Church Of St Denis

Church of St Denis

This parish church at Otterham may have Norman origins, as evidenced by Norman impost mouldings at the springing point of the tower arch and the remains of two Norman fonts. The building appears to have been substantially developed through the medieval period, with a circa 15th-century four-bay arcade and circa 16th-century tracery. The tower was possibly rebuilt in 1702, reusing earlier material. The church underwent heavy restoration between 1889 and 1904, which significantly altered its appearance and hinders accurate chronological analysis of the original plan.

The church was probably originally comprised of a nave, chancel, north aisle and west tower. The north transept was removed in the mid-19th century and the north wall of the nave was largely rebuilt at that time. The tower contains Norman impost mouldings at the springing point of the tower arch. The west door dates to circa 16th century, as do the belfry lights, suggesting rebuilding of the tower in that period. The four-bay south aisle was added in circa 15th century, and the tracery in the east window of the south aisle and towards the west end of the nave is probably 16th century, possibly contemporary with the tower rebuilding.

The building is constructed of roughly coursed local stone with granite plinth and large granite quoins to the tower, and snecked slate stone rubble with dressed quoins to the nave, chancel and south aisle. The roof is slate, with the nave and chancel under one roof.

The west tower is of two stages with a battlemented parapet and crocketted finials. The west door features a circa 16th-century granite arch with cavetto and roll-moulded jambs, incised spandrels and hood mould, with a 19th-century plank door. The west window is 19th-century, set in a partly blocked opening with a pointed relieving arch. The belfry openings are two-light with slate louvers. The north wall of the nave has a 16th-century Perpendicular three-light window towards the west end, with four-centred arch and cusped heads to the two outer lights. The chancel has a 19th-century three-light window and a 19th-century two-light window on its south side. The south aisle east window is similar to the 16th-century window in the nave. Three 19th-century three-light windows occupy the south wall of the nave. The south porch is gabled with a four-centred granite arch featuring roll and hood mould, and the south door has a four-centred granite arch with tall pyramid stops and a 19th-century plank door. The porch interior contains a stone bench on the east wall.

The interior has plastered walls. The nave, chancel and south aisle feature a renewed 19th-century wagon roof with renewed carved bosses in the chancel; two pieces of carved ribs from the earlier roof have been reset on the north wall. The four-bay arcade of circa 15th-century comprises four-centred granite arches with triple cavetto mould and type A piers with moulded capitals and bases. The tower arch is of dressed stone with a segmental arch and granite-moulded imposts. A circa 16th-century granite basket arch marks the entrance to the tower stair.

Furnishings are of 19th-century pitch pine and include a 19th-century pulpit and altar table. The south wall of the chancel has a piscina with cusped head, chamfer and run-out stops. A possibly circa 13th-century font, heavily restored, has an octagonal shaft, unlined bowl and square base. Two probably Norman fonts remain at the west end of the nave, one with a round bowl and the other with a hexagonal bowl. The floors are slate flags in the nave and south aisle, and glazed 19th-century ceramic tiles in the chancel.

The church contains several slate memorials. In the south aisle is a ledger stone to Mary, wife of Abel French, who died in 1652, engraved in italic and cursive script with coat of arms and verse. The north wall of the nave has a ledger stone of Johan, wife of William Moyers and daughter of John Avery of Kernick, died 1721. A ledger stone in the tower commemorates Alice, wife of William Grigg, died 1684, with verse. Several further ledger stones are mounted on the outer wall of the chancel, including one to a member of the French family who died in 1660.

The 19th-century restoration included partial rebuilding of the outer masonry skin to the south aisle, nave, chancel and south porch, extensive refenestration, re-roofing of the nave, chancel, south aisle and south porch, and refurnishing of the church. Prior to 1850, part of an old coloured rood-screen was recorded.