A Short Guide to St Mary Magdalene

GENERAL :- St Mary Magdalene is the smallest of Thanet’s seven ancient churches, but one of the oldest. It’s position, on high ground to the west of the present Monkton community, indicates the site of the original village. The Doomsday Survey of 1086 mentions a building on the present site, and this was probably of wood. The present church is basically Norman, dating from around 1190. The original nave was twice its present size, extending on the N. side. The remains of the N.W. corner of this structure can be seen adjacent to the tower and, when a trench was dug in the church path in 2001 (for a water supply) the base of the original outer wall was revealed.

The reason and a date for this reduction in size have so far not been determined, but it appears to have been the springboard for an extensive re-fashioning of the whole structure during the C15th. The arches in the N. aisle were blocked up and new windows inserted. [ The outline of the five pointed arches of the original aisle, together with capitals of the pillars, can be clearly seen, particularly from the outside. ] The N. porch was also built at this time, the chancel arch heightened and top stage of the tower added.

The present church, which is unbuttressed, consists of chancel, nave, porch and tower. The walls are flint-faced, infilled with rubble and bonded with mortar. The E. and S. walls have been rendered on the outside. The roof is C15th with king-posts and tie-beams. A major structural restoration was carried out in 1989-90.

THE VICTORIAN REFURBISHMENT :- Outside the church at the eastern end of the chancel roof, there is a stone fleurette cross in a circle. It was probably placed there during the C19th and is a sign of the radical alterations being made in this period. During the middle to latter years of this century the interiors of many ancient churches were extensively re-fashioned, and St Mary Magdalene was no exception.

The chancel floor, originally a step lower than the floor of the nave, was raised and two further steps added at the east end to give the altar greater prominence. As a consequence, the interesting Norman piscina in the S.E. corner is now at floor level! Some of the Memorial stones in the floor were removed from their original positions and used, in conjunction with typical decorative floor tiling, to pave the walkways.

Any earlier ‘box’ pews would have been removed and the present pews and choir stalls constructed. A board, displayed in the church, records the alterations in the seating, made possible by a grant of £50 from the Incorporated Church Building society on the condition that 54 (?) seats would be free*. (It was customary in those days for pews to be rented to those who could afford them .)* Panels displaying texts were fixed to the N. and S. walls of the nave, and two pictures of angels with trumpets were placed either side of the E. window. The brass ‘Eagle’ lectern also possibly dates from this period.

WALL SURFACES :- It may be noted that the interior of the N., E. & S. walls of the church are dark and appear to be in need of redecoration! The explanation is that the walls display the original C15th plasterwork, on which were imposed colourful wall paintings of biblical scenes, used as teaching aids. Many small traces of these paintings can still be detected, but not enough have survived to enable restoration. Later attempts to paint or lime-wash the plasterwork have resulted in the present blotchy appearance, but we are not permitted at present to further disturb the paint remnants. The W. wall of the church, on which there was no early plasterwork or paintings, was redecorated in 2019.

WINDOWS :- The S. and N. walls of the nave each have three two-light windows, the chancel has two similar windows, one on each side. The Eastern-most window in the S. wall of the nave, next to the pulpit, was restored in 1992 in memory of Robert and Irene Willett.

High up above this window can be seen the stone frame of a Norman light. All windows are perpendicular in style, replacing round-headed ones of an earlier period. In the E. wall is a large three-light perpendicular window with tracery, glazed with plain diamond quarries dating to the C19th. A small quatre-foil at the very apex of the window contains the church’s only piece of mediaeval glass, a heraldic lion’s head dating from the C14th or C15th. The other small pieces of coloured glass date from the late C17th or early C19th. This window was fully restored in 2014.

CHANCEL :- The Early English CHANCEL ARCH is lofty, pointed and slightly chamfered. It is supported by the original Norman piers, the bases of which are deeply moulded with ornamental spurs, carved in relief with what appear to be animal heads. Near the tops of the piers are inset C15th brackets for the rood beam. The scallop capital on the pier in the S. wall has a head at the corner with outstretched tongue. There are three wall-mounted monuments, all C19th.

