Church Heritage Record 606169

Nave, north aisle, chancel, north chapel, north porch and the remains of the south aisle including a chantry chapel annexe with undercroft or crypt beneath, to the south of the chancel.

Traces of the early Norman church survive at the west end. Otherwise the structure is substantially late 13th century with early 14th century enlargement of the North aisle and reconstruction of the upper parts of the tower after its collapse in 1661.

The church reflects the fortunes and vicissitudes of the history of Sandwich. It often claimed the position of premier church of the port by virtue of its dedication, long priority of mention, central position in the most congested area of the town and former chaplaincy of the fleet. 

The building dominates the centre of the town. Its roofs are tiled and the walls are composed of random rubble sandstone coursed flint and Caen stone and some of this building stone has been re-used. The gable of the south-east chantry lodging is said to be of Dutch brick whilst the provenance of the dark-brown brickwork of the upper two stages of the tower is uncertain. The tower is surmounted by a heavy lead cupola of lantern type co-oval with the late 17th century re-building of the tower. 

On the north is a sturdy embattled porch of 15th century date with angle buttresses, moulded string course and two two light windows with cinquefoiled heads contained within square hoodmoulds. The north doorway is chamfered and beard traces of a hood. The north aisle is pierced with one three light window with two trefoils and a quatrefoil in the tracery to the west of the porch. The tracery is Geometrical early 14th century and was renewed about 1877 when other windows of this type were rebuilt, most probably along the original lines. To the east of the porch are four pointed windows divided by stepped buttresses, of 14th century outline but accomodating two thin mullions and a similar transom, in wood. These were inserted in the 18th century and further reflect the declining fortunes of the town. The west walls of the aisle and nave possess windows of four lights, trefoil-headed, each with two quatrefoils and a cinquefoil in the head. The east window of the north aisle is of four lights with heavily cusped tracery which includes two quatrefoils and a cross pattee within a circle. Over this pattern is superimposed a 'Y'. The east window of the chancel is of five ogee headed lights surmounted by two cinquefoils above which are three further cinquefoils inscribed within a circle. The east wall has been refaced or rebuilt in stone and is buttressed towards the east. The remains of the south aisle include a chantry lodging capped with a Dutch gable from which protrudes a brick chimney. In the gable is a simple rectangular opening divided by one mellion, and in the south wall below is a similar wooden framed window. Nothing remins of the south aisle save this and a few scant fragments to a height of about 10 foot and composed of flint. A pointed chamfered door with a hoodmould breaks into this wall towards the south-west. Bases of buttresses survive. The clerestory windows in the south are trefoil headed and have been renewed. The south nave wall was repaired after 1661 with stepped buttresses using the fallen stones of the aisle and tower. The south arcade has been blocked with coursed flints, and the external wall has been buttressed. The tower which stands astride the nave in a central position is of four stages and is buttressed to the upper level of the mediaeval work. At the ground stage is a large arch which has been blocked with brick. On all four faces of the third stage are small round-headed wooden-framed windows with a mullion and transoms. Another windows of this type is contained in a brick surround on the second stage. The top stage is pierced with round-headed louvred bell-openings and is terminated with a battlemented parapet. Above this there barely rises the ogee headed cupula of a type to be seen more frequently in Holland. It was probably kept low in order to safeguard against wind and earth tremor.

Internally, the impression of the late 13th century church is far more complete. The nave and aisle are of considerable height, a fact which is explained by the later raising of the roofs. This enclosed the clerestory windows which are of paired pointed lights to each bay. The roofs show only tie-beams and king posts exposed. The nave is arcaded in three bays with double chamfered arches and octagonal piers and capitals. The western limit of the Norman nave is marked by the stones of that period let into the west wall of the nave inside the church. In the 14th century the north aisle was widened from 18 feet to 24 feet, and the abutment of the original north aisle roof is visible below the clerestory range, where there is a noticeable thickening of the walls.

It is likely the the south aisle was left untouched. The east wall of the north aisle contains a mutilated trefoil headed recess and a tall cupboard recess similar to that in St. Mary's is fitted into its north wall. The chancel is of two bays and is separated from the nave by a tower space which is opened by two lofty arches to east and west and two lower arches to north and south, the latter being blocked. All arches except the blocked south arch are double chamfered and have octagonal-type responds. Two hagioscopes with square hoodmoulds are cusped slightly pointed heads provided vistas to the chancel. An opening on the south gives access to a chamber, the purpose of which is unknown, but which was either a Chantry Chapel, a priests' lodging attached to the Ellis Chantry to the west, or more improbably, an Anchorage. Bolow this is a room variously described as an oratory and a charnel house. This crypt is rib vaulted with brick in-filling. The floor has been raised and the vault is supported on a remarkable pair of octagonal columns with a continuous base and capping. The brickwork of the vault is overlaid with plaster to imitate stone, in which it imitates Flemish practice, and is a further indication of a continuous Dutch influence on the church and port. To the east of the north aisle are the remains of a vestry accessible via a doorway in the chancel north wall; above this is the only window with original 14th century tracery of three lights which is set beneath a square hood-mould. To its east is part of the stonework of the 13th century lancet which it superseded. The chancel south wall bears a trefoil headed piscina and a triple sedilia with trefoiled heads and gables terminated by finials. The sedilia was much renewed after its discovery in 1853.