Hoo: St Mary
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 803 765
Kentish ragstone throughout, red tiled roofs. Although the nineteenth-century is much in evidence in all parts of this church, it seems likely that the restoration was sympathetic in that many of the existing features were faithfully reproduced anew. The exception is the east window which is a purely nineteenth-century form.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
West tower, rectangular nave with north and south porches, small chancel.
Description of Archaeology and History
The tower appears to be thirteenth-century, but since it has an evidently Perpendicular plinth, it can be ascribed to the later period, an unusually conservative re-building, perhaps, of a former tower. The nave is Decorated, and the chancel entirely of c. 1881 by E.A. Stephens, the date also of the north and south porches and the renewed of tracery of the nave windows. The work was carried out by J.G. Naylor & Son of Rochester. The north porch replaces a decayed mediaeval wooden one and the box pews were replaced by the present pine ones.
Exterior Description
Kentish ragstone throughout, red tiled roofs. Although the nineteenth-century is much in evidence in all parts of this church, it seems likely that the restoration was sympathetic in that many of the existing features were faithfully reproduced anew. The exception is the east window which is a purely nineteenth-century form.
The square west tower has from a distance almost a Saxon air, such is its severity. Not only that, but its tall, rather slender proportions also suggest such an early date. The slight off-set which divides it into two parts is lower than half-way up, and the lower part is windowless and doorless save for a tiny slit low on the west wall. The intermediate stage is lit by a small slit of similar size on the south, and one even smaller in each of the west and north walls. The belfry has small Perpendicular louvred openings with trefoiled heads, with paired on the north and south and single on the east and west.
The nave is a simple rectangle without aisles, symmetrical about both principal axes. Externally each lateral wall is divided into three bays by buttresses, each with two off-sets. The west corners are reinforced by similar buttresses, emphasising the corners here, a feature which does not recur at the east end. The central bay of each side has a nineteenth century porch extending from it, that on the south forming a vestry.
The windows, one in each of the four remaining bays, are of uniform tracery, Decorated with two ogee headed lights and then a wide mouchette as the principal tracary light.
The chancel repeats the proportions and the slope of the nave roof on a smaller scale, and is oddly short, and windowless in the lateral walls. The east window is of three lights with tracery of trefoils and mouchettes round a central octofoil.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
c.1900
The only stained glass in the church is in the east window, of three light representing The Virgin and Child with The Annunciationin a predella panel below. Above in a sexfoil is The Holy Dove, while of the flanking lights, that on the left represents St. Augustine of Canterbury robed as a Bishop with St. Augustine baptising King Ethelbert in the predella, and that on the right St. Thomas a Becket with his Martyrdom below.
Interior
Interior Description
Although aisleless, the interior of the nave is unexpectedly wide, and being also quite tall, gives the impression of a hall-church of a more Swedish than English type. The most important feature is the roof, carried on four massive beams which span the nave, that at the west lying against the wall while at the east there are two ends of a beam interrupted by the chancel arch which may once have run across as one beam. Above these beams, the roof structure appears to be nineteenth century, of simple design with octagonal kingposts but other wise no supports or braces. The underside of the roof is panelled.
The window reveals and door reveals are quite plainly outlined in unplastered stones with a slight chamfer from the edges. The floor, step lower than the paving of the porch, is paved with black and red nineteenth-century quarries and the pews are solid, of pitch pine.
There is no tower arch. This, together with the fact that the tower floor is lower than the nave, might give support to the earlier date for the tower as a whole.
Fixtures and fittings
Font (object)
The font came from Great Ponting in Lincolnshire before 1920, ard is a small nineteenth-century octagonal design of stone, set on an oak stand. Unusually small and low.
Reredos
The reredos is a memorial to the First World War (as recorded by a triptych in the nave). The central panel is filled with a carved representation of The Crucifixion while the other six panels have painted representations of the Instruments of Passion.
Altar
1903
The altar is a stout table in oak of a Stuart design
Organ (object)
Electronic organ by Selmer.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 803 765
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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