Church Heritage Record 606306

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Core DetailsLocationBuildingInteriorChurchyardSignificanceEnvironmentForumAudit

Sittingbourne: St Mary

Name:

This is the church’s legal name as given by the Church Commissioners.

Sittingbourne: St Mary
Record Type:

A classification of the current status of the building

Closed Church
Church code:

This is a unique identification number supplied to each church building by the Church Commissioners.

606306
Diocese:

Name of diocese in which the church building is located at the time of entry.

Canterbury
Archdeaconry:

Name of archdeaconry in which the church building is located at the time of entry

Maidstone
Parish:

This is the legal name of the parish as given by the Church Commissioners.

Sittingbourne Saint Mary and Saint Michael

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Statutory Designation Information

Listed Building?

The decision to put a church building on the National Heritage List for England and assign it a listing grade is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is normally based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on the historic environment.

This is not a Listed Building
Scheduled Monument?

The decision to schedule a feature (building, monument, archaeological remains, etc.) located within the church building’s precinct or churchyard is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on cultural heritage.

There is no Scheduled Monument within the curtilage or precinct

National Park

National Parks are areas of countryside that include villages and towns, which are protected because of their beautiful countryside, wildlife and cultural heritage. In England, National Parks are designated by Natural England, the government’s advisor on the natural environment.

The church is not in a National Park

Conservation Area

Conservation areas are places of special architectural or historic interest where it is desirable to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of such areas. Conservation Areas are designated by the Local Council.

The church is not in a Conservation Area

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Heritage At Risk Status

On Heritage At Risk Register?

The Heritage at Risk programme is run and managed by Historic England, the government’s advisor on cultural heritage. It aims to protect and manage the historic environment, so that the number of ‘at risk’ historic places and sites across England are reduced.

This church is not on the Heritage at Risk Register
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Approximate Date

Approximate Date:

Selecting a single date for the construction of a church building can sometimes be very difficult as most CoE buildings have seen many phases of development over time. The CHR allows you to record a time period rather than a specific date.

The CHR records the time period for the building’s predominant fabric as opposed to the date of the earliest fabric or the church’s foundation date.

Victorian/Pre-WWI

Exterior Image

Exterior image of 606306 Sittingbourne St Mary
Caption:

603242 

Exterior image of 606306 Sittingbourne St Mary
Description:

It seems to be the wrong photograph. Provided coordinates come up with another church on geograph.org.uk

Photograph of the outside of the church, the east elevation as seen from the north east.
Year / Date:

2011, April 06

May 2016
Copyright:

Keltek Trust

Archbishops' Council
Originator:

Keltek Trust

Tom Ashley

Summary Description

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
1901-02, R. Philip Day (the Diocesan architect). Church hall extension to W, 1937; extension providing lobby, kitchen and lavatories to SW, 2001.

Visiting and Facilities

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
The church is open for worship.
Work in progress - can you help?
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Church Website

Church Website:

www.holytrinitylyonsdown.org.uk

https://www.sittingbournesaints.uk

Sources and Further Information

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Tom Ashley (May 2016) Exterior image of 606306 Sittingbourne St Mary [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
Exterior image of 606306 Sittingbourne St Mary
Tom Ashley (May 2016) Interior image of 606306 Sittingbourne St Mary [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
Interior image of 606306 Sittingbourne St Mary
Church of England (2021) A Church Near You https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/12152/ [Digital Archive/Index]
View information on worship and access at this church
Church Buildings Council (2019) Church Bells 1 Bell [Archive/Index]
1 Bell

If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: TQ 902 633

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Administrative Area

County:

The administrative area within which the church is located.

Kent County

Location and Setting

This field describes the setting of the church building, i.e. the surroundings in which the church building is experienced, and whether or not it makes a positive or negative contribution to the significance of the building.

Sittingbourne is on Watling Street (now the A2) mid-way between London and Dover in the north of Kent. The church is in a residential area very close to the centre of the town, just south of the railway station and High Street.

The church sits end-on in a street of terraced houses, its E end on Park Road and the W end (church hall) on Unity Street. The E façade terminates the vista of Belmont Road.

There is no churchyard to speak of. The curtilage is somewhat overgrown, though not unpleasantly so. The churchyard has lost its railings on Park Road: a low concrete kerb remains, together with an iron gate on one side and a pair of gateposts only on the other. The footpath running along the S side of the church is used by the public as a short-cut between Unity St and Park Rd. On the Unity St side there is a small paved area for parking.

Easy access to site from Unity Street and Park Road.

Parking on site for a few cars; some parking available surrounding streets.

