St Peter's and St Paul's Church, Headcorn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's and St Paul's church |
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| Location | Headcorn, Kent |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | [1] |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 26 April 1968 |
| Completed | 13th century, 14th and 15th centuries |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | The Weald |
| Archdeaconry | Maidstone |
| Diocese | Canterbury |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Peter's and St Paul's Church is a special church in Headcorn, Kent. It is dedicated to two important saints, Peter and Paul. Building this church started way back in the 1200s. Today, it is a very important historical building, known as a Grade I listed building. This means it is protected because of its history and unique design.
Contents
Exploring the Church Building
The church was first built in the 13th century, which is the 1200s. More parts were added in the 14th and 15th centuries. The church is made from a special stone called Bethersden marble. Its roofs are covered with simple, flat tiles.
The Tall West Tower
The church has a tall tower on its west side. This tower was built in the late 1300s. It has three main sections, one on top of the other. Strong supports called buttresses are on the outside corners. A taller, many-sided staircase tower is attached to its north-east side.
Each section of the tower is separated by a stone band. The very top has a battlemented parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall. The bottom part of the west side has a window with three lights. These lights have a fancy, five-leaf clover shape and stone patterns. Below this window is a small door.
The middle section of the tower has small, rectangle-shaped windows. The top section holds the church bells. It has two or three-light windows on each side. These windows are decorated with three or four-leaf shapes.
The main part of the church, called the nave, was likely built in the 1300s. On its south side, there is a long hallway called an aisle. This aisle was added in the late 1300s, along with its attached porch. Both the aisle and porch have castle-like tops.
The aisle has three windows with a five-leaf clover shape at the top. The inner doorway of the porch is also made of Bethersden marble. On the north wall of the nave, there are four windows with three lights and stone patterns. These are separated by strong supports.
The Chancel and South Chapel
The chancel, which is the area around the altar, is from the 13th century. Its windows were updated later, in the late 1300s or 1400s. The east end of the church has a pointed roof and a tall window. This window has two sets of three lights, each with a five-leaf clover top.
Next to the chancel, on its south side, is the south chapel. This part also dates back to the 1300s. Its south wall has four windows with two lights, placed between strong supports. The east end of the chapel has a large window with five lights and decorative stone patterns.
Inside Views and Features
Inside, the nave and the south aisle are separated by a row of five pointed arches. These arches rest on eight-sided columns made of Bethersden marble. The arches connecting the chancel to the nave, and the south aisle to the south chapel, are similar.
The chancel is separated from the south chapel by two more arches. The nave has a special roof from the late 1300s or early 1400s. It has seven decorated wooden beams called trusses. The chancel has a sloped, boarded roof. The roofs of the aisle and chapel are flat and boarded.
The church has a special font from the 1400s. It is eight-sided and has carvings on its sides. Small basins called Piscina are found in the south walls. One is at the east end of the aisle, another at the east end of the chapel, and one in the chancel. The church screen is partly from the 1500s. It has a special carved wood pattern called "linenfold." This same pattern is also on the pulpit, which is from the late 1800s.
Old Tombs and Memorials
The churchyard around the church has several old tombs. These are called table tombs and date back to the 1700s. They are also important historical items, listed as Grade II buildings.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Maidstone
