All Saints Church, Waldershare facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints Church, Waldershare |
|
|---|---|
West end of All Saints Church, Waldershare
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| OS grid reference | TR 298 483 |
| Location | Waldershare, Kent |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 11 October 1963 |
| Architect(s) | Ewan Christian (restoration) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Body: flint and rubble with slate roofs Chapels: brick with tiled roofs |
All Saints Church is an old church in Waldershare, Kent, England. It is an Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England. This church is no longer used for regular services. It is a special building, listed as Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England. This means it is very important and protected.
The church is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. You can find it about 3 miles (5 km) north of Dover. The famous North Downs Way walking path goes right through the churchyard. All Saints Church is well-known for the interesting memorials inside its chapels.
Contents
Church History
This church was first built a very long time ago, in the 12th century. Later, around 1697 and 1712, special chapels were added. These chapels were used as mortuary chapels, which are places for tombs and memorials.
The main part of the church was greatly repaired and almost rebuilt in 1886. This work was done by an architect named Ewan Christian. More repairs happened in 1902. A lychgate, which is a covered gateway to a churchyard, was built around 1930. The church stopped being used for regular services on June 1, 1980. It was then officially given to the Churches Conservation Trust on June 27, 2006.
Church Architecture
Outside the Church
The church has a main area called the nave. It also has a south porch, which is a small entrance room. There is a chancel, which is the part of the church near the altar. On either side of the chancel are a north and a south chapel.
The main part of the church is built from flint and rubble. These are types of stone. The roof is made of slate. The chapels are built with red bricks and have tiled roofs. The south chapel uses a brick pattern called English bond. The north chapel uses a pattern called Flemish bond.
The west wall of the church has buttresses. These are strong supports built into the wall. There is also a small tower for bells, called a bellcote, on the top of this wall. In the south wall of the chancel, you can see a Norman window. This means it has a round top, typical of buildings from the Norman period. Other windows in the church are lancets, which are tall and narrow with pointed tops. There is also a window with two lights (sections) in the north wall of the nave. The windows in the chapels are from the 15th century and also have two lights.
Inside the Church
Inside, you will see a chancel arch. This is an arch that separates the nave from the chancel. It has a double-chamfer, meaning its edges are cut at an angle. There are also arches connecting the chancel to the chapels. The chapels have wooden barrel roofs, which are curved like the inside of a barrel.
You can find a piscina in the nave and another in the chancel. A piscina is a small basin used for washing sacred vessels. Both of these are a bit damaged. The reredos is a decorated screen behind the altar. This one is partly painted and partly made of mosaic, which is a picture made from small pieces. It also has a marble triptych, which is a three-part artwork.
On the walls of the sanctuary, the area around the altar, there are paintings. These were made by artists named Clayton and Bell around 1886. Between the chancel and the chapels, there are screens from the 19th century. In the chapels, you can see hatchments. These are diamond-shaped boards that show a family's coat of arms after someone has died. There are two in the north chapel and one in the south. The windows have beautiful Victorian stained glass.
Special Monuments
-
Memorial to Sir Peregrine Bertie and his wife
-
Oval plaque in Monins' memorial
-
Memorial to Sir Henry Furnese
The south chapel holds a very important monument. It was built by Sir Peregrine Bertie for his wife, Susan, after she passed away in 1697. This monument is a large stone chest with railings around it. On top of the chest are effigies, which are statues, of Sir Peregrine and his wife. They are shown lying down with their hands together and legs crossed.
The sides of the chest have carvings. These include a memento mori, which is a reminder of death. There are also achievements, which are displays of coats of arms. Panels with drapes and cherubim (small winged figures) are also carved. On the south wall of this chapel, there is another monument for members of the Monins family. It was put up before 1642. This monument is a black and white marble plaque. It has an oval plaque with writing on it, surrounded by Corinthian columns. These columns have fancy tops. It also has a broken pediment, which is a triangular top part.
The north chapel is mostly filled by a large monument to Sir Henry Furnese, who died in 1712. This monument stands freely in the chapel. It was made by Thomas Green of Camberwell using four different kinds of marble. It has three main parts. The bottom part is square and has writing on each side. Around it, there are four life-sized statues of women sitting in chairs, looking sad.
The middle part has panels with cartouches, which are decorative frames. These frames hold arms, which are family symbols. There are also four putti (small winged figures) on pedestals, holding torches. The top part has an urn, which is a large vase. This urn sits on four volutes, which are spiral shapes. These spirals are carved with cherub heads and acanthus leaves, which are shaped like plant leaves. On top of the urn is a torch finial, which is a decorative top piece. Experts describe this monument as "outstanding," meaning it is truly amazing.
Outside the Churchyard
In the churchyard, you can find a tomb chest and a headstone. These belong to two people who used to work at Waldershare Park. The chest tomb is for William Hull, who passed away in 1756. He had been a gardener there for 25 years. The headstone is for Mrs. Elizabeth Harman, who died in 1772. She had been the housekeeper for 40 years. Both of these memorials are also listed as Grade II buildings, showing their historical importance.
See also
