. The east window contains stained glass dating to 1919, depicting multiple brightly coloured scenes of the Passion.


Monuments

A monument to Charles Tripp (died 1624) exists in the south chapel, in the form of a tablet that is largely identical to that of another monument in St James the Great, Elmsted. A monument to Sir Thomas Palmer (dated to 1624) lies in the east of the north chapel; this was sculpted by
Nicholas Stone Nicholas Stone (1586/87 – 24 August 1647) was an English sculptor and architect. In 1619 he was appointed master-mason to James I, and in 1626 to Charles I. During his career he was the mason responsible for not only the building of ...
. A monument was erected for the Oxenden family, dated to 1682 and free-standing in the centre of the south transept. A monument to a second Thomas Palmer (died 1656) exists in the north chapel; this monument was erected in 1718. A double tablet monument was erected for
Streynsham Master Sir Streynsham Master (28 October 1640 – 28 April 1724) was an English colonial administrator who was one of the 17th-century pioneers of the English East India Company. He served as the Agent of Madras from 27 January 1678 to 3 July 1681, a ...
(died 1718) exists in the north chapel. A tablet monument to Thomas Cinder (died 1719) is erected in the south aisle. A more recent monument was erected for William Miller (died 1861).


St Mary's College, Wingham

In 1282 a College of Canons was founded by
John Peckham John Peckham (c. 1230 – 8 December 1292) was Archbishop of Canterbury in the years 1279–1292. He was a native of Sussex who was educated at Lewes Priory and became a Friar Minor about 1250. He studied at the University of Paris under B ...
,
Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justi ...
. The college originally consisted of a Provost and six canons, and they used St Mary's as their church. It survived as a collegiate institution until the dissolution of colleges and chantries in 1548.


Provosts of Wingham


Organ

The church has three manual pipe organ dating from 1886 by Forster and Andrews. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.


Parish Status

The church is part of a joint benefice which includes: *St Nicholas' Church,
Ash Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...
*All Saints' Church,
Chillenden Chillenden is a village in east Kent, England, between Canterbury and Deal, and is in the civil parish of Goodnestone. In the ''Domesday Book'' of 1086, Chillenden was recorded as 'Cilledene'. The parish in 1800 was made up of , containing three ...
*
Elmstone Church Elmstone Church is an Anglican church in the village of Elmstone in Kent, England. The church dates back to the 13th century, and was designated a Grade II* listed building in 1963. Unusually for churches in the United Kingdom, Elmstone Church d ...
*Holy Cross Church, Goodnestone *St Mildred' Church,
Preston-next-Wingham Preston or Preston-next-Wingham is a civil parish and village in the valley of the Little Stour in the Dover District of Kent, England. The village is on the B2076 secondary road. The parish includes the hamlet of Elmstone. The main river throug ...
*
All Saints Church, West Stourmouth All Saints Church, West Stourmouth, is a redundant Anglican church in the civil parish of Stourmouth, Kent, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, and is under the care ...


References


External links


A Church Near You - St Mary the Virgin

Historic England - Church of St Mary, Wingham
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wingham Church of England church buildings in Kent Grade I listed churches in Kent Former collegiate churches in England Diocese of Canterbury