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I Location

II General Description

This is a cruciform Norman church, which was much enlarged in the 13thc. The nave is flanked by aisles with five-bay arcades dating from the early 13thc.; on the S side is a porch and the Lamb Vault (with sacristy over), dating from the 14thc. and 15thc. respectively. The crossing tower and transepts are of 12thc. origin, but were remodelled in the late 12thc., then again in the 15thc., when the crossing tower was rebuilt. The chancel is flanked by three-bay arcades opening into chapels: this is mainly 13thc. work, but much of the arcades was rebuilt in the 15thc.

III Exterior Features

1. Doorways

(i) N doorway of N transept

This doorway, which has been moved and restored, comprises a single round-headed order. The arch is carved with a plain soffit roll and has a billet label. The jambs have engaged shafts, which carry renewed trefoil scallops and worn imposts. The bases are worn.

(ii) S doorway of S transept (blocked)

The top R section of this doorway has been destroyed by the insertion of the transept window, and the inner order has presumably been buried in the wall. The W jamb of the outer order, comprising an engaged column with a smooth leaf capital and a fragment of moulded impost, courses through with the 12thc. buttress to the W. Above this is a short section of arch involving six very worn voussoirs carved with frontal chevron. Outside this, tucked against the buttress, is a label carved with dogtooth. It incorporates a worn head stop, which, rather oddly, is positioned just above the lowest voussoir (which does not have the verticality of a springer). The absence of a proper springer, and the odd position of the head stop suggest that these stones have been reset.

Directly above the dogtooth label, and intruding into the buttress, are two bands of carved stones which are probably reset. The inner band is slightly curved and comprises voussoirs with pointed tips on face and soffit, creating a point-to-point effect. The curve does not echo that of the chevron and dogtooth label. The outer band comprises four sections of nailhead, and forms a straight, diagonal line (possibly to form a pedimental gable?).

2. Windows

The W wall of each transept contains two high windows. All four are plain externally but decorated internally. They are all round headed, and comprise two orders. In each case, the inner order has a continuous angle roll; the outer order has a plain arch carried by carved capitals and en delit nook shafts decorated with two moulded annulets. The continuous impost bands have a short upright, a quirk and a high chamfer. The capitals have similar proportions to those of the S transept blind arcade, and are carved as follows:

(i) S Transept, W side, S window

Both capitals are carved with three pointed leaves beneath a layer of flat leaves with thick, curled tips.

(ii) S Transept, W side, N window

Both capitals are carved with three pointed leaves under a layer of flat leaves with thick, curled tips.

(iii) N Transept, W side, S window

The S capital is carved with smooth spade-shaped leaves with voluted tips. The N capital is carved with smooth flat leaves, with large leaves on the angles flanking a smaller leaf in the centre of the face. The bell is visible.

(iv) N Transept, W side, N window

The S capital is carved with smooth spade-shaped leaves (waterleaf), two of which sprout volutes. The leaf on the main angle seems to have a collarette incorporating a spade-shaped leaf. The N capital is carved with tall pointed leaves, those on the angles flanking a smaller leaf in the centre of each face.

IV Interior Features

1. Arches

b. Tower/Transept arches

(i) Transept arches

Arch between S Transept and S nave aisle

This arch comprises two orders: the inner order arch has a soffit roll, the outer is plain on each side. The capitals are carved with foliage and the attic bases have thick spurs. The S capital of the inner order is damaged beyond recognition; that on the N has been replaced. The S capital of the outer order, E side, is carved with flat pointed leaves and has a visible bell; that on the N with smooth waterleaf-like foliage terminating in spherical volutes. The S capital of the outer order, W side, is carved with striated leaves terminating in curled volutes; that on the N with two tiers of foliage, involving a row of spade-shaped leaves below a row of striated leaves. Both of these capitals are blatantly Victorian. All of the imposts have been renewed.

Arch between N Transept and N nave aisle

This arch comprises two orders with plain archivolts. The capitals and imposts have been renewed. The capitals of the inner order are carved with three scallops on their main faces, one on each side and a scallop-like volute above a cone on each angle. The capitals of the outer orders have the same angle feature, and with only one scallop per face this gives them the appearance of trefoil capitals. The imposts have high uprights with a quirk and low hollow chamfers.

5. Interior Decoration

a. Blind arcades

Originally a blind arcade ran around both N and S transepts.

(i) S Transept, W wall

This three-bay arcade has a 19thc. appearance but probably replaces original 12thc. work. The round-headed arches are carved with frontal chevron, comprising three fat rolls, enframed by plain labels. They are carried by engaged nook shafts with foliage capitals and attic bases. The imposts are carved with sawtooth. The capitals tend to have tall cylindrical bells, and are carved as follows:

S bay

S capital: Three layers of fat, smooth, pointed leaves with broad central fillets.

N capital: Smooth pointed leaf with curled tip rises the height of the capital. Shaped motif (?) on face.

Middle bay

S capital: Large crocket-like volutes under imposts; a palmette in the centre of each face.

