Building record 0458600000 - ST MARY'S CHURCH, HADDENHAM

Dimensions - Length 36m, Width 15m.
The Parish Church of St Mary is built of rubble with limestone dressings. The chancel roof is tiled, all of the others are slated. The chancel, nave and West tower are ca.1215, and the chancel probably had two small contemporary transepts, which have since been rebuilt. The North and South aisles were built ca.1260 and widened in the C14th. The C13th foundations appear to have been weak since some of the walls and arches are not straight, and in the C14th, possibly because of this weakness, a roof of lower pitch than the former roof was added to the nave, and the two Westernmost bays of the arcade were rebuilt. The North porch was built in the C14th and altered in the C15th. Late in the C15th, the North chapel, or transept, was enlarged, an archway was cut through the East wall of the North aisle, and windows were inserted in the aisles. The present vestry,the site of the former South transept, is modern, but was first rebuilt in 1709, as recorded under the South arch of the chancel. The plaster ceiling of the nave, hiding the C14th roof, was built early in the C19th. The whole building was restored in 1860, and some of the stonework renewed at a later date. The church is of great interest as it retains much detail of an early date, and the C13th tower and C14th nave roof are especially worthy of note. (B4).
Church guidebook (B10).
Grade I. Parish church. Probably C12, but mostly early C13. Coursed rubblestone with ashlar dressings. Old tile roofs. Chancel, nave of 4 bays and west tower. North and south aisles widened in C14. North porch C14. North east chapel rebuilt late C15. South east chapel largely reconstructed. C19 east triplet of lancets; lancets to chancel side walls. Aisles with flowing C14 tracery to 2 north and central south windows, other windows C15, west one on south with flat head. North east chapel with C15 4- centre arched windows, 3-light to east, 5-light to north. West wall of aisles with trefoil windows. West Tower of 3 stages, lowest with set back buttresses. C13 window with modern lancets to middle stage. 5 bay arcades to belfry stage, 2nd and 4th as belfry windows. Parapets to roofs, except crenellated north porch with doors of 1637 (inscribed 'G.V., T.C. 1637'). Interior: Arches of 2 chamfered orders into chancel, chapels, nave arcades, 3 orders to tower arch, the outer 2 dying into the jambs. Moulded capitals. C18 coved plaster nave ceiling. C14 roof above. Font Mid C12 in form of fluted bowl with dragon frieze. C15 traceried screens into north east chapel and tower, probably part of rood screen. Pews with C15 poppy head bench ends. 3 piscinae, that to north-east chapel with diaper ornament. C15 stained glass in north east chapel east window, apostle figures and fragments. 3 small brasses in chancel. Wall monuments: 1627 Richard Beake, north-east chapel, Corinthian columns and entablature; 1677 John Marriott, chancel, oval with enriched foliage frame and arms over; 1702 Mary and Thomas Rose, nave south aisle, tablet with cornice and putto to apron. RCHM I. 176. MON.1 (B8).

In the Domesday Survey, the church was held of Archbishop Lanfranc by Gilbert the priest. It was granted to the Priory of St Andrew, Rochester, in the charter of William Rufus, and after Lanfranc's death, the charter was confirmed. It appears that an aisleless nave and chancel existed earlier than the end of the C12th, but the general character of the present building is due to an almost complete rebuilding early in the C13th (B11).
Listed as a late Saxon Minster (B12).

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.