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St Laurence

St Laurence

Chilton

Kent

Parish Church, foundations 1062

Architectural Features

late C12

Geometric and Perpendicular style tracery throughout, all of C11 date, the West and East windows 1858.

C15 south porch with rendered arch and iron lamp and bracket, with original hollow chamfered rectangular doorway with water stoup adjacent.

This doorway, the blocked roll moulded western doorway cut into by the west window are the only early exterior features , apart from the tower, three stages, the lower two, C12 with blind arcading on south and east sides, and two round headed lancets on each face on all sides on second stage.

Battlemented top stage added C15.

Further C13 arch to south chancel.

C15 wooden wagon ceiling with moulded beams and Tudor flower bosses.

North chapel, restored, with separate vestry with exposed jambs of C12 north door to chancel.

Remnants of C15 screen to vestry, of three panels.

C19 reredos, reading desks, stalls, lecturn, pews and south chapel screens, C19 Gothic pulpit with open fretwork and statues incorporating reader and C18 hourglass stand.

C20 font and rood cross.

Glass circa 1866 and east window of 1902.

Brasses.

Nicholas Manston, d.1444, brass of man in armour 34 inches long

Joan St. Nicholas, d.1493, 28 inch brass of lady, both reset on wall of south chapel.

Monuments

south chapel: Adam Spencer, d.1745, veined white marble wall plaque, with segmentally shaped head and cornice with urn finial and scrolled sides, with scrolled apron below: Captain Martin Long, d.1751, large white wall monument with scrolled bolection moulded plaque with two cherubs and deaths heads to apron, with segmental pediment and arms cartouche.

north chapel: Robert Brooke, d.1667, white and black marble wall plaque with cartouche apron with enriched scrolled sides to pedimented top with blocks brought forward with arms cartouche.

south transept: small illegible C17 plaque with painted ribband sheaths and shields on sides, enriched swagged base and crested Arms with coronet.

Eleven hatchments throughout church, charity board in south porch, and large Royal Coat of Arms in south aisle dated 1729.