Hernhill Parish Church
About the Parish
History
The Grade 1 listed building is principally 15th century, although there has been a church on the site since 1120. The earliest record of a church being in Hernhill is in the Domesday Monachorum of 1086, where it said the church at “Haranhylle” was subordinate to the mother church at Cyrringe (Charing).
The first named vicar was William de Shoreham or William Shorman as he appears on the list of incumbents on the west wall of the church. In the Lambeth Registers, Hernhill is referred to as a chapel dependent on Boughton-under-Blean and Shorman was vicar of both from 1283 to 1285. The churches at Boughton and Hernhill have been joined and separated many times in their long history.
Parts of the earlier church remain in the south aisle, where marks left by the 12th-century masons are etched into the wall. Then, the church was dedicated to St Stephen and the area where the organ stands has always been known as the Chapel of St Stephen. Within the south wall is the piscine, where the chalice and paten were washed after communion in the chapel, and the aumbry, a closed cupboard, which would have been used for the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament or the Holy Oils. This now houses the church’s communion pewter plates, dating from the 15th/ 16th century.
The 15th century was the golden age of church buildings, as many fell into disrepair in the 14th century because of the bubonic plague. Lady Elizabeth Martyn, the wife of John Martyn, lord of the manor at Dargate, was responsible for the building of the 15th-century church in Hernhill. The legend is that when her husband and son went to France to fight with Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt (1415), Lady Elizabeth pledged to rebuild the church if they returned home safely. This may have been when the church was re-dedicated to St Michael and All Angels. It was built in the distinctively English perpendicular style of the time with graceful, slender columns and four-centred arches of Bethersden Marble separating the nave from the aisles. The windows are taller than wider and have pointed arches with elaborate tracery and strong vertical lines provided by the mullions. The east window in the north aisle and the south window in the chancel are classic examples of the perpendicular design. The church is one of the few in Kent which is still wholly in the perpendicular style.
To celebrate the completion of their project, the Martyn Family installed a memorial window, fragments of which can still be seen in the south window of the chancel. This 15th-century glass survived the ravages of Cromwell and his men because it was hidden in a local barn. It was probably installed during the reign of Edward IV (1461-1483) as it contains the image of the sun in splendour, the heraldic badge of Edward. There are also the white roses of York. The Martyn’s were showing their loyalty to Edward during the Wars of the Roses (1455-1487).
Architecture
Construction
Parts of the 12th-century building are preserved in the foundations of the north wall and in what is possibly a foundation stone set into the north-west base of the tower. However, the dominant architectural style of the church is perpendicular Gothic dating from Lady Martyn’s 15th-century rebuilding work. The aisle columns, which are moulded with four shafts and have plain polygonal bases and capitals, support wide pointed Gothic arches. Most of the windows reflect this perpendicular style having two or three narrow rectangular lights below tracery comprising panel-like motifs and mullions which cross the tracery to end at the arch above.
The porch giving access to the main north aisle door was substantially re-built at the beginning of the 19thcentury, but its east wall retains a small window in the perpendicular style. The window is set below a rectangular drip-mould with side label stops.
The main north aisle door dates from the 15th century as does the belfry door at the west end of the nave. The belfry door has rare overlapping panels. Its lock and hinges are original and in full working order
The roofs of the nave and south aisle are mounted on tie beams with king posts. The roof of the north aisle is different being supported on corbels. The reason for this difference is not known. The south aisle was covered by a lathe and plaster ceiling until the end of the 19th century and the north aisle has been extended but not until the beginning of the 20th century. To add to the puzzle the north aisle corbels have been lowered at some time and repositioned; perhaps to move them away from the window arches.
Remodelling after the 15th century rebuilding work has left its mark. Much of this remodelling occurred in the 16th century after the Reformation. This included the removal of the rood loft from above the rood screen. What was the access to it can still be seen to the right of the screen. The rood screen itself was stripped of its decoration, statues and cross, though the plaster wall above was not removed until the end of the 19th century.
Substantial further remodelling was undertaken in the 19th century. This included removing the box pews, tiling the floor and installing the present bench pews. At the same time the present pulpit was installed, replacing an earlier Jacobean pulpit. The wood from this earlier pulpit was later used to provide panelling in the Lady chapel. The 18th century musician’s gallery at the west end of the nave was taken down. A figure scratched into the wall marks the gallery’s position. The brass chandelier was installed in the nave to improve the lighting. Candles were used until 1948 when electricity was installed.
The 15th century chancel was largely rebuilt and extended eastward early in the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century the north aisle was extended eastwards as well to create the present Lady chapel. This chapel was created in memory of Sir Edwin Sandys Dawes of Mount Ephraim and it became known as the Dawes chapel. Originally, the only access to it was through the small door at its eastern end, the key to which was held by the Dawes family. In 1943 this arrangement was thought to be inappropriate. The key was passed to the incumbent and part of a screen which separated the chapel from the body of the church was removed.
The Organ
The organ was built by Bevington and installed in 1882. It is a single-manual swell instrument and was hand blown until 1948 when an electrical pump was added. The old pump handle can still be seen along with some graffiti left by the pumpers of old. The organ was originally at the east end of the north aisle but moved to allow the Lady chapel to be built. This involved adding what is now the vestry to the chancel. Creation of the kitchen and toilet in 2011 involved the vestry moving to its present position and the organ shifting westward to allow that to happen.
Stained Glass
There are three notable installations of stained glass. In the vestry can be seen pieces from a window installed in 1447 by Lady Martyn. At the west end of the south aisle is glass installed in memory of Charles Warton who in the 1860’s was the engineer for the Faversham to Thanet railway. At the east end of the Lady chapel is glass installed in memory of Mary Henrietta Dawes. It was designed and painted by Henry Holiday, a leading member of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Unusually for its time, it depicts only female characters. Lois and Eunice instructing Timothy; Dorcas distributing garments to the poor; and Priscilla with her husband Aquila instructing Apollos.
Bells
There are now eight bells; three dating from the 16th century but re-cast in 1785, two bells added at that time and a further three added in 1886. A set of carillon chimes was also fitted. A hagioscope (viewing hole) in the wall between the belfry and the nave allows the ringers to keep track of services.
Hernhill Parish
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| Parish name | St Michael’s Church, Hernhill |
| Parish code | 060606129 |
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You can write a cheque or make a bank transfer using the following bank details. Cheques can be posted to: The Treasurer, c/o The Vicarage, The Street, Boughton under Blean, ME13 9BG.
| Name | Hernhill Parochial Church Council |
| Sort Code | 56-00-51 |
| Account | 00540935 |