Church Of St Martin Of Tours

CHURCH OF ST MARTIN OF TOURS

This is a small parish church of probably late 11th-century or very early 12th-century origin, greatly extended in the 13th century with later alterations. The church was restored and partially rebuilt in 1857 by Edwin Nash, and a north-west extension was added in 2007.

The church is constructed of flint and stone rubble with stone dressings and some brick, particularly at the east end, with tiled roofs. The plan comprises a chancel, nave with a short south aisle or chapel, a south porch, and a north tower.

Externally, the church is small and low. The short north tower features a broach spire with shingle cladding. The short south aisle is roofed continuously with the nave, with the roof descending very low. It has a small window of late 12th-century or early 13th-century date in the south wall and a two-light Perpendicular window in the east wall. The south porch, built in the 15th century, is boxy in form and terminates the south chapel roofline. It has an embattled parapet with brick dressings, and its outer opening displays continuous mouldings and an outer hood mould. The chancel contains a triplet of 13th-century lancet windows in the east wall, along with two Perpendicular windows and a door in the south wall. A 19th-century north-east vestry with Perpendicular-style windows and a tall chimney occupies the site of a former north-east chapel. The nave north wall displays one 12th-century window to the west of the tower and Perpendicular windows further west, with a change in masonry indicating the nave was lengthened. The west wall contains a round-headed window, the remnant of a set of three, and a west door. The north tower rises in three stages and has narrow late 12th-century or early 13th-century openings with large buttresses.

The interior is plastered and painted. The nave is long and narrow, with a two-bay early 13th-century south arcade to the aisle. The eastern bay has half-round responds with moulded capitals, and the remains of a former 12th-century south window are visible internally. A tall early 13th-century tower arch with chamfered imposts leads to the north tower. The 19th-century chancel arch, designed in 13th-century style, has two orders, and the chancel lancets possess rere-arches with slim shafts. A squint in the chancel originally opened into the north-east chapel, now replaced by the vestry. An early 15th-century tomb recess occupies the north wall. The nave has a king post roof, and the chancel ceiling is plastered.

The church contains a probably 15th-century font of polygonal form with square panels and a band of fleurons. Altar rails feature short, turned balusters. The choir stalls and nave benches are simple 19th-century work. Timber screens under the south aisle arches and north tower arch date from the 20th century. Two chancel windows of 1925 are by Veronica Whall.

The church contains several significant monuments. The most notable is the Collett monument of 1607, featuring kneeling figures within an architectural frame and reclining figures of deceased children propped on skulls. A small adjacent monument commemorates Peter Heyman, another deceased child. Brasses include one to Walter de Brun, rector, died 1417, set in a recess in the chancel north wall. A coped marble tomb chest with indents for brasses of a rood group survives. Additional brasses commemorate a priest of circa 1400, William Robroke, priest, died 1420, a lady of circa 1480, and Alicia Bray, died 1507. Good 18th-century and 19th-century wall tablets include one to Brass Crosby, died 1793, in Adam style with mourning figures.

Herringbone flint work in the south wall of the chancel and nave north wall suggests a late 11th-century or very early 12th-century date. Considerable addition and rebuilding took place in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, when the south aisle, north tower, and chancel were constructed. The trefoil-headed squint in the chancel may indicate a 13th-century date for the now-demolished north-east chapel. The nave was extended at an uncertain date. Further work occurred in the 15th century with the addition of new windows and the south porch. The former north-east chapel was demolished and replaced by a vestry in 1857 under designs by E. Nash, who also rebuilt the chancel arch. A north-west parish room complex was added in 2007. The church is named after Brass Crosby (1725–93), Mayor of London and late 18th-century lord of the manor of Chelsfield, a political radical who successfully campaigned for the publication of parliamentary proceedings and to whom the saying "bold as Brass" is attributed.