St Peter, Bridge, Kent - a photo on Flickriver

It is the weekend. Again.

And with Jools suffering a relapse in her chesty cough, we slept late and I said I'd go to Tesco first thing, before coffee, and she could get dressed in her own time.

So I grabbed my coat, the shopping bags and shopping list, put them in the car and drove to Tesco. First up was to fill the car with petrol, then drive round to park up, get a trolley and head into the store, grabbing a scanner on the way in.

Apart from the weekly things, I got some stuffing mix and more blocks of butter for Christmas. Meaning that apart from the fruit and veg and milk, we are all abut done here.

Yay us.

Back home for coffee, unload the car and put shopping away, before finally having breakfast 1 of fruit then bacon butties and brews for breakfast 2.

That's better.

The plan for the day was for some local churchcrawling. After some internet research I had the name of the keyholder at Bekesbourne, I called but was told she was out but would be back "soon". OK, in which case we would visit some other nearby churches and go there last.

Not far to Barham from Chez Jelltex, just along the A2, overtaking lorries and slow cars until we turned off at Wootton, down past the filling station and into Barham, stopping on the road beside the church.

Barham is always open, I thought, no worries here. As I got out all my camera gear and lugged it over the road and through the churchyard.

Round on the north side, we arrive at the porch and I find the door is locked after all. No news of a keyholder, but next week there is a coffee morning. If we feel OK after our COVID booster, we might go along.

Its a short drive along the Elham Valley to Bridge. And yes there is really a place called Bridge, and it does have a bridge. A bridge in Bridge, which takes the old Watling Street and high road over the bed of the Nailbourne.

Bridge never lets us down. And indeed it was open, door ajar, and soon a warden came and put all the lights on so snapping was easier. I'd not missed much on previous visits, but with a new-ish lens, it was always worth in redoing shots. I did have the big lens with me, great for details of carvings and in stained glass windows, which I photograph enthusiastically.

From Bridge, its a five minute drive to Patrixbourne.

I wanted to come back here to take close up details of the Tympanum and rose window from the outside, so it wasn't too much of a loss that the door was locked after all.

So, I set about getting my shots and rattle off a couple of hundred.

Back to the car, and next village along is Bekesbourne, where I had called earlier. The keyholder lives in a "large while building opposite the church", the website said. Yes, it's a palace.

An actual palace.

So, there was scruffy me shambling up the large door, ringing the bell and asking if the church keyholder was in.

She wasn't.

And her husband wasn't too keen on letting me have it.

Now I know how to get it, there'll be plenty of other times.

I leave, but on the way back to the main road, a large Audi passes us, and pretty much the only place she could be going was the palace: should we go back?

No, there'll be other times.

We head home, back along the A2, but calling in at Jen's to do some admin. That done it was back home, all back by one, and ready for some more World Cup action from the sofa.

Lunch was pizza and beer, done in ten minutes and easy as anything, so the main task of the day was to fight my heavy eyelids that threatened to send me to sleep.

Argentina beat Mexico in a bad tempered game, then France beat Denmark 2-1, by which time it was nine and time for bed.

Phew.

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LOCATION: Situated on Upper Chalk (just above the Nailbourne floodplain) at about 90 feet above O.D. with the main Roman road to Dover immediately to the north-east. Bridge Place is about a ¼ mile to the south-west, and its mother-church of Patrixbourne is about ¾ miles to the north-east. Canterbury is just under 3 miles to the north-west.

