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Churches Committee
Kent Churches - Architectural & Historical Information

  St Peter & St Paul Church, Edenbridge     TQ 445461

ROCHESTER DIOCESE: HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Tim Tatton-Brown's Survey 1994

LOCATION: The church lies just to the north of the river Eden at about 140 feet above O.D. It is also not far to the east of the Roman road that is the main street through the village. The eponymous bridge (and the mill) is just to the south-west.

DESCRIPTION: This church has an exceptionally complicated architectural and structural history, but thanks to the Revd G M Livett's useful notes, made during the 1913 KAS visit to the church, we can unravel quite a lot of this. Much restoration and repair work was carried out in the later 19th century (the north-west corner of the nave and the buttress there was rebuilt in 1875 for example), and this was followed by a whole series of major repairs early this century. The three main phases in 1906, 1908-9 and 1912 were documented by Livett. Unfortunately the walls of the church settled differentially while it was being built (particularly noticeable is the south nave arcade and south wall), and there have been many later problems as well, with finally major underpinning carried out in 1908-9. By careful observation Livett was also able to work out the earlier phases of the church, particularly the 13th century work.

As so often happens, it is fragments of the nave walls that are the earliest visible parts of the fabric. Towards the west end of the north wall on the outside, a very small blocked round-headed window can be seen, which must be early Norman. It is cut immediately to the west by an early 13th century lancet.

In 1912 an opening was made behind the south side of the chancel arch (it now looks like a tall `squint'), and part of the original jamb to the early 13th century (wider) arch was found.

The arcade between the nave and south aisle is clearly of two periods, as Livett has shown, with the arcade being first constructed in the early 13th century and rebuilt in the early 14th century, after the whole arcade had started to lean out at the top (this can still be well seen). The round half columns at either end are mostly 13th century, while the three octagonal ones in the centre are mainly 14th century, though the lower, smaller, drums are probably reused. The larger blocks at the top of the columns, for its heightening, are also apparent.

Livett also noticed the diagonally-cut angle outside the south-east corner of the nave, which he suggested was the northern side of an early 13th century squint from the south aisle. This is a very reasonable suggestion.

The south wall of the south chapel was very thoroughly rebuilt in 1908-9 and the buttress was moved westwards. Inside, however, there are still traces of the 13th century, though the lancet (of Reigate stone) to the west has been reset. Immediately east of the modern doorway is the east side of an earlier doorway with a pointed arch. This all seems to indicate that the south chapel was originally built in the 13th century. On the south-east side of this chapel is also a two-light late 13th century window (rebuilt), and beyond this a pillar piscina (replaced here in 1912).

Though there is a lancet at the west end of the south aisle, it seems unlikely that the aisle was as wide as this in the 13th century (as Livett has pointed out). However this is not certain, and it may be that this was a wide 13th century aisle, rather than one that was widened in the early 14th century (the date of the south doorway).

The chancel still has three fine late 13th century trefoiled windows on its north side and there can be little doubt that this is the date when it was rebuilt. The east window is, unfortunately, a bad 1908 copy of a G G Scott (1848) drawing of what the pre-1860 was supposed to look like (see also Petrie's 1808 view of this window).

In the early 14th century a new chancel arch was put in, and the south arcade was rebuilt, as we have seen. The south aisle may also have been widened, and a new south doorway built. At about the same time, the west tower was added with its large diagonal buttresses (these do not seem to be later additions). There was also a spiral staircase in the south-west corner, and there are trefoiled windows in the upper part of the tower, and a tower arch into the nave with sunk chamfers.

The final very thorough rebuilding was in the 15th century, when much rebuilding of the upper walls (and perhaps a heightening of their tops - see north side of nave, and south aisle) was undertaken before a re-roofing. The nave has a crown-post roof with moulded wall-plates and tie-beams on wall-posts (with spandrel-pieces). There are a series of carved corbels on the north side. The chancel also has a 15th century crown-post roof with moulded wall-plates and tie beams, as does the south aisle, which like the nave also has wall-posts on carved corbels in the south wall. At about the same time a series of new three-light windows were put into the north side of the nave and south side of the south aisle. There is also a Perpendicular four-light window at the west end of the south aisle.

