Church Of St Margaret

Church of St Margaret, Gillingham

This is a medieval parish church in Gillingham, originally founded around 1066. The chancel and north chapel were largely rebuilt in the mid-13th century, the nave and north aisle were added in the early 14th century, the roof dates from the 15th century, and the tower was constructed around 1470. The church underwent substantial restoration between 1869 and 1871 by the architect Joseph Clarke.

The church is built of flint, partly rendered, with limestone dressings. The nave and aisle gables are tile-hung, and the tower is constructed of Kentish ragstone rubble. The building is roofed with tiles. The architectural style combines Decorated and Perpendicular elements.

The church plan comprises a chancel and north chapel, nave with north aisle, north and south porches, and a west tower.

The east end displays two gables: the taller chancel gable has a single left-hand buttress and roughly-coursed masonry in the top, with a 19th-century three-light window. The chapel gable has a right-hand buttress with offsets, some render to the top, a 19th-century four-light window with Decorated tracery, and a low 19th-century three-light mullion cellar window. The north side of the chancel has a three-light window and two 19th-century one-light windows, plus an altered 16th-century two-light window with flat two-centre arch. The south side has a central buttress with an early 13th-century lancet to the right, 14th-century two-light windows either side, and a left-hand paired 16th-century window.

The wider nave and aisles have tile-hung east gables. The nave gable has a two-light 14th-century window. The north aisle is four bays with a 19th-century gabled porch featuring a two-centre arched doorway with hood mould and small two-light side windows in a flat-headed frame, leading to an inner door with a fine 14th-century studded door. The windows are divided by a buttress, with a 16th-century shallow two-centre arched left-hand window and two-centre arched 19th-century windows either side of the porch.

The crenellated three-stage tower has angle buttresses and strings, with an octagonal northeast stair tower offset at parapet level. The west side has a plain two-centre arched doorway with double doors beneath a three-light window, a small niche with label over the ground-floor string, and flat-headed two-light cinquefoil-headed windows to the middle and top stages. The south side has a large central gabled porch with side buttresses and a pointed arched door, flanked by 19th-century two-light windows.

Interior

The chancel has an early 13th-century four-bay arcade with keeled shafts, interrupted by a sedilia with three gables and a small piscina. The north arcade has an early 13th-century arch and two wider late 13th-century arches, with a good late 15th-century parclose with carved leaves to spandrels over four-centre arches. A moulded chapel arch to the aisle has triple shafts and head stops, with rood openings either side. The chancel has a crown post roof with moulded bases and capitals.

The early 14th-century five-bay nave arcade has octagonal shafts with a rood loft opening below the rood beam, and three tie beams with crown posts and diagonal braces and moulded wall plates. The aisle has a similar roof. At the east end are two bays of fine late 15th-century painted panels with sunbursts and Tudor roses repainted in Lancastrian white. A fragment of wall painting in the south wall bears a 1335 consecration cross. Both the north and south doors are fine examples, the former with an inserted wicket.

Monuments and Memorials

In the chancel east end is a painted alabaster wall memorial of a kneeling couple within a flattened arch with pilasters and an open pediment with cartouche, and a reclining figure beneath, commemorating John Norreys (died 1627). In the east bay is a Perpendicular chest tomb to Thomas Norreys (died 1624) with a painted limestone top and re-set panelled sides. The chapel northeast corner contains a good marble statue of Nicholas Tufton, Earl of Thanet (died 1679), standing on a plinth in Roman armour, with flanking oval panels containing family history. A seated figure of George Tufton (died 1650) with Latin inscription is in the north wall.

Stained Glass and Fittings

The nave southeast window is by Hardman, dated 1871. The church contains a fine 14th-century parish chest with nine panels with trefoil heads and blind tracery, and two cusped panels on top. 19th-century additions include an octagonal font, pulpit, and pews.

Historical Note

According to Pevsner's research, further wall paintings are overpainted on the walls, including a Last Judgement and a 15th-century Saint Christopher painted over a 14th-century Saint Christopher.