DESCRIPTION: Unfortunately the church was disastrously over-restored in 1859 by Scott (John Newman, B.O.E. (N.E. and Kent 3rd ed. 1983), 159, says it was 'done with grotesque insensitivity'). However, with the help of Glynne's description (of 1846), and various early 19th century views, as well as the few surviving medieval features, it is possible to work out something of the architectural history. Externally it has been completely refaced with heavy knapped flint, and Bathstone dressings, but the core of all the main walls, except the Vestry on the north-east and the tower stair-turret must be medieval. The west end of the north aisle also appears to have been extended westwards in 1859.
There had been an earlier small-scale repewing in 1836, followed by a restoration by Scott in 1857. The complete rebuilding took place in 1859-60, with most of the money coming from Mrs Gregory of Bridge Hill.
From the surviving remains, there is no doubt that the nave, chancel, south aisle and tower-base all date from the 12th century. It is also possible that the nave itself dates from the late 11th century, but there is no visible evidence for this. The west doorway to the nave is of a mid- to later 12th century date, and unlike virtually everything else on the outside of the church was not totally renewed in 1859. There is a decorated round-headed archway with water-leaf capitals, and much original Caenstone survives. The internal north jamb to the doorway is also mostly of original diagonally-tooled Caenstone blocks. On the north-east side of the chancel is a round-headed (c. mid-12th century) window, which was unblocked in 1859. Glynne in 1846 refers to two 'closed' windows on the north side of the chancel, and 'on the south a fine doorway and two windows, now closed; the former has fine chevron mouldings'. This doorway was reset on the east side of the north-east vestry in 1859, but its fine chevroned arch, over scalloped capitals, is still visible as an entrance to the vestry lobby. The south aisle and south-west tower seem to have been added in the later 12th century. The arcade had already gone by 1846, but part of a respond (with nook-shafts) still survives at the extreme east end. Just beyond this, in the east wall, a fragment of the north jamb of a 12th century window survives. This south aisle had a low southwall until 1859, and its steep-pitched roof continued the line of the main nave roof. The tower at the west end of this aisle has 1859 round-headed arches, on the north and east in a 'decorated Romanesque' style (? designed by Scott). Glynne tells us that originally they were 'very rude semicircular arches'. The south and east windows into the ground floor of the tower may be based on earlier 12th century ones.
During the earlier 13th century, a north transept chapel and north aisle were added. Glynne tells us that 'the north aisle is very low and narrow, divided from the nave by three rude pointed arches with large wall piers having no capitals or impost mouldings'. The pointed arches survive, though a fourth has been added on the west, as well as three extraordinary double piers. The eastern respond is mostly original, however, with bar-stopped chamfers. Another original arch (with bar-stopped chamfers) divides the north aisle from the north-east transept chapel. Glynne also says that there was a lancet at the west end of this aisle. The north-east chapel still has a pair of original lancets on the north (restored externally), and earlier there was apparently a hagioscope from this chapel into the chancel. The upper stage of the tower may be 13th century.
The one later medieval feature that survives is the 3-light early perpendicular window in the west wall of the nave. This too still contains quite a lot of original masonry, and may date from the late 14th century. The 2-light east window, now rebuilt, was probably early 14th century ('poor Middle Pointed' according to Glynne). The early 19th century views show a pair of two-light late perpendicular windows with square hoods on the south side of the chancel.
The chancel still contains some early 16th century fittings, and a roodloft was documented as being made in 1522 (see below). On the north side of the sanctuary are two low rectangular niches which contain the two halves of the effigy for Macobus Kasey (ob. 1512). Above and just to the west of this is some relief sculpture (also ? early 16th century) in a tympanum panel. Was this set originally inside a 12th century doorway? Above this is an early 17th century painting of Robert Bargrave (ob. 1649). On the chancel south wall (at the west end) are fragments of a relief memorial to a vicar, Malcolm Ramsey (ob. 1538). He was vicar of Patrixbourne and Bridge for 44 years. These include part of an inscription.
The tower appears to have been given brick south-east and south-west buttresses in the 17th or 18th century. These were removed in 1859 when a south-east stair-turret was added to the tower. This was apparently restored in 1891.

BUILDING MATERIALS: (Incl. old plaster, paintings, glass, tiles etc.): Virtually the whole of the church has Bathstone dressings, with heavy knapped flint on the exterior. Some 12th century and later Caenstone does, however, survive.

EXCEPTIONAL MONUMENTS IN CHURCH: - see above

CHURCHYARD AND ENVIRONS:
Size, Shape: Large Rectangular area around with church, but with the north-east side cut off by the main (Roman) road to Dover (Bridge Hill). Large new extension to the south - ? Late 19th century.

Condition: Good

Apparent extent of burial: Burial in churchyard from at least 1474.

Boundary walls: To road on north-east, with gateway with brick piers and iron arch.

Ecological potential: ? Yes - many fastigiate yews (and other trees) in southern part of churchyard.

HISTORICAL RECORD (where known):
Earliest ref. to church: 13th century.

Late med. status: Vicarage (with Patrixbourne).

Patron: Goes with Patrixbourne church to which it was a chapel. After the Reformation, the patron was the owner of nearby Bifrons.

