6 



Norman Tower ; the buttresses being a later 

 addition.. The western side of the tower had the 

 remains of a Norman doorway, and there was 

 another Norraan doorway in the south porch To 

 the north of the nave of St. Nicholas' Hospital 

 Church, between two semi-circular arches, the 

 Norman capital deserved their admiration. The 

 nave of Nackington Church was Norman, and 

 there were remains of Norman work to be seen at 

 Bekesbourue and Bridge. A very good example 

 of a Norman church was to be seen at Patrix- 

 bourne, from the typical east end to the beauti- 

 fully adorned south doorway. The old town of 

 Fordwich possessed an ancient church. The 

 Norman window and font in the nave aisle, and a 

 very much worn stone shrine appeared to be the 

 oldest portions of the church. This shrine 

 ■was such a remarkable one as to deserve 

 more than passing notice. Its front was 

 sculptured with interlacing round arches, the 

 sloping roof being covered with a curious scale- 

 like ornamentation very much resembling the 

 rouuded tiles which were found in the roofs of the 

 earliest known spires of Norman churches. This 

 stone shrine was discovered by Mr. Hasted (their 

 countyhistorian)inthechurchyard,and,asitwas in 

 danger of perishing by exposure to the weather, 

 he purchased it and brought it to Canterbury, 

 from whence it was subsequently restored to its 

 present position. Although some antiquaries had 

 given it a much earlier date, he did not think 

 they would be far wrong if they attributed it to 

 the Norman period, it probably being the tomb 

 of the founder of the church. After a passing 

 reference to the slight Normm remains at 

 Sturry, Westbere, and the lU'.ned Chui-ch of 

 E-eculver, the lecturer dealt briefly with the in- 

 teresting chiirch at Chislet. He explained that 

 the tower in the centre of the Church was 

 Norman, and of a very plain character. Inside 

 there was a Norman chancel arch, and Norman 

 door to the tower (now blocked up) with a wooden 

 lintel. These wooden lintels were often met with 

 in Norman doorways ; they were chiefly used in 

 the earlier churches, although the feature was re- 

 tained in some of the later buildings. Passing 

 over into the Ifle of Thanet they could commence 

 their inspection of its churches with the beautiful 

 church of Minster, one of the finest churches in 

 the county. The very plain Norman tower 

 had flat buttresses, and some interesting 

 rubble work at the base of the south side. 

 Entering the church by the modern west doorway, 

 which replaced the old Norman doorway, they 

 were at once confronted by the beautiful interior. 

 On each side of the Nave were five Norman arches 

 springing from Norman capitals and columns, and 

 containing the Chevron, Dog-tooth and Billet 

 mouldings. There were also remains in the 

 district at Monkton and St. Nicholas-at-Wade 

 churches. The Norman remains in St. John's 

 Church, Margate, would afford the student much 

 material for reflection. Some of the bases of the 

 Norman pillars had spurs. At St. Peter's, near 

 Margate, there was a Norman nave of the late 

 period, but the church, having been much 

 restored, had lost somewhat of its ancient 



appearance. The Church of St. Lawrence had a 

 like Norman Nave and the Tower in the centre 

 was of the same period. The arches to the Tower 

 were pointed, and if they looked at the construc- 

 tion of the supporting piers they could see quite 

 a new style in the grouping of the half columns 

 and shafts round them. Coming to Sandwich, 

 there were three ancient Churches. Slight 

 Norman remains could be traced at St. Peter's, 

 the Parish Church ; in St. Mary's Church there 

 were Norman capitals and shafts at the West 

 End ; and St. Clements, with its Norman Tower 

 was the finest Chuch of all. This Tower 

 had on the outside three rows of arches, 

 but the beauty of the whole was spoilt by 

 the present roof which was raised higher 

 than the original Norman one, and was therefore 

 out of proportion with the tower. Inside the 

 church they saw the turret doorway to the tower 

 and the gracefully rounded towerarehes. They also 

 noticed a feature which was very characteristic of 

 Norman churches. Immediately over the tower 

 arches there were on its four sides seven smaller 

 arches ; the row to the East and facing West 

 being cbevroned, whilst the ro»'S of arches on the 

 other three sides were plain. The Norman 

 builders would often place enrichments in 

 profusion over a chancel arch, while the other 

 parts of the building were left quite plain. 

 Leaving Sandwich, Norman remains were to be 

 found at Betteshanger, Deal, Eastry, Eythorne, 

 East Langdon, Great Mongeham, Sutton, North- 

 bourne, Ripple, Tilmanstone, Waldershare, Whit- 

 field, Walmer, and Worth. The views of a 

 transitional Norman capital at Deal and of the 

 interior of the old church of Walmer might be an 

 incentive to those who were interested in their 

 churches to visit the ones mentioned. Dover, 

 the port on which the Conqueror set 

 longing eyes, possessed at one time a 

 great many churches, but Norman remains 

 were only now to be found at St. Mary the 

 Virgin (entirely rebuilt with Norman portions in 

 1813). St. James (Old Church), St. Mary-in-the- 

 Castle, and St. Andrew, Buckland. Outside, in 

 the North Wall of the Nave of St. James, a once 

 beautiful doorway, was now filled up with some 

 very good fragments of sculptured stones. On the 

 outskirts of Dover they had the fine Norman church 

 of St. Margaret's at Cliffe. The massive tower 

 had a west doorway which was an excellent speci- 

 men of Norman work. There was also a north 

 doorway, much enriched with Norman mouldings, 

 and the lofty nave of the church, with its richly 

 carved capitals and ai'ches on each side, made it 

 one of the best Norman edifices in the country. 

 At Hougham Church, situated on the hills 

 outside Dover, the base of the tower was Norman, 

 including the arch opening to the nave. In the 

 chancel two Norman arches were closed up and 

 now formed the South Wall, the three columns 

 supporting them being exposed. There was no 

 doubt that much early work was hidden in the 

 walls of their ancient churches. They found a 

 well preserved Norman doorway at Temple EweU. 

 It had a well moulded arch which was 'headed by 

 the Embattled and Kound Billet mouldings. 



