Present Church

On Thursday 19th September 1850, the present church was consecrated by the Bishop of Rochester, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St Edward the Confessor.

The architect John Johnson, in the decorated style of Gothic architecture used in this country in the middle ages designed the church.  It is built mainly of Kentish Rag with Bath stone dressings.  Unfortunately, the Kentish Ragstone is not standing up too well to the rigours of time.

The well-proportioned church consists of a nave of five bays with clerestory, north and south aisles, chancel, Lady Chapel and west gallery.  Two vestries were added in 1885.  The spire, 162ft high, underwent major repair work in 1992.  Its dimensions are 81ft in length, 54ft in width, and 55ft in height.

Alternate clustered and octagonal columns, with finely carved foliated capitals, from one of which a little human peeps, support the arches of the nave and there is an occasional lion’s mask to be seen.

It is interesting to note that of the materials used in the building of the church, some stone came from Nash's Quadrant in Regents Street, London, which was then being pulled down. Some was possibly from the old church, and this may account for the many carved corbels depicting the heads of Kings, Queens, Bishops, the Green Man, a veiled woman and sundry other heads with unusual head dresses. These have the air of the superb heritage found in our medieval churches. If these carvings were the work of a 19th century sculptor, he must have inherited the spirit of the masons of the 15th century.

The church changed very little, until 1978 when the present organ was built on the gallery, at the west end of the church.  It replaced an instrument that had been on the north side of the chancel.

 

In the summer of 1988, work was undertaken to the interior of the church, the pews were reconstructed to be free standing and a new floor and underfloor heating system was installed. These works were a huge step to prepare the building for the 21st century. The church was closed for several months and services were conducted in Wykeham Hall.

In 2001 the choir vestry was remodeled, this work was undertaken with a generous grant from The Pilling Trust, at the same time a lavatory with facilities for the disabled was constructed.

The maintenance and improvement work to the church is continuing, defective masonry on the south elevation of the church has been replaced and the Hervey and Carew memorials in the south porch have been conserved. A carving of Edward Confessor has further enhanced the porch; Ivor Livi carves this in oak.

Improvements were required to ensure that the church met the access requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act, The west door was modified and step free access is now available into the Church.