Other documentary sources: Hasted IX (1800), 289-290. Test. Cant. (E. Kent, 1907), 35-6 mentions the Holy Cross (Rood) light, as well as lights of Our Lady, St. Nicholas, St. Erasmus, the Trinity, St. Loye, St. Trunion, as well as St. Peter (? in the chancel). The Eastern Sepulchre mentioned in 1535, and 'the painting of the High Cross in the Roodloft in 1504 - also 'to the making of the Roodloft, 1522'.

SURVIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEPOSITS:
Inside present church: ? Good, except under east end of south aisle, where there is a sunken boiler house.

Outside present church: Good, but perhaps disturbed by the 1859 refacing and rebuilding.

Quinquennial inspection (date\architect): MAY 1993 A. CLAGUE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT:
The church and churchyard: A 12th century nave, chancel, south aisle and south-west tower base, with an added earlier 13th century north aisle and north-east transept chapel, which was very heavily restored and refaced externally in 1859-60.

The wider context: One of a group of medieval parish churches, which was technically only a chapel-of-ease (to Patrixbourne, in this case).

REFERENCES: For the vicars, see W.A. Scott Roberton 'Patricksbourne church, and Bifrons' Arch. Cant. 14 (1882), 169-184. (A list of vicars, by T.S. Frampton (1900) is on the S.W. side of the nave). S.R. Glynne Churches of Kent (1877), 131-2 (he visited in 1846).

Plans and early drawings: Petrie view from S.W. in 1807, and views from S.W. and S. in 1828 in Victoria and Albert Museum. Also view of church from S.W. in oil (? early 19th cent.) and Watercolour of church from S.E. (June 1869) in the vestry and plan of graveyard (new part) in 1942 (also in vestry).

DATE VISITED: 21st February 1994 REPORT BY: Tim Tatton-Brown

www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/01/03/BRI.htm

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BRIDGE
LIES the next adjoining parish to Patrixborne southward, being written in old deeds, Bregge, and taking its name from the bridge, which was antiently over the stream which crosses it. This parish was in early times so considerable, as to give name both to the hundred and deanry in which it is situated.

IT IS SITUATED about two miles and an half eastward of Canterbury, on the high Dover road, formerly the Roman Watling-street way, which appears high and entire almost throughout it; in the valley on this road stands the village of Bridge, with the church and vicarage in it, a low moist situation, the bourn or stream of the Little Stour crossing it under a stone bridge, built a few years ago by the contributions of the neighbouring gentlemen. At a small distance southward is Bridge place, now inhabited by lady Yates, widow of the late judge Yates, and of Dr. Thomas, late bishop of Rochester. The hills, form which there is a most pleasing prospect, are wholly chalk, as are in general the other upland parts of it, towards the south especially, where the country is very barren, with heathy ground and woodland, and much covered with stones. In this part of the parish is Gosley wood, once belonging to St. Augustine's monastery, afterwards granted to Thomas Colepeper, esq. It belongs now to Mr. Beckingham.

The MANOR OF BLACKMANSBURY, alias BRIDGE, claims over the greatest part of it, and the manor of Patrixborne over that part of this parish on the north side of the Dover road. There are two boroughs in it, viz. of Blackmansbury and of Bridge.

The MANOR OF BLACKMANSBURY, alias BRIDGE, was parcel of the possessions of the abbey of St. Augustine, belonging to the sacristie, as appears by the registers of it, in which frequent mention is made of this manor, with the free tenants belonging to it, in Honpit, Rede, and Blackmansbury. In which state this manor continued till the suppression of the abbey in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. when it came into the king's hands, (fn. 1) where it remained till the 36th year of that reign, when this manor, with divers lands in Houndpit and Blackmanbury, was granted to Henry Laurence, to hold in capite by knight's service, and he that year held a court here; and in his descendants it continued till the 18th of queen Elizabeth's reign, when it was alienated by fine levied, by John Laurence, to William Partherich, esq. whose arms were, Vaire, argent and sable, on a chief of the second, three roses of the first. His grandson Sir Edward Partherich, of this place, passed it away in 1638 to Sir Arnold Braems, descended of a family originally out of Flanders, where his ancestors were opulent merchants. Jacob Braems, his ancestor, was of Dover, merchant, and built the great house now the Custom house there, where he resided. Sir Arnold Braems above-mentioned, bore for his arms, Sable, on a chief, argent, a demi lion Tampant, gules. He built a spacious and magnificent mansion on the scite of the antient court-lodge here, which he named BRIDGE-PLACE, in which he afterwards resided, as did his son Walter Braems, esq. till his death in 1692; but the great cost of building this seat so impoverished the estate, that his heirs, about the year 1704, were obliged to part with it, which they did by sale to John Taylor, esq. of Bisrons, who soon afterwards pulled down the greatest part of this mansion, leaving only one wing of it standing, the size and stateliness of which being of itself full sufficient for a gentleman's residence, cannot but give an idea of the grandeur of the whole building when entire. He died in 1729, since which this manor and seat has continued in his descendants, in like manner as Bisrons abovedescribed, down to his great-grandson Edward Taylor, esq. the present possessor of them. There is not any court held for this manor.

