St Mary's Church, Reculver facts for kids
St Mary's Church at Reculver was a very old church built way back in the 7th century. It was set up as a special church (called a minster) or a place where monks lived (a monastery). This was built right on top of an old Roman fort in a place called Reculver, which was at the very edge of Kent in England.
In the year 669, the King of Kent, Ecgberht, gave the land to a priest named Bassa to build this church. This started a long connection with the kings of Kent. One king, Eadberht II, was even buried there in the 760s! The church became very rich by the early 800s.
Over the next few centuries, from the early 800s to the 1000s, the church was often treated like a piece of property. Different kings from Mercia, Wessex, and England, as well as the Archbishops of Canterbury, all wanted control of it. Viking raiders might have caused the religious community to leave in the 800s. However, a record from the early 1000s shows that the church was then run by a dean and some monks. By 1086, when the Domesday Book was made, St Mary's was serving as a local parish church for the area.
The first church building used stones and tiles taken from the old Roman fort. It was quite simple, with a main hall (called a nave) and a rounded end (an apse) for the altar area (called a chancel). There were also small rooms, called porticus, on the north and south sides where the nave and chancel met. Over the years, especially during the Middle Ages, the church was changed and made much bigger. Twin towers were added in the 1100s, and the last additions, north and south porches, were built in the 1400s.
This growth happened when Reculver was a busy and rich settlement. But as the settlement became smaller, the church started to fall apart. People tried to stop the sea from washing away the cliffs nearby, but it didn't work. So, in 1809, most of the church was pulled down.
Luckily, the church's tall towers were important landmarks for ships at sea. So, in 1810, a group called Trinity House stepped in to save what was left. They managed to protect the cliff from further erosion. Some of the church's stones were used to build a new church, also called St Mary's, in a nearby village called Hillborough. Many other parts were used to build a new harbour wall in Margate. Today, you can still see pieces of a tall stone cross that used to be inside the church, and two stone columns from a triple arch that separated the nave and chancel. These columns were part of the original 7th-century church! The cross pieces and columns are now kept safe in Canterbury Cathedral. These ancient parts show how special St Mary's Church was for Anglo-Saxon building and art.
Contents
The Church's Early Beginnings
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The first church at Reculver was started in 669. King Ecgberht of Kent gave land to a priest named Bassa for this purpose. This event was seen as very important at the time. Some historians think the king wanted to create a strong English church center here. This might have balanced the power of other church leaders who came from different countries.
Historians sometimes call the church a "minster" and sometimes a "monastery." A minster was a church with a group of clergy (religious leaders) who served a large area. A monastery was a place where monks lived together. In early England, the difference between these was often unclear. The word monasterium (Latin for monastery) could mean a church with a group of clergy, not just monks. By the 800s, the groups at Kentish monasteries were definitely made up of priests and other clergy, just like the main church in Canterbury.
The church was built inside the ruins of an old Roman fort called Regulbium. People often reused Roman buildings for important churches in Anglo-Saxon England. This new church was built almost entirely from stones and tiles taken from the old Roman structures.
What the First Church Looked Like
The first church had a main hall (the nave) that was about 37.5 feet (11.4 meters) long and 24 feet (7.3 meters) wide. It also had a rounded end (the apse) for the altar area (the chancel). The apse was round inside but had many sides outside. A triple arch, made of two limestone columns from France, separated the nave from the chancel. Roman tiles were used to form the arches. These columns were new, not Roman, and their style was influenced by Roman and Byzantine buildings, probably through France.
Inside the apse, there was a stone bench. Two small rooms, called porticus, were built out from the north and south sides of the church. These were like early transepts (the arms of a cross-shaped church) and could be entered from the nave and chancel. The church's walls were covered with a smooth plaster (rendered) inside and out, making them look plain and hiding the stones.
Ten years after the church was founded, in 679, King Hlothhere of Kent gave land to Abbot Berhtwald and his "monastery" at Reculver. This land was in Sturry and Sarre, important places for trade. The document (charter) recording this gift was likely written by a scribe (a person who copied documents) at Reculver. Giving Sarre to Reculver was a huge sign of royal favor. Sarre was a key location, overseeing where two rivers met. It was also a toll-station where kings collected money from trading ships. The church at Reculver probably got a share of these tolls.
In the 7th-century charter, Reculver was called a civitas, or city. This probably referred to its Roman past or its church's importance, not a large town. In 692, Reculver's abbot, Berhtwald, became the Archbishop of Canterbury. He likely continued to support Reculver from his new powerful position.
More charters show that Reculver continued to receive gifts from Kentish kings in the 700s. They gained land and were even excused from a toll on one ship at Fordwich. King Eadberht II of Kent was buried in the church in the 760s. Records also mention other abbots of Reculver during this time.
