St Mary

the earliest surviving fabric in the present church is the C12 west responds of the former north and south aisles.

Much of the east end was rebuilt c.1200,

the arcades and aisles were rebuilt in the C14, with further work in the C15.

The central tower collapsed in 1668 and destroyed the entire inside of the church.

It was rebuilt in 1671 with a timber north arcade and the nave and south aisle roofed in one.

The medieval work is small, squared masonry

the C17 repairs are mostly in flint with stone dressings, and there is some C19 repair in masonry.

EXTERIOR An unusual exterior reflecting repairs and alterations following the collapse of the tower in the C17.

The west windows are late Decorated in style and were inserted in the C19 to replace late C17, wooden Y-tracery windows.

There is a blocked arch, probably a door, below the former nave window, and a C12 recess with a fragment of carving between the windows, perhaps from a buttress on the line of the former south aisle wall.

The north aisle west window was restored early C14, and the windows on either side of the north porch have ogee heads and Decorated tracery.

The chancel north and south window have cusped Y-tracery, that on the south largely unrenewed, and the rest of the windows are paired lancets, replaced in the C19 but apparently copying a C17 arrangement.

INTERIOR The interior is partially plastered and painted, partially stripped masonry, and is entirely open except for the enormous timber arcade to the north aisle, built after most of the building was destroyed by the collapse of the central tower in 1668.

They stand on the C14 bases of the former north arcade.

The west responds of the destroyed C12 north and south arcades survive and are enough to show that the C12 church was very grand.

There are also some fragments of C12 or C13 responds at the east end, those at the east end of the north arcade probably related to the former crossing arch, those in the north east corner of the nave probably part of a former arch between the south aisle and south chancel chapel.

Of late C17 date , it has king posts with diagonal braces

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES Font is octagonal, with quatrefoils on the bowl.

Dated 1662 on the stem

probably C15 re-erected after the Restoration.

Royal Arms of Charles II, dated 1660.

The polygonal C18 pulpit was formerly part of a three-decker, and stands on a C19 base.

There are several medieval niches, including an early C13 banner stave locker in north wall of chancel, with an adjacent aumbry, and another recess in the east wall to the north of the altar.

The remains of a C15 altarpiece exposed within the east wall of the former south aisle or transept.

There are a few medieval tiles in the floor.

There is good C19 and early C20 glass, including several C19 windows by Ward and Hughes.

There are many good monuments, notably a fine wall monument by Westmacott to Admiral Peter Rainer, d.

Late C14 cusped ogee tomb recess in the north wall.

Abraham Rutton, d.1606, a worn wall tablet with kneeling figures in a strapwork frame in the chancel.

There are a number of ledger slabs and brass indents in the floor.

There are also several late C17 and early C18 chest tombs inside the church.

The chancel was rebuilt c.1200,

by the early C14, the church had a south chancel aisle, as indicated by the wide chancel with two windows and a central buttress.

The church was burned by the French in the late C14 and repaired by Sir William Leverwick of Ash and his wife.

There was some further refurnishing in the C15.

In 1578-9, the church was damaged by an earthquake that `did shake and cleave four arches' in the church.

This damage may have been partially responsible for the collapse on 25 April, 1668 of the central tower, which destroyed both nave arcades, but leaving much of the outside intact.

It was in use by 1675.

SOURCES Newman, J., Buildings of England: North-East and East Kent , 443-4 Tricker, R. St Mary's Church, Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent REASONS FOR DESIGNATION The Church of St Mary, Sandwich is designated at Grade I for the following principal reasons: * Large and very grand C12 church, much extended in the C14, almost wholly rebuilt in 1668-75 following the collapse of the central tower. * Unusual late C17 timber north arcade, and very wide span nave roof, also late C17. * Fine altar piece and communion rails of 1756, together with a number of interesting monuments, shedding light on the history of the town. * For its important group value as a key building in this exceptional medieval town