In the later 15th century a spiral stair was inserted into the north-east corner of the nave for access to the Rood-loft. The south chapel (Martyn Chapel) was also rebuilt in the late 15th century, and a new three-bay arcade to the chancel was constructed. There is also a large five-light east window (restored) and a new wide arch into the chapel from the south aisle. The roof has curved braces on each truss (below the collars and rafters), and presumably always had a ceiling. This was removed in 1912. It is also unfortunate that the tomb of Richard Martyn was moved in 1895 (for the organ). Only one fragment remains; it is built into the east wall, along with the brass to John Selyards of 1558.

Also in the later 15th century a new west doorway was put into the tower with, above it, a three-light Perpendicular window. They are of Reigate stone, with Bath-stone for the repaired hood and lower jambs. On top is a shingled spire, perhaps of the same date.

The pulpit is early 17th century, but all other fittings except the restored late 13th century font with late Medieval wooden cover are 19th century or later. The first main restoration was in 1859-60, followed in 1875 by the rebuilding of the nave north-west corner. In 1906 the south chapel east window and gable were rebuilt, followed in 1908-9 by the underpinning and rebuilding work. The bells were all recast and rehung in a new frame in 1911, and then in 1912, the south chapel had its roof repaired and re-exposed. The rood-loft stair was also re-exposed and the earlier chancel arch jamb was uncovered, and the pillar piscina was put back into the south chapel.

BUILDING MATERIALS (Incl. old plaster, paintings, glass, tiles etc.):
The main building material was the local Tunbridge Wells sandstone, used both as rubble and for larger blocks. Many of the earlier dressings were, however, in Reigate stone. The roofs still have quite a lot of Horsham slab covering them, as well as tiles. Restoration work, as usual, used much Bath-stone.

Some Medieval tiles have been relaid in the south chapel and tower, and there are a few fragments of old stained glass in one of the chancel north windows.

EXCEPTIONAL MONUMENTS IN CHURCH: Brasses of John Selyard (ob. 1558) and William Selyard (ob. 1595), as well as some 17th century monuments.

CHURCHYARD AND ENVIRONS:
Size & Shape: Large rectangular area around church with extensions of 19th century to north and east, and modern extension on south-east side.

Condition: Good

Boundary walls: Modern brick wall to north and rubble (? 19th century) walls to east and south.

Building in churchyard or on boundary: Lychgate on south-west side.

Ecological potential: ? Yes - many 19th century fastigiate yews to the east, and a lime avenue on the north.

HISTORICAL RECORD (where known):
Earliest ref. to church: Early 12th century (Textus Roffensis).

Evidence of pre-Norman status (DB, DM, TR etc.): Paid 9d. chrism as a `chapel' of Westerham.

Late med. status : Chapel to Westerham.

Patron: The King, then from 1290 Christ Church, Canterbury, till 1540. Edenbridge was finally separated from Westerham in 1859.

Other documentary sources: Hasted III (1797) 187-8. He notes the remains of a rood loft, and of some good painted glass. Test. Cant. (West Kent, 1906), 22 gives money for the `nove campane' (1502) and to the `Reparation of the body of the chapell of Edulwestbridge' (1539).

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD:
Finds from church/churchyard: G M Livett records a ? Roman sherd. A stone coffin with `marble' lid was found under the nave floor in 1860. Other architectural fragments have been set in the side walls of the south porch.

SURVIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEPOSITS:
Inside present church: ? Quite good, but there are quite large underfloor heating ducts.

Outside present church: ? Good, except where disturbed by 1908-9 underpinning of tower and north chancel wall, etc.

RECENT DISTURBANCES/ALTERATIONS:
To structure: Central south aisle window completely renewed in 1970, and large organ inserted at west end of nave (c. 1990).

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT:
The church and churchyard: A church with an architectural history much complicated by later repairs, due mainly to instability of walls. Late 11th century nave with early 13th century south aisle. Chancel and south chapel of late 13th century. South aisle rebuilt in the early 14th century, when a tower was added on the west. The whole church rebuilt and re-roofed in the later 15th century.

The wider context: Rare remains of an early Norman church in the Weald.

REFERENCES: J O Scott, `Edenbridge Church', Arch. Cant. 21 (1895), 95-102 (with notes on monuments by G Leveson-Gower). Also notes by H L Sommers Cocks and G M Livett in Arch. Cant. 31 (1915) 1xvii-1xxv. S Glynne, Churches of Kent (1877), 324-5.

Guide book: Young people's guide (1986) with plan.

Photographs: Kent Churches 1954, 133 shows the 17th century pulpit.

Plans and drawings: Petrie view from SE in 1808, showing earlier east windows and south porch.

DATES VISITED: 25/8/94. REPORT BY: Tim Tatton-Brown

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