St Peter's Church, Fordcombe, Kent

St Peter's Church, Fordcombe Church

Image Source: John Vigar

The village of Fordcombe (then called Fordcomb-Green) came into existence in the late 18th century when people settled in this part of west Kent to work at the Chafford paper mill on the River Medway. The parish church of St. John the Baptist at Penshurst was three miles away and a number of wealthy benefactors felt that the 500+ residents of Fordcombe needed a place of worship of their own.The site was provided by the mill owner, Richard Turner, and much of the funding came from Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount of Lahore, India, later the Duke of Wellington's successor as Commander in Chief of the British Army, who lived in the parish at the large manor house of South Park.Dedicated to St. Peter, the church was built in 1847, initially as a chapel-of-ease to Penshurst. It was designed by the Derbyshire-based architect, Henry Isaac Stevens, who was personally known to the Viscount, and is a simple structure built from locally quarried sandstone; consisting of a nave and chancel with a central bellcote with two bells. The entrance is via a south porch. The north wall opposite the entrance has a curious gabled projection overlooked by a two-light Y-traceried window. This may have been intended for use as a baptistry, although the font is now located closer to the southern entrance door than this intriguing recess. Two hatchments to the Hardinge family hang on the west wall, one commemorating Henry and the other Lavinia, the 2nd Viscountess, to whom the lych gate is dedicated. The 1st Viscount is buried in the churchyard in a large and imposing tomb located near the south porch, along with a number of his descendants. Curiously, although he provided the financial outlay for the construction, he is not commemorated inside the church, although there is a large wall plaque in the north aisle at Penshurst. In 1883 the church was enlarged with the addition of a north facing vestry and organ chamber, designed by architect E.J. (Edward) Tarver. The J.W. Walker organ predates the church. It was built in 1845 for a school in Poplar, London, but was soon transferred to St. Peter's, where it has been ever since. It was installed in the north extension in 1883 and given a new facade. The vestry also contains the original plans by designer H.W. (Horatio Walter) Lonsdale for eight stained-glass windows in the nave, each depicting a scene from the life or writings of St. Peter. In the event, only five of these windows were executed. Two more windows were installed as memorials after both World Wars, designed by Percy Bacon in 1918 and Blackford in 1946, while the eighth remains with just plain glass. In 1906 further improvements were added in memory of George Hanbury Field, a former England cricketer and owner of the nearby manor house of Ashurst Park. The eagle lectern and Perpendicular style rood screen were added; while in the chancel, mosaic panels designed by G.H. (George Halford) Fellowes-Prynne depicting Archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel, were added either side of the existing tiled reredos. The main east window by Percy Bacon was also installed, depicting Christ among various saints, including the Virgin Mary, St. John and an historic Archbishop, possibly St. Dunstan (or Bishop Justus of Rochester). Above is a small mandorla window (very hard to photograph!) featuring a dove to symbolise the Holy Spirit. St. Peter's is a tidy and well-maintained church, which is once again rejoined to St. John the Baptist, Penshurst, from whom it became a separate ecclesiastical parish in 1870. Text by Rob Baker.

1851 Census Details

Seating Capacity: 240

Morning Attendance: No service

Afternoon Attendance: 240

Evening Attendance: No service

Architecture Details

Original Build Date/Architect: Stevens 1847

Restoration:

Second Restoration:

Notes

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