N capital: Tapering ribs suggest foliage; waterleaf-like shape under imposts.

N bay

S capital: Large curled, foliate volutes under imposts; a palmette in the centre of each face.

N capital: Two layers of fat pointed leaves under small volutes and visible bell.

(ii) N Transept, W wall

Lower level

This two-bay arcade has a 19thc. appearance but probably replaces original 12thc. work. The round-headed arches are carved with crenellations/fret, with an edge roll, and are surrounded by billet labels. They are carried by nook shafts with scallop capitals and attic bases. The plain imposts have a high upright with a quirk and a low hollow chamfer. The capitals have a scallop in the centre of each face and a scallop-like volute on each angle, giving the impression of trefoil capitals.

Upper level

This arcade comprises one full segmental arch flanked by sections of arches to S and N. The arches themselves are constructed from a single row of stones with a chamfered edge, and serve to form a transition between the thinner wall of the lower level and the thicker wall of the upper level of this wall, which contains two high windows. Indeed, the thickness was probably required just for the windows. The full central arch is carried by capitals superimposed upon corbels, as follows:

S capital/corbel: This capital is carved with smooth leaves with voluted tips, leaving the bell visible in the centre. Below its necking is a corbel carved with a horse's head with almond-shaped eyes and a bridle.

N capital/corbel: This capital is carved with two heart shaped leaves in the centre of the main face, and larger lobed leaves with inverted curled volutes on the angles. Beneath its necking is a corbel carved with a grotesque animal head. It has pointed ears, a broad nose, almond shaped eyes and a large mouth opened to display a tongue and rows of stubby teeth.

(iii) N Transept, E wall

Lower level

All that remains of the blind arcade on this wall is a nook shaft, complete with capital and impost block, in the NE corner of the transept. The capital - one of the few original Romanesque capitals in the church - is carved with two simple scallops on each face. The impost has a high upright with a quirk, and a low hollow chamfer.

Upper level

A fragment of an arcade similar to that on the W survives at the N end of the wall. It incorporates a length of billet moulding as a label.

VI Loose Sculpture

(i) Capital (in glass case in N arcade of nave)

This waterleaf capital is carved with two layers of foliage, with thick, ribbed, pointed leaves revealed behind smoother, thinner spade-shaped leaves. The former are glimpsed under the angles of the capital and through a spade-shaped window formed by the latter in the centre of each face. The bell of the capital is exposed.

(ii) Base (in glass case in N arcade of nave)

This base comprises three rings or annulets above a fat band carved with cable. It clearly belonged to a nook shaft, as sections of uncarved stone remain to one side and underneath the base.

VII History

The Domesday Survey (1086) reveals that Rye belonged to the Abbey of Fécamp in Normandy in the time of Edward the Confessor; five churches are mentioned. In fact, Rye (the ancient manor of Rameslie) seems to have been granted to Fécamp by Cnut after 1017, carrying out a promise made by Ethelred. The town - together with nearby Winchelsea - was recovered from Fécamp Abbey by Henry III, the remainder of the parish thenceforth being called Rye Foreign. Rye church was heavily restored in 1862-63 and 1882-84. The N doorway has been moved 6 feet W of its original position (see drawing of 1760).

VIII Comments/Opinions

The oldest surviving part of the fabric of Rye church is the lower part of the N transept, but much of the sculpture in that area has been renewed. The VCH (vol 9, 59-60) claimed that one capital of the blind arcade on the W wall of the N transept is original: this must refer to the right-hand capital of the S arch, which, together with its impost block, is in a less pristine condition than the others. The strange form of this capital, however, has a Victorian appearance and there remains some doubt about its authenticity. With the possible exception of this capital, the N doorway, the blind arcade and the arch leading through to the N aisle have been completely renewed. However, the fragment of the blind arcade, which once adorned the E wall incorporates a scallop capital, which is clearly original, carved simply with two cones on each face. The original impost block also survives, confirming the profile of those used in this part of the building by the restorers. One other piece of sculpture, which may be coeval with this ensemble is the chevron archivolt on the S wall of the S transept.

The blind arcade in the S transept, the arch between the S transept and the S aisle and the upper parts of both transepts are contemporary. Their sculpture shares many features although, again, most of it has been renewed. The high windows in the W wall of the N transept may be original work, giving an idea of the capital and impost types which would have been used throughout this campaign. Once again, while they faithfully reproduced the profile of the imposts, the restorers could not resist elaborating the designs of the capitals. Another original capital, which may date from the same campaign is that of the blocked arch on the S side of the S transept.

The blocked arch on the S side of the S transept is puzzling as it seems to incorporate sculpture of two, and possibly three, different periods. It would appear that a mid 12thc. arch (ie: the chevron voussoirs) was reused along with several new elements (ie: the smooth capital and dogtooth label) at the end of the same century. The point-to-point chevron and nailhead may date from that later period, or could represent an intermediary campaign. The exact purpose of this arch, which appears to be an internal feature rather than a doorway, remains uncertain.

IX Bibliography