Church of All Saints, Ulcombe, Kent

Description

TQ 84 NW
5/196

ULCOMBE
ULCOMBE HILL (west side)
Church of All Saints

26.4.68

GV
I
Parish church. C12, C13, C14 and C15, altered internally 1956-63, restored 1980s.

Stone, with plain tile roofs. West tower with vestry to south, nave, south aisle, south porch, chancel, north and south chancel chapels stopping short of east end, north-east chapel to nave.

West tower: C15. Three stages on moulded plinth, with battlements above moulded, gargoyled string. Polygonal south-east stair turret, taller than tower, also with gargoyled string and battlements. Diagonal buttresses. Belfry openings of two cinquefoil-headed lights with square-topped hoodmould. Single trefoil-headed light with hoodmould to all but east side of second stage. Two-centred arched three-light traceried west window with moulded hoodmould. Two-centred arched casement-moulded west doorway, formerly with slender attached shaft to either side. Moulded hoodmould with scrolled ends. Ribbed door.

South vestry: C19 or later. Stone rubble. Lean-to roof. Re-set medieval trefoil-headed light. C19 light and doorway to south. South aisle: C13, on moulded plinth, with three buttresses. Parapet above moulded string. C14 two-light window with renewed hoodmould to west of porch. C19 window to east of porch. Porch: C15. Small blocks of coursed stone, on moulded plinth. Parapet above moulded string. Two-light window to east and west with squared hoodmoulds. Niche above doorway. Two-centred arched casement-moulded doorway, formerly with attached shaft either side. Quatrefoiled spandrels with shields. Squared hoodmould. Moulded inner doorway, probably C14, with roll-and-fillet hoodmould with scrolled ends. Ribbed inner door.

South chancel chapel: C12 origins. Moulded plinth. Low parapet without string. South-east angle buttress. Two largely C19 three-light south windows, one with hoodmould. Similar east window. Chancel: C13, probably with C12 origins. Stone rubble. No plinth. Gabled. North-east and south-east clasping buttresses. South window "especially interesting" (J Newman), early C14, of three lights, in Bethersden marble, with hoodmould. C13 east window of three individual, widely-spaced stepped lancets, that to north slightly narrower. North window C14; three broad lights with ogee heads, that to centre reaching to head of window. Roll-and-fillet hoodmould with carved heads as label stops.

North chancel chapel and north-east nave chapel: former late C15 or early C16, latter C13 but with continuous north elevation. Moulded plinth. Lean-to roof. Diagonal north-east and north-west buttresses. Three-light traceried east window with hoodmould. Two three-light north windows to east of door, with moulded jambs and squared hoodmoulds. One two-light window over C19 doorway to west end of north chancel chapel. Three-light north window to nave chapel, with moulded jambs and squared hoodmould. Similar two-light window to west end.

Nave: north elevation: no plinth. Two two-light windows, that to east with ogee-headed lights and roll-and-fillet hoodmould with scrolled ends. Part of jamb and head of blocked round-headed window high in wall. Moulded two-centred-arched doorway between windows.

Interior: Structure: C13.three-bay south arcade to nave, of broad pointed chamfered arches and rectangular piers with undercut strings. Arch to north-east nave chapel similar, but with hollow chamfer. Two-bay chancel arcade to north and south. Circular C12 column to centre of south arcade, with scalloped capital and ring-moulded base. Unchamfered C13 pointed arches springing from rectangular side piers with moulded strings and cushion chamfer-stops. Late C15 or early C16 north arcade with moulded four-centred arches springing from moulded side shafts and central pier of four attached columns with moulded capitals and bases. Chancel arch C13, possibly with C12 base, with tall pointed arch springing from high chamfered imposts. C15 tower arch with three orders of hollow chamfers and attached shaft each side with moulded capital and base. C14 arch between south aisle and south chapel, of two orders, with attached semi-octagonal shaft either side with moulded capital and base. East end of chancel has C13 blind arcade of single arch to north and south with undercut hoodmould, dying into continuous chamfered string running beneath east lancets. Lancets flanked by four Purbeck marble shafts with bell capitals, bases and shaft rings, and continuous hollow chamfer with stylized roses. Continuous hoodmould. Three blocked, deeply splayed round-headed windows high up in north wall of nave.

Roof: early C16 roof to north chancel chapel, with multiple roll mouldings to beams, joists and cornice. Remaining roofs ribbed and boarded in C19.

Fittings: C13 piscina to south wall of south chancel chapel. Two broad aumbries to east end of chancel, that to south incorporating piscina. Rood loft stairs within pier to north-east end of nave. Finely carved late C15 or early C16 traceried parclose screen to west bay of north chancel arcade, with linenfold panelling to base. C15 screen now in west bay of south chancel arcade, of seven cinquefoil-headed lights with carved spandrels. Five stalls below it, three with carved misericords.

Decoration: wall-painting: cross to north side of west pier of south nave arcade; St Michael overcoming Satan on south side of same pier; late C13 crucified Christ to each side of soffit of central arch of south arcade; Dives and Lazarus to south side of east pier of same arcade; crucifixion to west side of east pier of south chancel arcade; wavy patterning to chamfer of blind arcade on south side of chancel; five priestly heads towards west end of north blind arcade; substantial remains of chevron patterning to soffit of north-east nave arch, and "key" to south side of north-east nave chapel.

Stained glass: grisaille glass in north window of chancel. Armorial glass in east window of north chancel chapel, restored 1853, in memory of St. Leger family.

Monuments: memorial tablet to Samuel Belcher, d. 1760, on south wall of south chancel chapel, with broken-based pediment. Black and white marble tablet to members of Belcher family, died between 1739 and 1819, on same wall, with draped urn and Greek key pattern. Wall tablet to William Belcher, d. 1709, to north wall of south chancel chapel, with cherub, scrolls, cornice, urns and escutcheon. Chest tomb against north wall of north chancel chapel bearing canopied brass to William Maydeston, Knight, d. 1419. Draped cartouche to Francis Clerke Esq., d. 1691 above large chest tomb with moulded plinth and corniced lid, on north wall between two north chapels. Uninscribed brass above the tomb chest, moved from vestry 1913, probably of a knight, d. 1442. Fine brass to Randulph Sentleger Esquire, d.1470, and wife Anne on floor of north-east nave chapel. Wall memorial to Sir Francis Clerke, d. 1685, on north wall of north-east nave chapel, finely carved, in black and white marble with guilloche surround, flanked by Ionic columns, surmounted by pediment with escutcheon. Associated with large chest tomb below it. Memorial tablet to Lady Sarah Wandesforde, d. 1838, by T. & E.Gaffin, on south wall of same chapel; woman borne heavenward. Tablet to Marquess of Ormonde, d. 1820 by J. Bacon Jun. & S.Manning, on same wall; mourner with sarcophagus. A collegiate church from circa 1220 to 1293 (J. Newman, Op. Cit.).

Listing NGR: TQ8465949767

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Church of All Saints

A Grade I Listed Building in Ulcombe, Kent

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