St Catherine

By the C12 it had a S aisle.

The SE tower is C13.

The chancel was rebuilt in the late C13

remodelled c.1320.

The chancel N and S walls have C13 lancets, mostly renewed in the C19,

there is also a renewed C14 window with flowing tracery in the western part of the chancel S wall.

Perpendicular style nave W window and the C15 W door retains much original masonry.

The C13 SE tower is of four stages, and has a broach spire added in the C19.

C19 N and S porches in a simple late C13 style with continuously moulded outer openings with hood moulds.

Very fine early C14 sedilia in the S wall, probably related to the insertion of the early C14 window above it and to the ogee headed tomb recess in the N wall.

Tall late C13 chancel arch with head corbels.

The C19 N and S nave arcades are late C13 in style, and have chamfered arches on round piers with moulded capitals.

There is a blocked, possibly C13 window in the W wall of the S aisle, probably relating to an earlier, narrower aisle.

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES: The church has a number of good fittings, both medieval and modern.

Unusually elaborate piscina and sedilia of c.1300-20 in the chancel.

Fine, unrestored carved heads peep through trefoils in the gables, and there are further carved heads within the vaulting.

There are some medieval tiles with geometric patterns in the chancel.

Probably C15 ogee piscina in S aisle.

Late C15 or C16 choir stalls with poppyheads, shaped ends and an embattled top rail.

The desk on the N side has much graffiti, including several late C16 dates.

The S aisle roof is late medieval and has a panelled canopy of honour over the E bay.

One window with some fine C13 grisaille glass, said to be Belgian, in the chancel N wall.

Good monuments, notably a large and fine alabaster monument for Roger Boyle, d.

1576 and his wife Joan, d.

1586, of Preston, erected in 1629 by their son, Richard Boyle, first Earl of Cork and made by James White.

Life-size reclining figures on a tomb chest, surrounded by kneeling figures of their children, that of the Earl also life sized.

Several brasses, including Valentine and Cecilia Baret, d.1440 and 1442

William Mareys, d.1459, very complete in superb armour with surrounding inscription tags, and a female figure for Bennet Finch, d.

1612 with an additional wall monument for her and her husband d.

Chancel N wall, early C14 ogee tomb recess.

Some good ledger slabs in the floor, including Charles Hulse, d.1678 with a coat of arms.

A loose fragment of Anglo-Saxon interlace ornament probably came from a cross.

No trace of this church survives, although the 'thick arches' in the S aisle removed by R C Hussey in 1853-5 are suggestive of pre-Norman work.

The chancel was rebuilt in the later C13

was refitted with the fine sedilia and piscina in the early years of the C14.

The S aisle was widened C14 or C15 and retains its late medieval low-pitched roof.

The very harsh restorations of the C19, which saw the complete demolition and replacement of much medieval fabric.

Carried out during the incumbency of James Peto, vicar 1837-78, this was typical of early Victoria restoration, which often preferred new, medieval-style work to the real thing.

The Travers fittings were a memorial to John Hankins Martin, vicar 1912-38.

1991, rev 2002 Mattieson, O, 'The stalls of St Catherine's church at Preston', Archaeologia Cantiana, 77 , 77-81 REASONS FOR DESIGNATION The Church of St Catherine, Preston-next-Faversham is designated at Grade II* for the following principal reasons: * Parish church with fine C13 chancel, nave arcades rebuilt in the mid C19. * Outstanding early C14 piscina and sedilia, heavily restored. * Late medieval choir stalls. * Excellent monuments including the Boyle tomb and good brasses. * Very good mid C20 furnishings by Martin Travers.