Architecture
The oldest part of the church is the north wall of the nave which contains an Anglo-Saxon double-splayed clerestory window high up above the arcade. The original church would have consisted only of a nave and short chancel. A Romanesque style arch in the north nave wall is probably Anglo-Saxon and may have been inserted to give access to a porch or porticus (a room on the side of the church).
The first extension that still exists is the north aisle built around the end of the twelfth or early thirteenth century. Soon after it was extended eastwards beside the chancel and the chancel itself was extended to its present length. The next addition was the Randall Chapel on the south side of the chancel in the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century. The south aisle to the nave and its arcade were built in the fifteenth century as were the tower and porch.
Features of interest
There is much of interest in the church and you will find full information in the church guide – see below. Here is a selection:
Glass: All the stained glass is early 20th century except in the window at the W end of the S aisle which is late 19th century. There is fine glass in the E window of 1908. At the W end of the N wall of the N aisle is an interesting window in memory of Adelaide Hallward who died in 1925. It was made by her husband Reginald Hallward who lived in the village.
Furnishings: Most of the woodwork dates from the restoration of 1875. The chancel screen and loft date from 1902 and contains a few panels from the medieval screen. The screens on the N side of the chancel and between the Randall Chapel and S aisle are 15th century. The altar table in the Randall Chapel was bought in 1637.
Font: This is a fine font of the 15th century and has seven carved panels described in the church guide.
Monuments: There are many round the walls and in the floors. The most impressive are the reclining effigy of Sir Henry de Cobham, Lord of Randall Manor, who died in 1315 seen in armour in the Randall Chapel. In the sanctuary is a large memorial to George Page and his son Sir William erected in 1645.
Graffiti
Like may old buildings the church contains medieval and more recent graffiti. A survey was carried out by the Kent Medieval Graffiti Survey and you can see photographs here by kind permission of the Survey
Monumental inscriptions
A transcription of the memorial inscriptions inside the church and some further information is contained in the following files which are in pdf format:
Church interior Interior notes
Church guide & history
You can download a copy of the church guide & history:
St Peter & St Paul, Shorne 