Description

GILLINGHAM

TQ86NW HIGH STREET, Rainham
686-1/8/107 (South side)
24/02/50 Church of St Margaret
(Formerly Listed as:
HIGH STREET, Rainham
(South side)
St Margaret's Church)

GV I

Church. Originally c1066, chancel and N chapel largely rebuilt
mid C13, nave and N aisle early C14, C15 roof, tower c1470;
restored 1869-71 by Joseph Clarke.
MATERIALS: flint, partly rendered, and limestone dressings,
tile-hung nave and aisle gables and Kentish ragstone rubble
tower; tiled roof.
STYLE: Decorated and Perpendicular.
PLAN: chancel and N chapel, nave and N aisle and N and S
porches and W tower.
EXTERIOR: E end has 2 gables, the taller chancel gable has a
single left-hand buttress and roughly-coursed masonry in the
top of the gable, with a C19 3-light window; chapel gable has
a right-hand buttress with offsets, some render to the top, a
C19 4-light window with Decorated tracery, and a low C19
3-light mullion cellar window.
3-light N side has two C19 1-light windows with an altered C16
2-light W window with flat 2-centre arch.
S side has a central buttress with an early C13 lancet to the
right; C14 2-light windows either side, and a left-hand paired
C16 window.
Wider nave and aisles have tile-hung E gables, that to the
nave with an 2-light C14 window; the N aisle is 4-bays with a
C19 gabled porch with 2-centre arched doorway with hood mould
and small 2-light side windows in a flat-headed frame, to an
inner door with a fine C14 studded door; left-hand windows
divided by a buttress, C16 shallow 2-centre arched left-hand
window and 2-centre arched C19 windows either side of the
porch.
Crenellated 3-stage tower has angle buttresses and strings,
with an octagonal NE stair tower offset at parapet level. A
plain 2-centre arched W doorway with double doors beneath a
3-light window, a small niche with label over the ground-floor
string, with flat-headed 2-light cinquefoil-headed windows to
middle and top stages. S side has a large central gabled porch
with side buttresses and a pointed arched door, with flanking
C19 2-light windows.

INTERIOR: chancel has an early C13 4-bay arcade with keeled
shafts, interrupted by a sedilia with 3 gables and a small
piscina; N arcade has an E C13 arch and 2 wider late C13
arches, with a good late C15 parclose with carved leafs to
spandrels over 4-centre arches. Moulded chapel arch to the
aisle has triple shafts and head stops, with rood openings
either side.
Crown post roof with moulded bases and capitals. Early C14
5-bay nave arcade has octagonal shafts, with a rood loft
opening below the rood beam, and 3 tie beams with crown posts
and diagonal braces and moulded wall plates; aisle has a
similar roof.
At the E end 2 bays of fine late C15 painted panels with
sunbursts, Tudor roses repainted in Lancastrian white. In the
S wall is a fragment of wall painting with a 1335 consecration
cross.
Fine N and S doors, the former with an inserted wicket.
MEMORIALS: chancel E end: wall memorial, painted alabaster of
kneeling couple within a flattened arch with pilasters and an
open pediment with cartouche, and a reclining figure beneath,
John Norreys d.1627. In the E bay is a Perpendicular chest
tomb to Thomas Norreys d.1624, painted limestone top with
re-set panelled sides.
In the chapel NE corner a good marble statue of Nicholas
Tufton, Earl of Thanet, d.1679, standing on a plinth in Roman
armour, and flanking oval panels with family history. In the N
wall, a seated figure of George Tufton d.1650 with a Latin
inscription.
STAINED GLASS: nave SE window by Hardman, 1871.
FITTINGS: a fine C14 parish chest has 9 panels with trefoil
heads and blind tracery, 2 cusped panels on top. C19 octagonal
font, pulpit and pews.
HISTORY: Pevsner reports further wall paintings overpainted, a
Last Judgement and C15 St Christopher over a C14 St
Christopher.
(BoE: Pevsner N & Newman J: West Kent and the Weald: London:
1976-: 466; Dellar R: St Margaret's Rainham, Church Guide).

Listing NGR: TQ8208365791

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17533373

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
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  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)