By the early 800s, the monastery had become "extremely wealthy." But from then on, it was often treated like property. For much of the time between 764 and 825, Kent was controlled by the kings of Mercia. They might have taken direct control of Reculver. In 811, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Wulfred, seemed to control the monastery, but he lost some of its land. By 817, King Coenwulf of Mercia had control of Reculver. He had a special permission from the Pope to control monasteries in England.
A big argument started in 817 between Archbishop Wulfred and King Coenwulf over who controlled monasteries, especially Reculver. The dispute lasted until 821, when Wulfred had to give up a large estate and pay a huge fine to get Reculver back. The argument continued even after 821 with Coenwulf's heir until a final agreement was reached in 825.
From 825, the kings of Wessex took control of Kent. A new agreement was made in 838 between the Archbishop and King Egbert, which his son Æthelwulf confirmed in 839. This agreement recognized the kings as protectors of the monasteries, while the bishops kept spiritual control. One copy of this agreement was kept at Reculver.
One reason for these changes might have been the increasing Viking attacks. Vikings started raiding Kent in the late 700s. Reculver, being on the coast, was an easy target for Vikings looking for treasure. By the 900s, Reculver was no longer a major church in Kent. It was then controlled only by the kings of Wessex. In 949, King Eadred of England gave Reculver back to the Archbishops of Canterbury. At that time, the church's land included areas like Hoath, Herne, Sarre, and Chilmington.
From Monastery to Parish Church
Reculver might have had a religious community living there even into the 900s, despite the Viking raids. It's possible the abbot and community moved to Canterbury for safety, just like another monastery did in 804. A monk from Reculver named Ymar was later remembered as a saint. He was probably killed by Vikings in the 900s and seen as a martyr.
By the 1000s, the monastery had become less important. The last abbot recorded was Wenredus, likely after 890. The church was last called a monastery around 1030. At that time, it was run by a dean named Givehard and had monks, some of whom had foreign names, suggesting they might have come from Europe. This might have been a short period when the old minster became a home for foreign clergy.
By 1066, the monastery had changed into a parish church, serving the local community. In 1086, the Domesday Book listed Reculver as belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury. However, it seems King William the Conqueror had to return it to the archbishop when he died in 1087, meaning it had been taken away earlier.
The value of the Reculver estate grew a lot. In 1066, it was worth £14, but by 1086, it was worth £42.7s. (£42.35). This shows it was a valuable property. The Domesday record for Reculver included the church, farmland, a mill, salt pans (places to make salt), and a fishery. It also listed 90 villeins (peasants who worked the land) and 25 bordars (smaller landholders). If you multiply these numbers by four or five to include their families, it means a large population lived on the Reculver estate.
By the 1200s, Reculver parish was very rich, which led to arguments between church leaders and local landowners. In 1291, a church survey (called the Taxatio) showed that the total income for the rector and vicar of Reculver was about £130. The parish included smaller churches (chapels of ease) in St Nicholas-at-Wade, Shuart (both on the Isle of Thanet), and Hoath and Herne.
In 1310, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Winchelsey, divided the large Reculver parish. He created new parishes for Herne, St Nicholas-at-Wade, and Shuart. He did this because these places were far from Reculver, and the population was growing, with over 3,000 people. For example, the only burial ground for the whole parish was at Reculver, which was difficult for people living far away, especially in winter. Shuart later became part of St Nicholas-at-Wade parish, and its church was eventually pulled down. However, St Mary's Church at Reculver continued to receive payments from Herne and St Nicholas-at-Wade parishes for centuries as a sign of their connection and to help with repairs.
Church Growth and Later Decline
How the Church Grew
The church building was made much bigger over time. The outer walls of the small rooms (porticus) were extended in the 700s to enclose the main hall (nave). This created a series of rooms, including chapels and a porch at the west end.
The famous twin towers were added in the late 1100s as part of a new west front. At this time, the inner walls of the 8th-century rooms were removed, creating aisles (side passages) on the north and south of the nave. In the 1200s, the original rounded end (apse) was taken down, and the altar area (chancel) was more than doubled in size. It got a new triple east window with tall, narrow (lancet) windows and columns made of Purbeck Marble. In the 1400s, north and south porches were added to the nave.
Around this time, a sundial was added to the south wall of the south tower. Special chapels called chantries were set up in the church in 1354 and 1371. These were places where priests would pray for the souls of specific people. These chantries were closed down in 1548 or 1549 during the reign of King Edward VI.
The towers had tall, pointed tops (spires) by 1414, as shown on an old map. The north tower held a set of bells, which could be reached by a spiral staircase. Adding these towers was a huge investment for a parish church, suggesting that a busy town must have grown nearby. Even with all these changes, the church kept many important Anglo-Saxon features.
One feature that really impressed an old writer named John Leland when he visited in 1540 was a tall stone cross inside the church. He described it as one of the "fairest and most auncyent" crosses he had ever seen, about nine feet high. It had carvings of Christ, Peter, Paul, John, and James. Another part showed the Passion (Christ's suffering), and another had the twelve Apostles. The highest part showed Christ on the cross. This cross was removed from the church by 1784.
