A typical and fairly unaltered example of a small mid-Victorian chapel, of a type which would have been approved by the Ecclesiological Society. The church was originally built as a chapel-of-ease to Horsmonden Anglican parish and was acquired for Catholic use in the 1970s.

*Update: Church now closed and converted to residential use*

Horsmonden Anglican parish church lies 1½ miles south of the village, which was relocated following the Plague. All Saints church was originally built as a chapel of ease to the parish church in 1869-70, to serve the northern part of the parish. The foundation stone was laid by Mrs Austen of Capel Manor and Kelly’s directory of 1882 notes the cost as around £1,600. The church closed in 1970 and was re-opened as a Catholic church in 1972.

Description

A typical small mid-Victorian chapel of yellow brick with bands of red and black brick and minimal stone dressings. The plan consists of nave with south porch, apsed chancel with a north organ chamber and vestry. The style is Early English Gothic, with trefoil-headed lancets in the chancel and pairs of lancets in the nave. Two west lancets with a circular window in the gable. Although under a single tiled roof, the nave is just slightly wider than the chancel. Buttresses to the nave.

The interior has exposed polychromatic brickwork. The chancel arch is of two main orders supported on short stone and marble columns, with stiff-leaf capitals and supported on angel corbels. There is further stone and marble detailing around the built-in pulpit and the twin-arched sedilia. Wagon roof in the nave, panelled and painted roof in the chancel. Tiled floors, more highly decorated in the chancel. Wood and iron altar rails. Good contemporary stained glass in the apse windows. Heavy stone font, the square bowl with incised roundels, on a cylindrical base with corner colonnettes. The open-backed pews are probably original.

The church was listed Grade II in 2013, following Taking Stock. List description at: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1416955

Heritage Details