Church Of St Mary The Virgin, Fordwich

The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a redundant Anglican church in the small town of Fordwich, Kent, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The church stands near to the centre of Fordwich, some 3mi northeast of Canterbury. HistoryThe church dates from the Norman era. There is some Saxon material in the nave. The chancel and north aisle were added in the 12th century. During the following century the chancel was extended and the west tower was built. In the 14th century the windows in the south wall of the church were inserted. Box pews were added to the interior in the 18th century, and the church was floored with tiles. The church closed in 1995, and was vested in the Churches Conservation Trust on 5 December 1996. ArchitectureExteriorSt Mary's is constructed in a mixture of ragstone and other types of stone, flint, and brick, and is partly rendered. The roofs are tiled. Its plan consists of a nave with a north aisle and a south porch, a chancel, and a west tower. The tower is surmounted by a shingled broach spire. The porch is timber-framed. There are two narrow Saxon windows in the north aisle, and a three-light window dating from 1503. In the chancel are two 13th-century windows, and a larger window from the 15th century. The windows in the nave have quatrefoil heads.

The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a redundant Anglican church in the small town of Fordwich, Kent, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The church stands near to the centre of Fordwich, some 3mi northeast of Canterbury. HistoryThe church dates from the Norman era. There is some Saxon material in the nave. The chancel and north aisle were added in the 12th century. During the following century the chancel was extended and the west tower was built. In the 14th century the windows in the south wall of the church were inserted. Box pews were added to the interior in the 18th century, and the church was floored with tiles. The church closed in 1995, and was vested in the Churches Conservation Trust on 5 December 1996. ArchitectureExteriorSt Mary's is constructed in a mixture of ragstone and other types of stone, flint, and brick, and is partly rendered. The roofs are tiled. Its plan consists of a nave with a north aisle and a south porch, a chancel, and a west tower. The tower is surmounted by a shingled broach spire. The porch is timber-framed. There are two narrow Saxon windows in the north aisle, and a three-light window dating from 1503. In the chancel are two 13th-century windows, and a larger window from the 15th century. The windows in the nave have quatrefoil heads.