St Martin

The N porch is dated to 1350.

Some refurnishing in the later middle ages, and the chancel was reroofed probably in the C17.

EXTERIOR: A long, low church with no clerestory, largely C14 in appearance with some later windows.

Early C14 W window with intersecting tracery with foiled circles and trefoiled lights.

The mid C14 chancel W window has a foiled circle over vertical tracery, and is on the cusp between Decorated and perpendicular styles.

The N chancel chapel and aisle has an embattled parapet and gable, with two probably early C16 E windows with vertical tracery.

Two story N porch, dated by documentary evidence to 1350, with a stoup on either side of the entrance.

INTERIOR: The interior is plastered and painted, and is largely C14 in date

the early C13 arch to the S chancel chapel from the aisle, the relieving arch for the tower and the differing heights of the nave arcade pier bases suggest the present building was rebuilt around an existing church.

The elegant S and E tower arches have many orders of tiny mouldings, and the base of the tower has a quadripartite vault on shafted corbels with finely carved heads.

The S chancel chapel, which opens from the S aisle through an early C13 arch with chamfered imposts, was enclosed to form a two-story vestry and office complex in the late C20.

It has a fine, but damaged, early C16 blocked priest's door.

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES: Excellent Perpendicular font with shields and blind tracery on the bowl, and an elaborate blind tracery stem and base, datable to c.1405-14 by the heraldry.

TR1865 : St Martin's Church, Herne, Kent - Organ & Font

© John Salmon

Late C15 or early C16 three seat sedilia in chancel with cusped, four-centred arches and stepped seats under a straight, embattled cornice.

Probably early C16 chancel stalls with fine poppyheads, shaped arm rests and carved misericords.

TR1865 : St Martin's Church, Herne, Kent - Misericord in chancel

© John Salmon

They appear to be C16 replacements, but the whole may be C16.

C19 polygonal pulpit with Decorated-style blind tracery similar to that on the chancel screen.

TR1865 : St Martin's Church, Herne, Kent - Pulpit

© John Salmon

Elaborate C19 reredos in chancel with figures in carved niches.

Many good monuments.

Good brasses, especially in the N chapel, including Peter Halle, c.1430, a knight and lady holding hands

John Darley, c.1460, a priest in academicals

and Christine Phelip, d.1470,

several C16

early C17 brasses.

There are many good wall monuments, most within the S chapel and unfortunately often partially concealed by the C20 work for the vestry.

Notable monuments include Robert Knowler, d.1631 and wife, kneeling figures within an elaborate frame with cherub swags and a segmental pediment and Gilbert Knowler, d.1737, a draped tablet within a large frame with Ionic columns and a scrolled pediment.

1606, a kneeling figure, the tablet topped by a real helm.

The probably C17 chancel roof has trussed rafters and tall, thin crown posts on light, slightly chamfered beams.

HISTORY: Herne was a chapel of ease to Reculver until the early C14, and it is likely that the present church was rebuilt after it became a vicarage at that time, although there is clear evidence for one or more churches on the site before that date.

SOURCES: Newman, J., Buildings of England: North-East and East Kent , 343-5 REASONS FOR DESIGNATION The Church of St Martin, Herne is designated at Grade I for the following principal reasons: * Outstanding and very complete church of the mid C14, with NW tower

fully aisled nave and chancel. * Evidence for one or more earlier churches on the site. * Very fine, vaulted NW tower. * Excellent late medieval furnishings, including choir stalls with misericords, C15 font and fine screen to N chapel. * Excellent brasses and monuments.