The Church of St. Stephen, Lympne

 

The Early Norman tower, A.D. 1100-1110. was originally a west tower of a subsequently destroyed Norman nave The remains of the latter can still be seen, in fragments on the south side of the Church, externally, where the tower abuts on the present chancel. These remains are a ruin of rather ragged masonry, resembling but not actually a buttress. The original Norman Church was a west tower, with nave (now the present chancel) and a short chancel. This extended a little beyond the present east wall; the original east wall being semi-circular in shape, the old foundations of this were excavated some years ago.

 

The Chancel

In the twelfth century, it is conjectured that the chancel did not extend much beyond the westernmost windows, the original chancel and rest of the nave having been destroyed. The westernmost lancet on each side of the chancel is not nearly so tall as the other chancel window. This, however, does not decide the matter by any means. It would seem perhaps to show that the present chancel was built at two different periods in the thirteenth century, and to suggest that the Norman chancel was then entirely destroyed.

 

There are three lancet windows in each side of the wall of the chancel, and also in the east wall with a circular window above. These latter windows were of stained glass, and were destroyed by blast from a flying bomb in August, 1944, as were also all the windows on the south side of the Church, including the stained glass Champneys memorial window in the nave. The roofs of both the chance! and the nave were much damaged and had to be retiled. The east windows were replaced by the War Damage Commission in 1950, being designed, made and fitted by Mr. J. F. Nuttgens.

 

Stone benches run along the north and south walls. There is an ancient piscina in the south wall, and east of it there is a small pointed niche.

 

A marble mural slab commemorates Augustine Greenland, who died in 1708. He was churchwarden at, or just before, the time of his death, and his initials are marked with the date 1708 upon the north door of the Church. Brass-headed nails have been driven into the door, forming these letters: A.G. - C.W. 1708,

 

The blue altar frontal used at festivals is a part of the Coronation hangings in Westminster Abbey of King George VI, and the present altar was given in memory of Albert and Annie Wood, 1943, and is made of local grown oak. The large wooden candlesticks were made and given by Mr. R. Hannan in memory of Edward Skerritt.

 

In 1956 the chancel was restored, the wall plaster, being in a very bad condition, was replastered and distempered and the stonework cleaned. The interior of the roof of the chancel, between the beams, was reboarded with hardboard painted white, to look as it did originally. Two new reflector spot lights were also given by Mr Rowland Harman to illuminate the altar.

 

The Tower

The eastward arch of the tower (opening into the chancel) seems to be original, and its hatchet-cut impost mouldings may be about A.D. 1100-1110.

 

The western arch was probably altered when the north aisle was added, after A.D. 1180. It is pointed; so is the arch then pierced through the north wall of the tower; but the western, or nave arch has Norman impost mouldings.

 

The southern impost moulding may be the original one of Early Norman date, but the northern impost seems to have a much later moulding. This ornamentation resembles some to be found in the Late Norman basement of the Baptistry of Canterbury Cathedral.

 

The Norman doorway in the west wall of the nave was taken down when the west wall was entirely rebuilt, some years before the restoration of the nave in 1878- 1880. Rough foundation masonry is visible north of the base of the northwest pier of the tower; when it originally was inserted we cannot now say. It was then outside the Church.