Niche - St Thomas - Harty, Kent - Stone Church Artefacts on Waymarking.com

A fine late 14th century image niche in the chancel of St Thomas' church, Harty, with a nodding ogee, gabled and pinnacled frame. It has traces of ancient paint on the back. It stands on a 19th century corbel.

"To the left of the high altar there is a finely decorated niche with a Victorian bracket which, it is thought, might once have held the figure of a saint, possibly St Thomas the Apostle. Traces of 14th century painting at the back of the niche have been obscured almost entirely by another painting which was superimposed, perhaps a century later."

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"In the east wall of the chancel, to north of the east window, is a richly sculptured niche with crocketed head. The work, though it appears to have undergone "restoration," dates from the fourteenth century, probably the reign of Edward III. The back of the niche is coloured with remarkably fine diaper ornament of late-fifteenth-century execution. It would seem that formerly more colour decoration was in existence, for, in his List of Buildings in Great Britain and, Ireland having Mural and other Painted Decorations, 3rd edition, 1883, Mr. 0. E. Eeyser, F.S.A., notes "considerable remains of painting found built up in east wall on niches and tracery—of figures which cannot be made out." This statement hardly accords with local tradition. It is remembered in the neighbourhood that, during the process of repairing Harty Church in 1876, the workmen found some traces of wall-paintings. Not recognizing, however, that the remains were of any particular value, the plasterers covered them all over again, together with the surrounding wall. Thus were obliterated any vestiges that might have survived, except only the colour decoration of the niche above described."

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Approximate Age of Artefact: Not listed Relevant Website: Not listed

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