Minster Abbey, Isle of Sheppey, Kent

Minster Abbey is not the easiest church to photograph but I have to say that it is one of the friendliest to visit. My mother and I were there this week and, despite it not being officially open, the ladies of the church made us very welcome and one gave us a personal guided tour of a building they are clearly very proud of.

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The Abbey Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Sexburgha, Minster, occupies a hilltop position on the otherwise flat Isle of Sheppey in Kent. Founded by the widowed Queen Sexburgha in 664AD it was endowed with land given by her son Ercombert, King of Kent. The priory was badly damaged by Danes in the ninth century and was further damaged in the 11th century.

Following the Norman invasion of 1066, King William the Conqueror partly rebuit the church and priory and allowed nuns from Newington to take it over. It remained impoverished until Archbishop de Corbeuil rebuilt it between 1123 and 1139. He is also credited with the unusual arrangement of two adjacent 'churches' as the northern one was for the nuns while the southern was for the parishioners. The western tower was only added in the 15th century.

Following the Dissolution the abbey came into the ownership of Sir Thomas Cheyne and he was first buried in the now lost chapel of Saint Katherine on this site in 1559. Most of the Abbey was eventually demolished except for the church and the adjacent Abbey Gatehouse. The gatehouse survived because it was used as a residence. It now contains a local history museum. Repairs to the church were neglected in the 19th century, and it became ruinous, but Rev William Bramston restored and reopened it to worship in 1881.

Internally there is no chancel arch in the southern aisle while the northern aisle retains both chancel arch and a carved timber screen. At the eastern end of the southern aisle there is a niche which has traces of a medieval wall painting of St. Nicholas.

The church has an interesting array of monuments displaying English armour from the 14th to the 16th centuries. The earliest is Baron Robert de Shurland [died 1307] who reclines on an altar tomb on the southside. The tomb canopy is of later date. In the arch between the two churches is the final resting place of Sir Thomas Cheyne [d.1559] after he was moved from the now lost chapel of St Katherine by his son Sir Henry.

The greatest curiosity [to me] is the effigy in the north-east corner of the northern aisle. This is a man dressed in high Gothic armour of about 1470 or 1480. The guidebook refers to him wearing a 'Yorkist' collar and further suggests it might be Sir Hugh de Badlesemere. However our guide repeated a local story that it might by George, Duke of Clarence, as George was also constable of nearby Queenborough Castle.

Despite the bracing timber now holding up the collapsed arch above him, I was able to lean in and closely examine this effigy. I was not able to identify the collar as Yorkist as it appears to be made up of etoiles and not sunbursts or roses. The effigy is of very high quality and clearly reflects wealth but all the shields and heraldry have been hacked off, which might suggest Tudor vandalism of a supposed Yorkist tomb. This could support the 'Clarence' theory. But the effigy also rests with his feet on a curly haired ram and not a bull - the bull badge being traditionally associated with George, Duke of Clarence.

Another effigy of early 15th century date [and of cruder execution] was dug up in the churchyard and this lies against the north wall. Special mention should be made of the de Northwood brasses of 1330 which are currently protected and concealed in situ but full-sized copies may be seen on the wall.

Taken on: May 23, 2007

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