Church of St John the Baptist, Mersham, Kent

Description

TR 03 NE MERSHAM CHURCH ROAD
(east side)

7/94 Church of St.
John the
27.11.57 Baptist
GV

I

Parish church. C12 origin, expanded C13 with C14-C15 fenestration.
C19-C20 vestry. Ragstone with plain tiled roof. Chancel and south
chapel, nave with south aisle and tower and south porch. Three stage
south western tower with triple offset clasping buttress and short
shingled spire with weather vane. Paired lancet belfry openings, small
lancets elsewhere. Flat pilaster-buttress to north-eastern vice. Clock
on west face dated 1886. South aisle with lancet, restored C14.
Decorated 2 light and C15 Perpendicular 2 light window. Reset C12
south doorway with nook shafts, filleted abaci and roll mould, with
C15 water stoup. South porch with wave moulded outer door, moulded
bargeboard, and nicely moulded roof of 3 short crown posts and tie
beams. South chapel and chancel stepped in, the chapel with plinth,
and hammer-dressed blocks to upper courses and diagonal buttress,
with Perpendicular south and east windows (with ogee) and moulded
bargeboard (similar to south porch) to gable. Chancel with restored
ogee headed windows, and 3 light Y-tracery east window. C14-C15
windows on north side. C19 Decorated style vestry with large squat
chimney stack, extended late C20 with parish rooms in brick. Simple cusped
2 light C13 window and 3 identical 2 light and 4 over Perpendicular
windows to nave. West window c.1396, with 12 lights at base, with
upper tracery with central quatrefoil and downward swept cusped lights
(to incorporate the Trinity and downward-flying seraphim). Simple
moulded doorway below. Interior: 5 bay arcade, C13 of slightly
different dates to western 3 bays. Round piers, the eastern respond a
simple abacus. Double chamfered arches. Roof of 4 tall octagonal
crown posts on tie beams with quatrefoil pierced knee braces. South
aisle with double chamfered tower arch without responds. Collared
rafter roof. Chancel: no chancel arch, with hollow chamfered ogee
headed window, now to the south chapel and large depressed hollow cham-
fered arch to south chapel with head corbel to east. King post and
trussed rafter roof, the easternmost tie beam with carved head. South
chapel with outline and mouldings of earlier opening to chancel;
trussed rafter roof. Fittings: C17 altar rail, with strapwork enriched
rails and ball finials and foliage. Dado panelling to sanctuary with
strapwork, dated 1611, with reeded panels and fretwork top piece.
Restored ogee trecusped piscina. C19 choir stalls and light fittings.
Screen to south chapel, C18, with barley sugar balusters on simple
beaded panelled dado, with iron spike top rail. C15 cusped piscina.
Font with square bowl, with quatrefoils on roundels and ogee arcading.
Five round piers. Stained glass: fragments of the originally complex
iconography of the west windows, and St. Michael and the Dragon in a
north window. Monuments: an important series. Brass of priest
c.1420, 14 ½ inches. Knight and Lady, c.1520, set on south wall, c.17
inches. In the chancel: Richard Knatchbull 1590, wall monument of
knight kneeling at prayer desk with strapwork pilasters and coved
enriched frieze with urns and achievement over. Bridget Knatchbull,
1625, by Nicholas Stone (1626 for £30). Wall monument with kneeling
lady in draped baldacchino, with draped angels pulling back curtains.
with fluted frieze and cornice to open segmental pediment with achievement
cherubs heads and obelisk. Bracketed plaque below. Sir Norton
Knatchbull d.1636. Standing monument, with stiffly moulded knight
propped on one elbow on scroll-ended tomb chest, with double Ionic
colonettes to segmental head with original spear headed rails with
twisted and strapwork finialled principals. Katherine Knatchbull,
Sir Wyndham Knatchbull (1740/1 and 1749). Pedimented wall plaque
with scrolled sides, cartouche below and achievement over. In the
south chapel: Margaret Collyns, d.1595 by Epiphanius Evesham. Very
small white alabaster tablet, with simple inscription and shaped head
with Arms and laurel wreath winged apron signed "Evesham fecit
Sir Norton Knatchbull, d.1684. White and black wall plaque with raised
and fielded apron, gadrooned base, festooned and scrolled sides,
cherub and death's head, with arms, gadrooned urns and central urn on
plinth over. Sir John Knatchbull, d.1676. Large white tablet, with
palm-enriched scrolls to floriate side pieces on apron with cherubs,
trumpets garlands and death's head brackets, with acanthus frieze to
cornice with draped baldacchino with putti holding back drapes,
before a pyramid and flaming urns, and Achievements. Simple wall
plaque to Sir Edward Knatchbull, d.1749, with Arms and Trophies
Sir Wyndham Knatchbull, d.1763. Simple plaque, designed by Robert
Adam (who also designed Mersham-le-Hatch for Sir Wyndham), carved by
William Tyler. Tilting helm in chancel of Sir Norton Knatchbull.
Knatchbull hatchments, Royal Arms on nave north wall dated 1751, and
lugged charity board dated 1777 in south aisle. (See B.O.E. Kent I
1983 423-5) .

Listing NGR: TR0504039348

External Links

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British Listed Buildings

History in Structure

Church of St John the Baptist

A Grade I Listed Building in Mersham, Kent

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