The wooden ALTAR is late C19th or C20th and was obtained in 2006 from another church where it was no longer needed. It replaces a C17th COMMUNION TABLE which had long ago lost its original top and had been made unsteady by beetle damage. This table with its stout Tuscan column legs and arches pendant from the single rail and primitive claw feet is still in use as a table near the door.

In 1903, a tall oak REREDOS was installed against the E. wall, in memory of both the parents and the parents-in-law of the then Vicar, the Revd Joseph White Horne. Its centrepiece comprises five trefoil-headed panels featuring Christ and the Four Evangelists, painted in the Burne-Jones style. The reredos was removed in 2000 but the upper section has been relocated against the N. wall of the Sanctuary**.**

NAVE :- The nave is long and, on the S. wall near the middle window, there can be seen the remains of a blocked doorway, (more clearly visible from the outside). It opened, probably, to a path across the Churchyard, leading to Monkton Court. This present farm house is believed to have originated as home to a small monastic community whose memory is preserved in the Village name.

The PULPIT is Jacobean, arcaded with small marquetry panels and with cockshead hinges on the door. Adjacent to it on the S. wall is an old hour-glass stand, a common feature in churches during the C16th and C17th.

At the head of the nave there is a fine brass of a priest in his vestments, thought to be John Spicer, Vicar of Monkton, 1427 – 1451. He died in 1460.

On the N. wall is a decorative cross in ironwork, mounted on a fabric covered panel. This is a memorial to Henry Thomas Willett, church warden for 40 years, who died in 1945, and replaces an earlier memorial, a fine late C18th clock, which was stolen.

There are a further three wall-mounted monuments, mainly C19th, and on the S. wall a Hatchment of Thomas Denne. If one looks at the right hand point of the diamond shaped hatchment and takes the eye about two feet to the right, one might just discern a small picture of a face. This is the only recognisable picture surviving from the once extensive mural paintings.

The FONT, opposite the main door, is of mottled reddish serpentine and dates from the late C19th. It replaced an old octagonal font encased in wood. The present octagonal wooden cover is decorated with a wrought-iron depiction of fledglings, symbolic of children being brought to Baptism.

To the rear of the nave will be found two more brasses, framed and wall-mounted. One, a palimpsest, dated 1580, hangs to the right of the main door and it shows the right half of a robed figure while the other side is an inscription to Lebbie Orchard, who died in 1580. The other, a memorial to Nicholas Robinson, 1594, founder of a local charity, is fixed to the W. wall. A third brass panel, a memorial to Margaret Parker, who died in 1607, is set in the floor near the font and can be viewed through a hatchway. On the S. wall, again near the font, there is an early C17th wall mounted alabaster memorial to Francis Blechunden, “that modest gentlewoman….she enjoyed three husbands.” Hanging over the main door is a painting, oil on canvas; “The Road to Emmaus.” It is reputed to have been painted in 1886 by Mrs Allnut, wife of the Revd. Allnutt, Vicar of Monkton, and the figures are said to be portraits of local people. To the right of the porch is a plain chamfered arch for a STOUP.

The ORGAN, adjacent to the font, is a Viscounts of Watford “Jubilate” 235 Deluxe electronic 2 manual organ purchased for £4,500 and installed in 2003. It replaces a small early C19th pipe organ that was at the W. end of the church facing west, in a mahogany case, from Browne & Sons of Canterbury 1902. Necessary and extensive restoration of the latter was beyond the parish’s means so it was sold in 2003 for £1,400, dismantled, restored and rebuilt at a church in France where it is in constant use for recitals.

THE TOWER :- The pointed arch to the tower is Early English, like the chancel arch. The tower, plain, square and gaunt, would have been a welcome landmark to pilgrims coming from Canterbury and using “The Street” (as the road through Monkton is still called), to reach Minster Abbey where St Mildred of Thanet, Mildrith (c.660 – 732), was buried.

Built in 3 stages, separated by string courses, the lowest section of the tower is the largest and contains the VESTRY. It has a low, very worn W. doorway with a pointed arch surrounded by herring-bone moulding. This would have been the main entrance before the present N. facing porch was built. Above the doorway is a single lancet, deep set, with quarried glass and there are similar windows, blocked, in the N. and S. walls. The middle stage has a thin rectangular light in the W. wall and a blocked lancet in the N. wall. The top stage has two trefoil-headed lights in each wall and a very plain straight parapet above the moulded string course.