BEREACRE, now called Greatand Little Barakers is another manor in this parish, which in the 21st year of king Edward I. was in the possession of Walter de Kancia, as appears by an inquisition taken that year, at his decease; not long after which it has passed into a family of its own name. After this name was become extinct here, it came into the possession of the Litchfields, who owned much land about Eastry, Tilmanstone, and Betshanger, and in this name it continued till the 22d year of Edward IV. and then Roger Litchfield passed it away to Richard Haut, whose only daughter and heir Margery carried it in marriage to William Isaac, esq. of Patrixborne, from whose descendant Edward Isaac, about the latter end of king Henry VIII. it was sold to Petyt and Weekes, who joined in the sale of it to Naylor, of Renville, from which name it was alienated to Smith and Watkins; after which it was conveyed by sale to John Taylor, esq. of Bisrons, in whose descendants it has continued down to Edward Taylor, esq. the present owner of it.

Charities.
SIR HENRY PALMER, of Bekesborne, by will in 1611, gave 10s. to be yearly paid out of his manor of Well-court, towards the relief of the poor of it.

The poor constantly relieved are about eighteen, casually the same.

BRIDGE is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of its own name.

¶The church, which is dedicated to St. Peter, consists of three isles, a high chancel, and a north sept or chancel in the middle of the north isle. It has a spire steeple at the south-east corner, in which are three bells. In the high chancel, within the altar-rails, is a monument for Jane, second daughter of Walter Harslete, of Bekesborne, first wife of Sir Arnold Braems, ob 1635, and lies buried in St. Mary's church, in Dover; and for Elizabeth, (second daughter of Sir Dudley Diggs) his second wife, obt. 1645, and lies in the middle of this chancel. Against the north wall is a painted portrait of Robert Bargrave, gent. of Bridge, obt. 1649. Under a circular arch in the same wall are two rows of small imagery, carved in stone, the uppermost repre santing God the Father, with several figures on each side; the lower one, figures taken from the history of the Old Testament. Underneath these, in the hollow of the wall, is the figure of a man lying at full length, in robes, with his two hands joined and uplifted, having on his head seemingly a full perriwig. A memorial for John Hardy, esq. of Bridge-place, obt. 1779. On the east side of the south window is a hollow in the wall, and under it an inscription for Macobus Kasey, vicar of Patrixborne, obt. m.v.c.i.xii. and of his being vicar there xxi years. On the opposite side of the window is carved the figure of a scull, with a snake entering in at one eye, and the end of it out at the other, and a hand with a finger pointing up to it, as if it had been the cause of the person's death, and several bones are interspersed about it. The north chancel is made use of for a school, by voluntary contributions. On the south side of the chancel is a circular arched door-way, with Saxon ornaments. In the register are many entries, from the year 1580 to 1660, of the family of Bargrave, alias Bargar, residents in this parish, and one for Thomas, son of John Cheney, gent. who died in 1620.

The church of Bridge, which is a vicarage, was always esteemed as a chapel to the church of Patrixborne, and as such is included in the valuation of that vicarage in the king's books, the vicar of which is instituted and inducted into that vicarage, with the chapel of Bridge annexed to it. (fn. 2)

The parsonage of this parish therefore, as an appendage to that of Patrixborne, is the property of Edward Taylor, esq. of Bifrons. In 1588 here were eightynine communicants, in 1640 one hundred and twenty.

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol9/pp286-290

Taken on: November 26, 2022

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