St Mildred

C13 north east chapel

C14 south windows to nave

C15 north aisle

1512 south east chapel.

The Saxon walling is a mixture of flint, tile and stone with very large quoins.

Three two-light C14 Decorated windows, one with renewed masonry.

The south wall of the Saxon chancel is truncated by the 1512 chapel which has three-light uncusped windows on its south and west sides and a C19 three-light Perpendicular style window to the east.

INTERIOR: The main entrance through the north-east porch has a medieval four-centred Caen stone arch with arched wooden door with blank shields and linenfold panelling.

Late C15 octagonal font, the bowl with quatrefoils and the stem decorated with blind tracery.

TR1457 : St Mildred, Canterbury - Font

© John Salmon

Original ogival font cover with crocketed angles, finial and pulley cable.

C19 stone drum pulpit with blind traceried panels and a brattished (battlemented) cornice, painted to match the late C19/early C20 timber tester.

Probably C16 fine timber eagle lectern.

The south east chapel was built as a chantry chapel for the Atwood family and is thought to have been built in 1512.

It has a C16 Tudor arched stone fireplace

a small C15 figure of St Mildred, perhaps assembled from various medieval fragments.

A good quality C15 doorway into the vestry from the former north east chapel has carved spandrels and an original door with vertical mouldings.

This is probably a 1920s arrangement, contemporary with the rood beam and figures below.

The chancel has two C14 arches of unequal size on the north-east and a wide late Perpendicular double-chamfered arch on the south into the south chapel.

Two, probably medieval, Perpendicular crownposts and tie beam trusses to the chancel, the crown posts with moulded bases and capitals and four-way braces.

The chancel has 1920s panelling but its furnishings incorporate probable C15 or C16 carved Poppy-head bench ends originating from another church.

Stained glass includes medieval fragments of stained glass of St Mildred in the south east chapel, the east window by Ward and Hughes of 1897, the west window by Burlisson and Grylls (re-used from St. Paul's Church, Ramsgate after bomb damage) two lancet windows by Lavers, Barnard and Westlake and stained glass of St Helena and St Mildred in the west window of the north chapel by Kempe studios.

TR1457 : St Mildred, Canterbury - Stained glass window

© John Salmon

Monuments include various wall tablets of the C17 and C18.

In the nave are an alabaster monument to Thomas Cranmer, nephew of the archbishop d.

1604, a monument to Sir William Cranmer d.1691 and black and white marble tomb chest to Sir Francis Head d.

The chancel has a 1789 monument by Bacon to William Jackson d.1789.

The parish room contains a monument by J F Mooore to Winefred Bridger d.

1776 with palm trees, Roman sarcophagus and winged victory and adjoining wall tablet to William Smith d.1699.

Over the north porch are tablets with benefactions, a Royal Coat of Arms in the north aisle and the north aisle and nave contain eight hatchments.

HISTORY: The dedication is to St Mildred (d. 732), the daughter of Merewald, King of Mercia, and Ermenburga, a Princess of Kent.

The church was probably built in the mid C11, soon after the relics of St Mildred had been brought from Minster to St Augustine's Abbey.

The church was in the ownership of St Augustine's Abbey until 1538 and then the crown.

It was united with All Saints in 1684 but had been united with St Mary-de-Castro earlier.

REASON FOR DESIGNATION: The Church of St Mildred is designated for the following principal reasons: The Church of St Mildred is listed Grade I for the following principal reasons: * It is of exceptional importance for the survival of Saxon walling reusing Roman fabric, indicating a large Saxon church, plus a wealth of medieval fabric of various dates, including medieval roofs and an early C16 chantry chapel with heating

* It contains fine quality fittings including C15

C16 woodwork, C17 and C18 wall monuments and stained glass by notable firms

* It is one of only a handful of Anglo-Saxon churches surviving in Kent.