Elmstone Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elmstone Church |
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South view of the church
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 Elmstone Church
Location in Kent
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| 51°17′46″N 1°14′31″E / 51.296°N 1.242°E | |
| Location | Elmstone, Kent |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 11 October 1963 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Elmstone with Preston and Stourmouth |
| Deanery | East Bridge |
| Archdeaconry | Canterbury |
| Diocese | Canterbury |
| Province | Canterbury |
| District | Dover |
Elmstone Church is an Anglican church located in the small village of Elmstone in Kent, England. This historic church was built way back in the 13th century. In 1963, it was given a special status as a Grade II* listed building, which means it's an important historical site. What's really interesting is that, unlike most churches in the United Kingdom, Elmstone Church isn't named after any particular saint.
Contents
History and Design of Elmstone Church
The main part of the church, called the nave, and the lower part of the chancel (the area around the altar) were built during Norman times. This means they are very old! They are made from a type of stone called flint.
Early Features and Changes
The chancel has a window on its north side, and the nave has two windows on its south side. All three of these windows have special stone tops and bottoms made from Caen stone. The sides of the windows, called jambs, are made of flint.
Around the early 1300s, the church was updated. You can see this in the fancy stone patterns, called tracery, in the west window. The east window also has a beautiful three-light design with intersecting tracery.
Later Additions and Details
The church was made even bigger in the early 1300s. A north aisle (a side section of the church) and a tower on the north-west side were added. These parts were built using knapped flint, which is flint stone that has been carefully shaped.
The church also features windows with square tops and S-shaped curves, known as ogee lights. The main entrance, or porch, is located on the south side. Inside, there's an arcade (a row of arches) with three sections from the 13th century. The western section is shared with the tower. The columns, called piers, are octagonal (eight-sided), and the arches have a special double-chamfered design.
The priest's stall (a special seat) dates back to the 14th century. The pulpit, where the priest gives sermons, was designed in the late 1800s by Edward Schroeder Prior. It has decorative linenfold panels, which look like folded linen fabric.
Unique Dedication
It's quite rare for a church in the United Kingdom not to be dedicated to a saint. Because of this, the church is simply known as "Elmstone Church" for all official purposes.
Stained Glass Windows
Elmstone Church has several beautiful stained glass windows that tell stories through colorful pictures.
Chancel and North Aisle Windows
In the east part of the chancel, there's a stained glass window that shows scenes from the Passion of Jesus. These scenes are arranged in round shapes, like those found in 12th-century art.
In the east part of the north aisle, another stained glass window shows the Resurrection of Jesus. Both of these amazing windows were made by an artist named William Wailes around 1863.
Other Notable Windows
The west window in the nave has stained glass that shows the church's coat of arms. We don't know the exact date it was made, but a historian named John Newman thinks it might be from around 1840.
The north aisle also has a window made by a company called Burlison and Grylls. Another window in this aisle shows the Nativity, which is the birth of Jesus, and was made by James Powell and Sons. On the south wall, there's a window with a slightly unusual picture of saints from the 7th century.
The west window contains some very old medieval glass. And in the north chancel window, you can find a medieval round picture of the Lamb of God, which is a symbol for Jesus.
Church Furniture and Monuments
The church also holds some interesting old furniture and memorials.
The Font
The church has a font (a basin used for baptisms) that is either from the 12th or 13th century. It sits on five supports. The bowl of the font is made of Bethersden marble. It's square at the bottom and rounded at the top, with special anvil-shaped pieces connecting the two shapes.
Rector's Stall and Monuments
The rector's stall has four decorative carvings called poppyheads.
There is also a monument dedicated to Robert Jaques, who died in 1671. This monument was likely made by Joshua Marshall. It's built into the south side of the chancel using black and white marble. At the very top, there's a bust (a sculpture of a person's head and shoulders) with fabric draped in an old style.
Images for kids
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The east chancel window, showing the Passion of Jesus
