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St Peter, Dymchurch, Kent

Location
(51°4′41″N, 1°10′50″E)
Dymchurch
TR229358
pre-1974 traditional (England and Wales) Kent
now Kent
  • Toby Huitson
  • Mary Berg
24 October 2011

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Description

Dymchurch is a seaside village 5 miles SW of Hythe on the Channel coast. The church of St Peter and Paul is situated by the main coast road and is much-restored; the building consists of a nave with a N aisle, a chancel, a S porch, and a slim W tower. Although relatively unassuming from the outside, and presenting a late medieval appearance, there are Romanesque W and S doorways, and also a Romanesque chancel arch. A further dooway in the chancel is mentioned by Glynne who visited in 1868, but it went lost.

History

Dymchurch is mentioned in the Domesday Monachorum. The patron was the Abbot and convent of St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury.

Features

Exterior Features

Doorways

Interior Features

Arches

Chancel arch/Apse arches
Comments/Opinions

The S and W doorways are perhaps more successful in execution than the chancel arch, which has perhaps subsided either during construction or subsequently. However, the church is a very good example of a set of co-ordinating sculptural features - including Attic bases, cyma imposts (rather than abaci), scalloped or voluted capitals, and an arch of alternating convex and concave chevrons with quirks - suggesting careful planning and adequate resourcing.

Bibliography

S. Glynne, The Churches of Kent, London 1877, 265-6.