St Michael And All Angels's Church, Maidstone , Kent

St Michael And All Angels's Church, Maidstone Church

Image Source: John Salmon

Built in 1876 to cater for Maidstone's rapidly expanding suburbs on the western side of the River Medway after the existing parish church of St. Peter's (now disused as a church but in secular use as a nursery) was proving to be far too small. Located next to the west bank of the river, St. Peter's was also a long way from where the new districts of Westborough and Fant were being built. The architect for the new church, which was originally intended to be dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin, was Arthur Blomfield. It was eventually dedicated to St. Michael and All Angels. It is constructed from Kentish ragstone with a 74ft castellated tower at its western end; complete with a round stair turret as was a common feature in Kent's medieval churches. The church that stands today differs slighly from the original plans: the congregation had some difficulties raising the funds, and many subscriptions would only be received once the church had been completed and officially dedicated. The estimated cost put forward by Rochester based builder George Naylor was £9,930. It had been planned to construct the church in stages, with the chancel being the last part of the church to be completed. However this meant that the sanctuary and altar would not be in situ, meaning the church couldn't be used, which led to delays in receiving the anticipated funding. Arthur Blomfield was asked to modify his design; but instead suggested the church consider the plans he had designed for Christ Church, Epsom, which was built in 1874. Today St. Michael's is an almost exact replica of Blomfield's work in Epsom, with the builder Naylor's estimate now coming in cheaper at a more affordable £7,563. The interior of the church is impressive, with a large chancel and east window. Below it is a massive carved wooden reredos featuring paintings of 24 saints in its panels. The stained glass windows are of good quality throughout the church. The east window was designed in 1880 by the workshops of Heaton, Butler and Bayne, who worked closely with Blomfield. The same firm also designed the west window. An arrangement of three pairs of triple windows in the north aisle feature scenes from the Old Testament, with the three pairs of corresponding windows in the south aisle featuring New Testament scenes. These windows were installed between 1882 and 1890 and were manufactured by Hardman & Co. It is likely the the designer was John Hardman Powell, a son-in-law of Augustus Pugin. The baptistry is contained within a small narthex at the west end of the church, with six small quatrefoil windows immediately behind it, arranged in three pairs of two. These were the first windows installed in the church, in 1880, manufactured by Hardman & Co. The church is well lit by a line of clerestory windows running below the roof of the nave. It is built on a cruciform plan, with the south transept holding the altar and the north transept used as a chapel. It was was converted into the Ascension Chapel in 1903 in memory of Kate Arkcoll by the surviving members of her family. I believe that the small apsed end of the chapel, containing two windows and housing a small altar covered with a golden tester dates from this early 20th century renovation. The north window of the Ascension Chapel is dedicated to the fallen in the First World War and was installed in 1925. There are some other items of interest in the church- a wooden money box carved in the shape of the church and two modernist paintings dating from the 1960s. Two similar designs exist in the neighbouring Parish Church of St. Andrew's at Barming Heath and it is likely these works are by the same designer. If true, the artist was Peter Milton, a former churchwarden at Barming Heath. Today St. Michael and All Angels maintains an Anglo-Catholic tradition within the Church of England and is under the episcopal care of the Bishop of Richborough. Text by Rob Baker

1851 Census Details

Seating Capacity: Not built

Morning Attendance: Not built

Afternoon Attendance: Not built

Evening Attendance: Not built

Architecture Details

Original Build Date/Architect: Blomfield 1876

Restoration:

Second Restoration:

Notes

Website

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