Archaeologists later studied what they thought was the base of a 7th-century cross. It's been suggested that the monastery was built around it. Traces of paint show that the Reculver cross was once brightly colored. Experts now think the cross, made from a reused Roman column, probably dates from the 8th or 9th century. Leland also mentioned a wall painting of a bishop and a special gospel book (a book containing parts of the Bible) in the church.
In its final form, the church was very large. The nave was about 67 feet (20.4 meters) long and 24 feet (7.3 meters) wide, with aisles on either side. The chancel was about 46 feet (14 meters) long. The towers, including their spires, were 106 feet (32.3 meters) high. The church's total length was 120 feet (36.6 meters).
The Church's Decline
When John Leland visited in 1540, he noticed that the coastline was getting very close to the town, which was then just a small village. By 1576, Reculver was described as "poor and simple." In the mid-1600s, maps showed the church was only about 500 feet (152 meters) from the shore. The sea was clearly eroding the land.
The village's population was shrinking, and by the late 1700s, most residents had moved to Hillborough, a nearby village. As the settlement declined, so did the church. In 1776, it was described as "full of solitude, and languished into decay." By 1809, it was in bad shape, with only small repairs that didn't help much.
The Church's Destruction
In the autumn of 1807, a big storm and high tide caused the cliff to erode right into the churchyard. Sea defenses had been built since at least 1783, but they hadn't worked well. Two new plans were made to protect the cliff, but they were very expensive.
Instead, at a meeting on January 12, 1808, the local leaders decided to demolish the church. The vicar, Christopher Naylor, used his deciding vote to approve the demolition. He argued that people would soon lose a place to bury their dead. The Archbishop of Canterbury agreed, saying the church should be pulled down to save its materials for a new church.
Demolition began in September 1809, using gunpowder. This was seen as a terrible act of destruction. Most of the church was completely destroyed. Today, only the ruins remain on the site. Some materials were used for the new parish church at Hillborough. Fragments of the cross and the two stone columns from the triple arch are now in Canterbury Cathedral.
Two thousand tons of stone from the demolished church were sold and used to build the harbour wall at Margate. Over 40 tons of lead from the church's roof and spires were also sold for £900.
In 1810, Trinity House bought what was left of the church for £100. They wanted to make sure the towers were saved as a landmark for ships. They also built the first groynes (structures built out into the sea) to protect the cliff. The original spires were destroyed by storms by 1819. Trinity House replaced them with open structures topped with weather vanes. These remained until after 1928. Today, the church ruins and the Roman fort site are looked after by English Heritage.
Archaeological Discoveries
The first archaeological report on the demolished church was published in 1878 by George Dowker. He found the foundations of the rounded chancel and the columns of the triple arch. He noted that the original church floor was made of concrete, more than 6 inches (15 cm) thick. This floor had been described before the demolition as smooth and red. Dowker also found what he believed was the foundation for the stone cross that Leland had described. He noticed the concrete floor seemed to have been laid around it. The chancel floor was raised later and covered with decorated tiles. Dowker also heard about a large, circular burial vault (an underground tomb) at the east end of the chancel, with coffins arranged in a circle.
Further excavations in the 1920s by C. R. Peers showed that the original church's nave had doors on the north, south, and west sides. The chancel had doors leading to the north and south porticus, which also had outside doors. Peers noted that the concrete floor had a thin layer of pounded brick on top. He believed it was from the same time as the stone foundation for the cross. The excavations also found steps leading down to the burial vault Dowker mentioned.
Peers also found that the extensions to the porticus and the west front were added within 100 years of the church's first construction. These extensions had the same type of floor as the original church. Comparing Reculver to other 7th-century churches, Peers suggested that the original church probably had high windows in the nave walls. Today, areas of walls that are no longer standing above ground are marked on the site by strips of concrete.
Archaeologists found that the church stood alone, meaning any other monastery buildings must have been separate. In 1966, foundations of what seemed to be a medieval building were found near the church. It might have been a hall used by the archbishop. Other monastery buildings might have been in the area north of the church, which has since been lost to the sea. An old building west of the church, which looked like it might have been part of the monastery, collapsed into the sea in 1802. This building was once a chapel dedicated to St James.
Reculver's Influence in Australia
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The design of the twin towers, spires, and west front of St John's Cathedral in Parramatta, Sydney, Australia, was inspired by St Mary's Church at Reculver. These parts were added to the Australian cathedral between 1817 and 1819.
When Governor Lachlan Macquarie and his wife Elizabeth left England for Australia in 1809, efforts to save St Mary's Church were ongoing. Elizabeth Macquarie asked John Watts, the governor's aide, to design the towers for St John's Cathedral. These towers and its west front are the oldest remaining parts of an Anglican church in Australia. In 1990, a stone from St Mary's Church was given to St John's Cathedral by English Heritage, connecting these two distant churches.