THE BELLS :- There are now 6 bells:-

#1 (F#) 24” 2cwt 3qt 17lb treble from 1961 comes from East Budleigh Church, Devon by Mears & Stainbank of Whitechapel; installed in 2018.

#2 (E) 26” 3cwt 2qr 7lb from 1938 cast by Gillett & Johnston, Croydon; installed in 2018.

#3 (D) 27” 3cwt 1qr 22lb from 1633 by Joseph Hatch of Ulcombe; original.

#4 (C#) 28” 3cwt 2qr 13lb from 1661 by Thomas Palmar I of Canterbury; original.

#5 (B) 32” 5cwt 3lb from 1615 by Joseph Hatch of Ulcombe; original.

#6 (A) 34” 7cwt 9lb from 1880 by Taylors of Loughborough; installed in 2014.

Joseph Hatch had his foundary at Ulcombe, near Maidstone, where he is buried, whilst Thomas Palmar’s foundry was on the site now occupied by Canterbury West Station.

The tenor bell was hung in March 2014, thanks to the generosity of donors, including a church member, the late Mrs Patricia Wilkinson. This bell, originally in the church at Sandiacre, Derbyshire, was tuned and restored by Taylor’s of Loughborough and was kindly installed by the Kent County Association of Change Ringers (KCACR). It replaced an original 4th bell, also cast by Thomas Palmar, in 1661. This bell was removed for an unknown reason, circa 1875. The present bell frame is of cast iron on a steel foundation, and dates from 1911.

There being room in the bell frame to accommodate a ring of six, we gratefully accepted the offer of two more bells. The costs were met by a grant from the Keltek Trust and a gift from the Revd. David Cawley. Once again, the KCACR undertook to hang the bells free of charge. This work was completed in 2018.

THE CHURCH TODAY :- For a thousand years and more, God has been worshipped in this place and today a small but active congregation is ensuring that St Mary Magdalene Church continues to serve the people of this parish and be a living witness to the presence of God in our midst. There is a monthly Village magazine, the “Monkton News” and you should find a copy (free) near the door. See Notice boards for details of services and events.

We are now one of 4 churches in the “Wantsum Group Benefice”, the others being Minster, St Nicholas-at-Wade with Sarre, and Chislet.

In the early years of the C21st pews were removed from the W. end of the nave, in order to create a social area for refreshments after services, and for occasional meetings.

More recently we have benefitted greatly from the Allan Willett Foundation, a charitable body set up by the late Mr Allan Willett CMG CVO (1936-2015), a former Lord Lieutenant of Kent who grew up in Monkton. Thanks to the Foundation’s generosity a major renovation of the W. end of the church was completed in 2019. This provided a modern kitchen, a toilet, increased floor space, additional heating, a complete new lighting system and disabled access throughout. Unfortunately, it soon became clear that the basic design, using wood, had failed to take proper account of the humidity levels in a mediaeval building! The resultant problems are plain to see and the matter is currently in the hands of our insurance company and lawyers!

The ancient CHURCHYARD is the only one in Thanet still open for burials, and it is maintained by church volunteers.

Finally, at one time, though there is no trace of the lines now, on a wall near the W. end someone wrote the following : “Insula rotunda, Tanetos, quam circuit unda, Fertilis et munda, nulla est in orbe secunda.”, which a past vicar of Monkton, Rev. E.H.MacLachlan (1871-84), writing in Archaelogia Cantiana, Vol. 12, translated as follows:- “Thanet, that island round, which waters bound so sound, With fruits so crowned, what second can be found.”

Ancient parish churches, despite their being a very important part of our national heritage, receive no support from Government or the Church Commissioners, the latter being responsible in the main for church administration, education and the payment and housing of the clergy. Responsibility for maintenance and repair of this building therefore rests with the local Church Council, and the funds needed for upkeep are donated or raised by the church members, supported by grants from charitable foundations.