Church of St Mary, Chartham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Mary, Chartham |
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Church of St Mary, Chartham
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| Location | Chartham, Kent |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | [1] |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | c. 1285 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 30 January 1967 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 1305 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | knapped flint |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Chartham |
| Deanery | West Bridge |
| Archdeaconry | Canterbury |
| Diocese | Diocese of Canterbury |
| Province | Province of Canterbury |
St Mary's Church is a historic church located in the village of Chartham, Kent, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's part of the Church of England. The main part of the church was built a very long time ago, between 1285 and about 1305. The tall tower was added later, in the 1300s. In 1875, a famous architect named George Edmund Street helped restore it. Today, St Mary's is recognized as a Grade I listed building by English Heritage, which means it's a very important historical site.
History of St Mary's Church
Before the church was built, surveys found signs of people living here during Roman-British and Anglo-Saxon times. The church you see today was started in the late 1200s, probably around 1285.
Records from the time of King Edward I show that money was given to the church for its building work. Some experts believe that Michael of Canterbury, a master builder who worked on Canterbury Cathedral, might have helped design St Mary's. The church's tower was built later, in the 1300s.
Between 1873 and 1875, the church was carefully restored by George Edmund Street, a well-known architect. This helped keep the old building in good condition. St Mary's is still an active church today, holding regular services for the community.
Architecture and Special Features
St Mary's Church is built from knapped flint, which is a type of stone that has been shaped. It also uses ragstone quoins, which are special corner stones. The church has a cruciform (cross-shaped) design, with a main hall called the nave, side sections called transepts, and a part where the altar is, called the chancel.
The church has some amazing features. The roofs of the nave, transepts, and crossing (where the nave and transepts meet) are made of timber from around 1300. They have a special design called "scissor-trussed rafters." The windows in the chancel are also very special, showing excellent examples of Kentish tracery (the stone patterns in the windows).
Even though much of the stained glass was replaced in 1881, there is still enough original glass from about 1294 to show how beautiful it once was. One of the most famous things in the church is the brass memorial of a medieval knight, Sir Robert de Septvans. It's one of the oldest and most memorable brass memorials in England. The church also has other important monuments created by famous sculptors like Rysbrack and Thomas Scheemakers.
