All Saints, Burmarsh

THE CHURCH

The small church has only a nave, chancel and a west tower. The original Saxon Chapel formed the chancel with the extension of the church in the 11th century. Further extensions and additions  took place in the 13th century, with the re- construction of the West Tower in the 14th century. The tower contains 6 bells- two medieval. A third medieval bell, carrying the Royal Arms of England and the foundry mark of a foliate tree indicating that it was cast by the royal bell founder, stands in the nave close to the screen. It is known as the Magdalene Bell and weighs about 8 cwt. It cracked in 1914. It stood outside until 1974 when it was put into its present position. The west tower has a crenellated top. The church had to be substantially reb
uilt during the late 14th century due to the ground being unstable. The work involved rebuilding the tower with two angled buttresses as well as rebuilding the north wall nave and adding two very large buttresses to the south side of the nave. The nave walls were given crenellated tops.

The south entrance is through a porch, which dates from the 19th century, leading to an impressive Norman doorway. It has a typical rounded arch and mouldings. There is a gargoyle of a man’s head.  Someone wrote that it looked as if he had toothache! The church was modernised during the time of the Rector J.C.W.Valpy (1876-1881). Its old box pews and three tiered pulpit and sounding board were taken out. Dividing the chancel from the Nave is a wooden screen erected as a memorial to two Burmarsh men
( Albert Butcher and Simeon Beale) who were killed during WW1.
The wooden reredos under the East window was installed at the end of the 19 century. The inscriptions on the beams were added by the Rev. Edmund Ibbotson (1897-1902) and his church wardens. The window is believed to have been in memory of a former Rector Henry Borckhardt who was thrown from his horse and drowned.

 In January 2015, the Nave floor was excavated and repaired. The floor was sinking . An old burial vault was discovered, but found to be full of rubble. Canterbury Archaeological Trust were involved in the initial digging and discovery. The excavation hole, after exposure, was soon full of water! As there appeared to be no significant finds, the area was drained and refilled. Thanks to the RMHC  Trust and the Headley Trust for grants towards costs.

Information obtained from :Tim Tatton- Brown’s survey  1994 ; J.V Holmes;