St Catherine - Kingsdown, Kent - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

"The ancient medieval building that once stood here was demolished and replaced by the Kingsdown Church we see today.

This is the only remaining Anglican church by Edward Welby Pugin (1834-75), a Roman Catholic. By all accounts he was particularly happy with the west window and roof.

The current church at Kingsdown was started in 1864, although it is stated in Harris's history of Kent a church was established in Kingsdown at the same site in 1252. The first vicar or rector of Kingsdown on record is Peter de Luddenham in 1313.

A small booklet from the Redundant Churches Fund tells us that the population in 1865 was only 96 so a benefactor was essential. The first and only Baron Kingsdown (Thomas Pemberton Leigh, 1793-1867) supported the building of a new church on the site of the tumbledown mediaeval church that stood where today’s nave stands. Lord Kingsdown led a successful career at the bar. He was MP for Rye and later Ripon, but retired from public life in 1843 after inheriting a fortune from a distant relative of his mother’s. He was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall and to the Privy Council’s judicial committee with positive results in both. The Rector at that time was Houstone James Hordern.

The booklet tells us, “the Chancel went close to the edge of a disused chalk quarry, now filled with spoil from the M2. This led to large cracks appearing in 1922 and the rebuilding of the west and south west walls.

The first recorded rector for this site was in 1313 but the full list is incomplete.

“Pugin's church consists of nave and chancel (with vestry) and a tower and spire over the porch at the south-west. It is built of Kentish ragstone with Bath stone dressings. The roofs are of patterned tiles. The circumstances of the building's construction give it an unusual unity, in the late Decorated style.

Above the doorway is a niche with a statue of St. Catherine. Inside, the carving is richer on the roof timbers, the corbels and the hood stops — the end of the mouldings around windows. Above the vestry door is a large sculpture of the Conversion of St. Paul. The furnishings, pulpit, font and ornate sanctuary are all to Pugin's designs, as are the windows made by Hardman of Birmingham. A small brass inscription plate (1555) survives from the previous church. There is also a 14th century bell. The other bell is by J. Warner of London, 1868, probably a recasting of an earlier bell. Under the floor are the ledger stones from various 17th and 18th century burials, all carefully recorded by Hordern, together with traces of the mediaeval building discovered during the 1990 repairs. A few mediaeval floor tiles, found during this work, have been displayed in the vestry.

The elegant estate churches of the 18th century are well known. This Victorian equivalent is, in the eyes of many, as fine a building. Much love went into the construction of Kingsdown church — and that is still apparent 130 years later.” "

SOURCE - (visit link)

Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1864 Age of Church building determined by?: Other reliable source If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Anglican Street address of Church: St Catherine's church Kingsdown,, Kent England ME9 0AS Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Not listed Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: Not Listed Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
1) A photo of the church is required for visits to a waymark.

2) Please share some comments about your visit.

3) Additional photos are encouraged. If you can have information in addition to that already provided about this church, please share it with us.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.