St Philip's Church, Maidstone , Kent

St Philip's Church, Maidstone Church

Image Source: Rob Baker

The third 19th century church to be built in the rapidly expanding County Town of Kent, St. Philip's was commissioned in 1856 to serve a newly constructed suburb then known as Kingsley, located a short distance south of Maidstone's centre. It was built at the summit of Kingsley Road, an uphill street of typical mid-Victorian terraced houses. The original architects were the father and son partnership of John Whichcord Snr. and Jnr. Whichcord Snr. was an established local architect responsible for a number of buildings in Maidstone; including the Commissioners church of the Holy Trinity in the town centre (1826) and the Oakwood psychiatric hospital at Barming (1833). Whichcord Jnr. later designed Brighton's famous Grand Hotel. Constructed from locally quarried Kentish ragstone, the church was consecrated in 1858. It was originally a plain rectangular building consisting of a nave, small chancel and a strange looking vestry to the south east which featured a turretted bell tower. It soon proved to be of insufficient size to cater for the subsequent increases in Maidstone's population. It was enlarged in 1869 with the addition of a north aisle and then extended again in 1878 when the chancel was completely rebuilt into the Gothic apse which stands today. The organ chamber was also added, along with the covered west porch and the impressive north tower with its tall spire which penetrates the skyline and is a local landmark visible from across the town. The main entrance to the church is through the base of the tower which looks straight down the Kingsley Road. The architect for these significant later additions was Edward Stephens, a local man who also designed St. Faith's, another church with an apsed chancel located in Brenchley Gardens in town centre. The funding for the enlargement was provided by a pair of brothers, John and Thomas Hollingworth. Several generations of the Hollingworth family had owned Turkey Court, an 18th century manor house next to Turkey Mill, an industrious paper mill that provided much employment in the 19th century, with many of the mill workers living in the streets around the church. The chancel was rebuilt in memory of their parents Thomas and Elizabeth and pre-deceased siblings Frances and Ollive, who had been a vicar in Hollington, Sussex. The apse is a stunningly beautiful piece of Victorian Gothic. Five vividly colourful stained-glass windows designed by Mayer of Munich overlook a spiky reredos with vine and branches imagery painted in its two bays. This is flanked by five blank arcades on either side that were originally used by the clergy and choir. The Hollingworth brothers also enlarged and restored the organ in 1886 as a thank offering following their deliverance from a devastating fire at Turkey Court the previous year. A small plaque at the base of a wooden door panel featuring exuberant paintings of minstrels records this fact. The organ was again restored and rededicated in 1954 and is still in use today. In 1967 the spacious interior was crudely partitioned. This was in keeping with a number of other urban churches built in the Victorian-era which lacked a separate church hall - a component that was becoming increasingly vital to the churches' continuing mission in the 20th century. The west end of the nave was converted into a hall while the north aisle was compartmentalised into two storeys with kitchen, lavatories and another hall on the ground floor and additional rooms on the first floor. 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: Whichcord 1856

Restoration:

Second Restoration:

Notes

Website

http://www.stphilip-maidstone.org.uk

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