St Margaret’s as at 2010
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St Margaret’s Church, in Horsmonden, Kent is a designated Grade I listed buildingStructure of particular architectural and/or historic interest deserving of special protection.,[1] an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Rochester and the archdeaconry of Tonbridge.[2] Construction of the present building can largely be credited to Henry de Grofhurst, who became the second Rector of Horsmonden in 1311. Henry died in 1361 with the church still unfinished, and it was probably completed in about 1380.[3]
The church was altered and extended during the 15th century, and restored by the architect T. H. Wyatt between 1864 and 1867.[1]
The Austen family, the most famous member of which is the novelist Jane Austen, were a wealthy Horsmonden family who made their money in the cloth trade. Such was their importance to the local economy that several of the Austens have memorials in the church and churchyard.[3]
Architecture
Exterior
St Margaret’s is built of sandstone with slate roofs. The battlemented four stage tower is set on a plinth with triple offset diagonal buttresses. The timber north porchVestibule before the main entrance to a Christian church, less sacred than the church proper. sits on a sandstone base and has a shingled roof.[1]
Interior
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Memorials inside the church include a 14th-century stone coffin lid in the south chapel floor,[1] and a brass memorial in the chancelPart of a church containing the altar, used by the officiating clergy. floor above the spot where Henry de Grofhurst was buried.[3] There is also a memorial to John Read (1760–1847), a resident of Horsmorden who invented a significantly improved version of the stomach pump.[4][a]Some sources claim erroneously that Read invented the stomach pump.[4]
The stained-glass windows date from the 19th century, except for the east and west windows by Rosemary Everett (1916–1998), in 1946 and 1948 respectively. The font is believed to be a 17th-century copy of the original.[1]
Organ
The organ was installed in the South chancel chapel in 1837, by Flight & Robson. It was rebuilt and enlarged by Gray & Davison in 1860, and completely restored in 2009 by Martin K. Cross.[5]
Notes
| a | Some sources claim erroneously that Read invented the stomach pump.[4] |
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