St John The Baptist

The tower is C13 with a C14 spire.

Early C16 NE treasury.

There are two C13 lancets in the S wall of the S chapel.

The rest of the S windows are largely C14-style of two cusped lights, with a late C13-style geometric window west of the porch.

The N chancel windows are early C16 in style with depressed heads and three cusped lights

the other N windows are a mix of late C13

C14 styles.

The N door is c.1300.

The early C16 NE treasury is faced in coursed ragstone, and has a low-pitched roof with an embattled parapet.

The arcades date from the mid C12 to the very early C13, but the piers are not in a chronological progression and may be the result of a rebuilding after a fire or other disaster, such as the collapse of a former crossing tower.

The E two bays of the N nave arcade are mid C12.

The two-bay N and S chancel arcades and the NW end of the N nave arcade and the opposite bays on the S are late C12.

The central bays on each side and the westernmost bay on the S are early C13, as is the entrance to the S tower.

The W bay of the nave and S aisle have been enclosed with a glass screen, with a mezzanine above.

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES C13 piscina and sedilia in the chancel.

Very good C15 font, polygonal and richly carved with the arms of England and the Cinque Ports on the bowl, and buttresses on the stem.

Work of this date includes the screen, rood, pulpit and reredos.

All are in a traditional Perpendicular Gothic-style with rich carving.

the pulpit has figures of saints in ogee niches.

The altar in the S chapel has riddel posts with carved figures of angels.

Some good C19 and early C20 glass, including a War Memorial window in the N aisle.

Monuments include a large collection of brasses, including skeleton figure for Richard Notfelde, d.

Also some good wall tablets, including Paul Cleybrooke and wife, d.1624, with a real helm on the top, and Sir Thomas Staines, d.1830, with a ship, signed Bacon and Manning, and a large collection of hatchments.

HISTORY There was probably a church here by the mid C11.

The church had reached its present size by c.1200,

its grand scale, considering that it was only a chapel of Minster until 1275, is probably attributable to the prosperity of this area in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.

The tower was built at the W end of the N aisle in the C13.

The spire is probably C14 in origin.

A treasury was added on the NE side of the chancel in the early C16.

SOURCES Buildings of England: North-East and East Kent , 377-9 REASONS FOR DESIGNATION The church of St John the Baptist, Margate, is designated at Grade I for the following principal reasons: * Large, low parish church of the C12 and C13. * Very long nave arcades of the C12 and C13, C12 chancel arcades. * C13 tower with C14 spire. * C16 treasury * Interesting collection of C14 and C15 brasses. * Wall tablets of the C16 to the C19.

This List entry has been amended to add sources for War Memorials Online and the War Memorials Register.