Church Of St Anthony The Martyr

Church of St Anthony the Martyr

A Grade I listed parish church on the north side of Alkham Valley Road, dating from around 1200 and the late 13th century, with alterations in the 14th and 15th centuries. The church was restored in 1872. It is constructed of flint with a plain tiled roof.

The building comprises a chancel and north chapel, nave and south aisle, western tower and south porch. The western tower has been much restored and is built in two stages with triple offset corner buttresses, a string course and a low spire. It features an Early English style west doorway in the 19th century manner with an oval oculus above, alongside restored lancet windows.

The south aisle has buttresses, string course and parapet, elements that are carried over to enclose a large porch with a restored gable end and a wave-moulded south doorway. The fenestration of the south aisle dates mainly to the 15th century, except for replaced lancets at the west and east ends. The north nave wall displays an exposed blocked arcade relating to a now demolished aisle, with re-set lancets. Circular clerestory windows punctuate the nave.

The chancel and north chapel are separately roofed and stepped down from the nave, both featuring heavy offset corner buttresses and a string course carried over from the aisle. Their fenestration dates to the 15th century. A notable four-light cusped 14th century east window dominates the composition, with two lancets and a sexfoil above serving the eastern assembly to the chapel. To the north, four lancets sit on a string course; to the west walls, a lancet and roundel.

The original early 13th century church consisted of a nave with aisles extending into the chancel, subsequently extended by a large late 13th century north chapel. This arrangement remains evident in the interior layout.

Interior

The nave is entered through a chamfered arch to the tower, with a moulded hood resting on round responds with water-holding bases and bell-capitals. The south arcade comprises four bays; the north arcade two bays, with the western two bays blocked at the time the north chapel was built. The nave originally extended three bays with one bay into the chancel, featuring a short stretch of wall between two bays and no chancel arch. The piers are round with moulded bases and bell-capitals, a continuous hood mould running above. Clerestory windows light the interior. The roof dates to the 19th century and features four crown posts.

The chancel is of the same early 13th century date and retains a string course from which a 14th century inserted window springs; the exposed jambs of the original 13th century window reveal remain visible. A 14th century eastern arch with double chamfer on octagonal responds opens to the north chapel.

The church forms part of a group of High Early English work in this part of Kent, alongside churches at Folkestone and Cheriton.

The north chapel contains nine bays of blind arcading arranged in groups of three on the north wall. The arches are deeply undercut tri-lobed forms springing from Bethersden marble colonettes. The plinth is raised in three stages to accommodate three steps to the sanctuary. Five lancets above the arcading have attached shafts set on a string course, all with moulded hoods. The east window comprises two tall lancets and an oculus above, all with doubled attached shafts and undercut moulding. The roof dates to the 19th century and features three crown posts.

Fittings and Monuments

The chancel retains triple sedilia of the 13th century with tri-lobed heads, hood mould and hollow chamfered surrounds. The two westernmost are separated by an attached colonette; the easternmost incorporates an integral piscina with trilobed head and hollow chamfer. A hollow chamfered shelved piscina is present in the north chapel, and a simple chamfered piscina in the south aisle. All other fittings, including the font and screen to the tower, date to the 19th century, with the exception of an 18th century brass chandelier of two tiers with eight branches over eight, featuring an enriched handle at the base.

A fine 13th century tomb slab in the north chapel is inscribed to Hubert, son of Simon, identified as the first known Rector of Alkham (1199-1203), its surface bearing a faint cross and clear lettering. A wall plaque of white marble in the chancel commemorates Sarah Slater (died 1720), with fluted sides, cornice and achievement on the apron with a cherub. A fine series of marble floor slabs lies before the chancel.

Historical Note

The church was appropriated to the Abbey of St Radigund in 1258, which may date the construction of the north chapel.