Church Plan

Work in progress - can you help?

Ground Plan Description and Dimensions

Ground Plan

Provide as written description of the ground plan of the church building and well as its dimensions.

Three-bay nave, north aisle, north transept, Lady chapel to north-east, chancel, vestry to south-east, lobby, kitchen and lavatories to south-west, attached church hall to west.

Dimensions

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?

Footprint of Church buildings (m2):

Small (<199m2)

Medium (200-599m2)

Large (600m-999m2)

Very Large (>1000m2)

Work in progress - can you help?

Description of Archaeology and History

This field aims to record the archaeological potential of the wider area around the building and churchyard, as well as the history of site.

There are no known previous buildings on the site and there is no reason to think that church sits on a site of any archaeological importance. However, Sittingbourne was well-established by medieval times and Saxon artefacts have been found at other locations in the town; in the event of any redevelopment of the site an archaeological watching brief should be in place. There are no known burials on the site.

Consecrated 25 January 1902, initially as a chapel of ease in the parish of Holy Trinity, Milton Regis, the population of which was increased by workers employed in the local brick and paper industries. St Mary Sittingbourne became a separate parish in 1925, and in 2000 returned to a united benefice, this time with St Michael the Archangel, Sittingbourne.

Exterior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the exterior of the church building and the churchyard.

Early English in style. The church has a short nave, with a chancel of almost the same length (with a lower roof): the fact that the W gable is shingled and that the W windows are simple brick lancets lacking the stone surrounds of the other church windows, suggests that the money may have run out before the church was completed. Similarly, although there is a N aisle and transept, infilled brick arches attest that an intended south aisle was never built.

To the N, an aisle, transept and lean-to Lady Chapel; to the SE, a lean-to vestry. There are weathered angle buttresses to E and W ends and to the Lady chapel, but not the vestry. The church gables are coped, with kneelers. A gabled kitchen/lavatory/lobby extension of 2001 projects to the SW, and attached to the W is a flat-roofed church hall extension of 1937.

The church windows are generally cusped lancets, grouped with shared hood moulds and string courses beneath. The main E window is three light; the vestry E and N, and Lady Chapel E and S, are two-light; there is one light to the chancel N and S; and the nave and N aisle windows are two-light. The clerestorey windows are two-light, in square surrounds. The W windows are brick lancets, uncusped, lacking stone surrounds. The north transept has a two-light window with quatrefoil above.

Set into the N wall of the chancel is a dedicatory plaque, dated 1901.

Architects, Artists and Associated People/Organisations

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Who:
R. Philip Day
Role:
Architect
From:
01 Jan 1901
To:
31 Dec 1902
Contribution:
designed church
Who:
Thomas Ford & Partners
Role:
Architect / Surveyor ICM55
From:
To:
Contribution:

Building Fabric and Features

This field is an index of the building and its major components

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Collapse Building Fabric and FeaturesBuilding Fabric and Features
AISLE (20th century)
CHANCEL (20th century)
CHURCH HALL (20th century)
KITCHEN (20th century)
LADY CHAPEL (20th century)
NAVE (20th century)
TRANSEPT (20th century)
VESTRY (20th century)

Building Materials

This field is an index of the building’s material composition

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Collapse Building MaterialsBuilding Materials
BATH STONE (20th century)
BRICK (20th century)
SLATE (20th century)
TILE (20th century)
TIMBER (20th century)

Interior Image

Interior image of 606306 Sittingbourne St Mary
Caption:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Interior image of 606306 Sittingbourne St Mary
Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Photograph of the inside of the church, looking east.
Year / Date:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
May 2016
Copyright:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Archbishops' Council
Originator:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Tom Ashley

Interior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the interior of the church building.

The church interior is a short space, of only three bays. It is very simply detailed, featuring almost no ornament, though it is by no means shoddy. It has a king-post timber roof structure to the nave and barrel-vault to the chancel; simple stone pillars with roll-moulding, topped with brick arches with hood-moulds, divide the nave from the N aisle. There is a stone chancel arch, with three steps up, and there is further step up to the sanctuary. From the chancel on the S side, three steps lead through a pointed-arched door to the vestry. On the N side a brick arch leads through to the Lady Chapel, which retains its floor of patterned tiles and a couple of pews as a sort of heritage corner. The main church has lost its furnishings and has been carpeted throughout. In the S wall of the nave, the westernmost lancet window has been dropped to make a square-topped doorway to the new lobby. At the W end, two square-topped doors lead to the hall, a well-lit space with a parquet floor.

