St Clement's Church, Old Romney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Clement, Old Romney |
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| 50°59′24″N 0°53′54″E / 50.99000°N 0.89833°E | |
| OS grid reference | TR 035 252 |
| Location | Old Romney, Kent |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | https://romneychurches.org/st-clement-old-romney |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Clement |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 9 June 1959 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Romney and Tenterden |
| Diocese | Diocese of Canterbury |
St Clement's Church is an Anglican church located in the small village of Old Romney, Kent, England. It is a very important historical building, recognized as a Grade I listed building. This means it has special historical or architectural importance and is protected.
The church is named after Saint Clement, an early leader of the Christian church in Rome. It was built on a raised area of land, like a small hill. This was done to keep it safe from floods, as the area can sometimes get very wet. People believe the very first church here was built around the 8th century.
Later, between the 11th and 12th centuries, the original Saxon church was replaced. A new church was built in the early Norman style. This church had no side aisles and a straight, square-ended chancel (the part of the church where the altar is). It was made bigger in the 13th century. Most of the building you see today is from that 13th-century period. It has a main area called the nave and a chancel. There are also smaller chapels on the north and south sides. A small tower stands in the south-west corner, and there is a porch on the north side.
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What's Inside St Clement's Church?
The inside of St Clement's Church holds many interesting historical features. You can see how people worshipped and decorated churches centuries ago.
The main seating area, called the nave, has special box pews from the 18th century. These are like individual wooden boxes where families would sit. At the back of the nave, there is a gallery. This is a raised platform, built in the late 18th century. It is held up by four strong columns in the Doric order style. On the walls of the nave, you can see old wooden panels from the Georgian era. These panels have religious texts written on them.
The Font and Altar Stone
The font, which is used for baptisms, is located in the south-west part of the church. It dates back to around 1300, a period known as the Decorated period in architecture. It is square-shaped and sits on a central eight-sided pillar. Each corner of the font has a smaller column with a carved top.
In the chancel of the north chapel, there is an old medieval altar stone, also called a mensa. This stone was discovered during repairs in the late 1960s. It was found outside the church, near the porch. At first, people thought it was just a memorial slab.
The Chancel and Royal Arms
Above the arch leading into the chancel, you can see the Royal Arms of England. This is a large display of the coat of arms used by the British royal family. This particular one is from the year 1800. It even includes the Fleur-de-lys, a symbol of France, which was later removed from the Royal Arms.
The rails around the altar are from the early 18th century. Behind the altar, there are wooden panels from the 17th century. These panels show important Christian texts like the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments.
In the middle of the chancel floor, there is a stone slab. This slab remembers John Deffray, who was the Rector (the main priest) of St Clement's from 1690 until he passed away in 1738. Deffray was a Huguenot, a French Protestant, born in France in 1661. The slab shows his French family crest.
How St Clement's Church Was Repaired
Over the years, St Clement's Church has undergone several important repairs and renovations to keep it in good condition.
In 1929, some wooden panels around the chancel arch were taken down. These panels were from about 1788. Removing them revealed a doorway that once led to a rood staircase. It also showed two hagioscopes, which are small openings that allowed people to see the altar from other parts of the church. The plaster ceiling in the chancel was also removed, showing the original wooden rafters.
More repairs happened in 1959, led by an architect named Anthony Swaine. The east side of the tower was rebuilt, and some old timber was replaced. The roof over the nave and south aisle was also fixed. However, these repairs had to stop when the money ran out.
The church was later used as a filming location for the movie Dr Syn, Alias the Scarecrow in 1963. For the film, the movie company repainted the box pews and the gallery. They also fixed the stairway leading up to the gallery. The film company left money for more repairs. With this money and other grants, the renovation work continued and was finally finished in 1968.
The Churchyard
The churchyard is the area around the church where people are buried. It is a peaceful place. The grave of a famous film-maker named Derek Jarman (1942–1994) is located here.
