The Parish Church Of St Mary The Virgin

685/2/25 CANNON STREET 30-JUN-49 (Northeast side) The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin

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Parish Church. Built on the site of some Roman Baths and a Saxon church on the site mentioned in Domesday Book, but the oldest part of the present structure is Norman. Early C12 west tower and four bays of the arcades but aisles, remainder of the nave and chancel by J C and C Buckler in Early English style. Built of flint with stone dressings. West tower is square of five stages surmounted by spire with weathervane. Arcading on the west face, increasingly rich towards the top. Colonnettes with block capitals, arches with a series of scallops. Plain renewed west doorway with shafts. Aisles have lancet windows. Most stained glass windows were lost during the Second War. INTERIOR: Tower arch with recessed shafts and a roll. The three west bays of the Norman nave arcades are early C12 and a further bay is almost contemporary but has a simpler base moulding. Round piers, scallop capitals and square abaci. C13 stained glass window to gallery. Norman octagonal Purbeck stone font bowl but remainder renewed. 1638 brass and a good series of C18 wall monuments. The remainder of the nave, aisles and chancel are of 1843-4. C19 pews.

[Buildings of England "North East and East Kent" Revised 1983 pp 297-8.]

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Listing NGR: TR3192041516