Internal Fixtures and Fittings

This field is an index of the building’s internal, architectural components. This includes its internal spaces and those areas’ fixtures and fittings (building components which are securely fixed to the church or cathedral).

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Collapse Internal Fixtures and FittingsInternal Fixtures and Fittings
ALTAR (20th century)
BELL (1 of 1)
FONT (COMPONENT) (20th century)
LECTERN (20th century)
ORGAN (COMPONENT) (20th century)
PEW (COMPONENT) (20th century)
PLAQUE (COMPONENT) (20th century)
PULPIT (20th century)
RAIL (20th century)
REREDOS (20th century)
STAINED GLASS (WINDOW) (20th century)

Portable Furnishings and Artworks

This field is an index of the building’s movable, non-fixed furnishings and artworks.

Work in progress - can you help?

If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: TQ 902 633

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Ecology

This field aims to record a description of the ecology of the churchyard and surrounding setting.

Work in progress - can you help?

Ecological Designations

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

The everyday wildlife of burial grounds means much to those who visit and cherish them but many burial grounds are so rich in wildlife that they should be designated and specially protected. Few have the legal protection of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or, in the case of local authority owned cemeteries, Local Nature Reserve. This makes it even more important that they are cared for and protected by the people looking after them.

Many have a non-statutory designation as a recognition of their importance. These non-statutory designations have a variety of names in different regions including Local Wildlife Site, County Wildlife Site, Site of Importance for Nature Conservation or Site of Nature Conservation Importance (Local Wildlife Site is the most common name). Their selection is based on records of the most important, distinctive and threatened species and habitats within a national, regional and local context. This makes them some of our most valuable wildlife areas.

For example, many burial grounds which are designated as Local Wildlife Sites contain species-rich meadow, rich in wildflowers, native grasses and grassland fungi managed by only occasional mowing plus raking. When this is the case, many animals may be present too, insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. This type of grassland was once widespread and has been almost entirely lost from the UK with approximately 3% remaining, so burial grounds with species-rich meadow managed in this way are extremely important for wildlife.

These designations should be considered when planning management or change.

If you think that this or any other burial ground should be designated please contact Caring for God’s Acre (info@cfga.org.uk) to discuss. Many eligible sites have not yet received a designation and can be surveyed and then submitted for consideration.

There are no SSSIs within the curtilage of this Closed Church.

There are no Local nature reserves within the curtilage of this Closed Church.

There are no Local Wildlife sites within the curtilage of this Closed Church.

Evidence of the Presence of Bats

This field aims to record any evidence of the presence of bats in the church building or churchyard.

Work in progress - can you help?

Burial and War Grave Information

This field records basic information about the presence of a churchyard and its use as a burial ground.

It is unknown whether the church or churchyard is consecrated. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
It is unknown whether the churchyard is closed for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
The churchyard does not have war graves.

National Heritage List for England Designations

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There are no Listed Buildings within the curtilage of this Closed Church.

There are no Scheduled Monuments within the curtilage of this Closed Church.

Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

Churchyards are home to fantastic trees, in particular ancient and veteran trees which can be the oldest indication of a sacred space and be features of extraordinary individuality. The UK holds a globally important population of ancient and veteran yew trees of which three-quarters are found in the churchyards of England and Wales.

There are more than 1,000 ancient and veteran yews aged at least 500 years in these churchyards.

To put this in context, the only other part of western Europe with a known significant yew population is Normandy in northern France, where more than 100 ancient or veteran churchyard yews have been recorded.

Burial grounds may contain veteran and ancient trees of other species such as sweet chestnut or small-leaved lime which, whilst maybe not so old as the yews, are still important for wildlife and may be home to many other species.

Specialist advice is needed when managing these wonderful trees. For more information or to seek advice please contact Caring for God’s Acre, The Ancient Yew Group and The Woodland Trust.

If you know of an ancient or veteran tree in a burial ground that is not listed here please contact Caring for God’s Acre.

There are currently no Ancient, Veteran or Notable trees connected to this Closed Church

Churchyard Structures

This field is an index of the churchyard’s components.

Work in progress - can you help?

Significance

Setting Significance Level:

Significance is the whole set of reasons why people value a church, whether as a place for worship and mission, as an historic building that is part of the national heritage, as a focus for the local community, as a familiar landmark or for any other reasons.

Low
Setting Significance Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
It makes a positive, though modest, contribution to the streetscape and urban grain.
Fabric Significance Level:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Low
Fabric Significance Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
The church has no particular historical or architectural importance, only local significance.
Interior Significance Level:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Low
Interior Significance Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
The church contains few items of note.
Community Significance Level:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?
Community Significance Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Work in progress - can you help?

