Church Of St Nicholas

The Church of St Nicholas is a parish church dating back to the 12th century. It was altered in the 14th century, and a west tower was added in 1628. A late 19th-century restoration took place. The church is constructed of flint rubble with red brick dressings, and has a plain tiled roof.

The building consists of a chancel, a nave with a north aisle, a south porch, and a western tower. The west tower is situated within the nave; the lower portion of the west wall is original 12th-century fabric, while the upper two stages are the 17th-century additions. The tower features angle buttresses, string courses, and a parapet, all finished in red brick. A south-eastern turret has a lead cupola and an ornate wrought iron weather vane. The west doorway is simple, chamfered, with a round-headed lancet window above. Other windows are segmentally headed brick windows with pedimented cornices. A clockface was added to the west face in the early 20th century. The nave and aisle have 19th-century windows, except for a round-headed lancet window to the west in both the 14th-century south porch. The south doorway is round-headed and plain; a north doorway is bricked up. The chancel has three lancet windows to the north and south, the westernmost being trecusped. A triple lancet east window was added in the 19th century.

Inside, the tower is rendered and has a plinth, plat band and double offset buttresses with moulded shields either side of a tall, double rebated and round headed arch. Panelled doors are set within the main arch, and double rebated and pointed arched openings are on either side. The north arcade consists of four bays on crude octagonal piers with moulded capitals and double chamfered arches, all dating from the 14th century. The responds are square and plain, dating back to the 12th century. A triple lancet window with a double arcaded inner screen is in the north aisle. The nave has a 19th-century king post roof, while the north aisle has a 14th-century crown post roof. The chancel arch is 19th-century, chamfered and ovolo moulded on attached round piers. The chancel has a trussed rafter roof and a 19th-century east window. Round headed reveals are present to central lancets north and south.

The church contains a restored sedilia; the lower half dates from the 13th century, and the moulded hood of the easternmost reproduces an ancient trecusped pattern. Other fittings are from the 19th century, with the exception of a parish chest dating to 1634 and Royal Arms of George IV. Four wall tablets are in the chancel: one to Richard Dauling, d.1679, with a black inscription plaque; one to Reverend Richard Monins Eaton, d.1770, in white marble; one to Mrs Ann Tubb, d.1777, with a coloured marble field; and one to John Monins, d.1806. A brass to John Upton, d.1530, and a mutilated lady with five children is re-set on a wooden wall plaque in the tower, and has been assigned to a local Canterbury school. The east window glass dates to 1863 and is in the 13th-century style.