Church Renewables

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Open the map of church renewable installations
Solar PV Panels:

This information forms part of the Shrinking the Footprint project.

No
Solar Thermal Panels:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Bio Mass:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Air Source Heat Pump:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Ground Source Heat Pump:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
Wind Turbine:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
No
EV Car Charging:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Unknown

Species Summary

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

All of the species listed below have been recorded in close proximity to the Closed Church . A few species which are particularly threatened and affected by disturbance may not be listed here because their exact location cannot be shared.

NOTE: Be aware that this dataset is growing, and the species totals may change once the National Biodiversity Network has added further records. Species may be present but not recorded and still await discovery.

CategoryTotal species recorded to date
TOTAL NUMBER OF SPECIES RECORDED 0
Total number of animal species 0
Total number of plant species 0
Total number of mammal species 0
Total number of birds 0
Total number of amphibian and reptile species 0
Total number of invertebrate species 0
Total number of fungi species 0
Total number of mosses and liverworts (bryophytes) 0
Total number of ferns 0
Total number of flowering plants 0
Total number of Gymnosperm and Ginkgo 0

Caring for God’s Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.

To learn more about all of the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.

‘Seek Advice’ Species

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

If any of the following species have been seen close to the Closed Church, it is important to seek advice from an expert. You will need to know if they are present now, and to follow expert recommendations when planning works. All of these species have specific legal protection as a recognition of their rarity. All of them are rare or becoming increasingly endangered, so it is important to ensure that management and other works do not adversely affect them. In addition, there may be things you can do to help these special species. N.B. Swift and House Martin do not have specific legal protection but are included, as roof repair works often impact breeding swifts and house martins which is against the law.

This is not a complete list of protected species, there are many more, but these are ones that are more likely to be found. All wild birds, their nests and eggs are also protected by law, as are all bats and veteran trees. In a few cases, species are considered particularly prone to disturbance or destruction by people, so the exact location of where they were recorded is not publicly available but can be requested. These ‘blurred’ records are included here, and the accuracy is to 1km. This means that the species has been recorded in close proximity to the Closed Church, or a maximum of 1km away from it. As these ‘blurred’ species are quite mobile, there is a strong likelihood that they can occur close to the Closed Church. To learn about these special species, use the link provided for each species in the table below

One important species which is not included here is the Peregrine Falcon. This is protected and advice should be sought if peregrines are nesting on a church or cathedral. Peregrine records are ‘blurred’ to 10km, hence the decision not to include records here. Remember too that species not seriously threatened nationally may still be at risk in your region and be sensitive to works. You should check with local experts about this. You may also need to seek advice about invasive species, such as Japanese knotweed and aquatics colonising streams or pools, which can spread in churchyards.

N.B. If a species is not recorded this does not indicate absence. It is always good practice to survey.

No species data found for this record

Caring for God’s Acre can help and support you in looking after the biodiversity present in this special place. If you know that any of these species occur close to the Closed Church and are not recorded here, please contact Caring for God’s Acre with details (info@cfga.org.uk).

To find out more about these and other species recorded against this Closed Church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas.

The church was the centre of many people’s lives and remains a guide to their cares and concerns. Glimpses into those lives have often come down to us in the stories we heard as children or old photographs discovered in tattered shoe boxes. Perhaps your ancestors even made it into local legend following some fantastic event? You can choose to share those memories with others and record them for future generations on this Forum.

Tell us the story of this building through the lives of those who experienced it. Tell us why this church is important to you and your community.

Upload your photographs, share your videos, or compose your story below using a Facebook, Twitter, Google or Disqus account.

Refresh
WhoActionWhen
Esme RigdenAdded QI inspectionFri 07 Mar 2025 13:25:11
Esme RigdenCreated asset source linkFri 07 Mar 2025 13:25:10
Anna CampenModified asset data - Modified the Archaeology and History DescriptionFri 21 Jul 2017 15:16:40
Anna CampenModified asset data - Modified the Location and Setting DescriptionFri 21 Jul 2017 15:16:08
Anna CampenAdded interior feature typeFri 21 Jul 2017 15:14:37
Anna CampenAdded interior feature typeFri 21 Jul 2017 15:13:36
Anna CampenAdded interior feature typeFri 21 Jul 2017 15:13:07
Anna CampenAdded interior feature typeFri 21 Jul 2017 15:12:49
Anna CampenAdded interior feature typeFri 21 Jul 2017 15:12:36
Anna CampenAdded interior feature typeFri 21 Jul 2017 15:12:17
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