Listed Building record TQ 65 NE 11 - Church of St Michael, Offham

[TQ 66025807] St. Michael's Church [T.U.] (1) The church is dedicated to St. Michael. Advowson mentioned 'in the latter end of the reign of King Henry III [1216-1272] (2) The church consists of nave, chancel, north tower and south porch. The nave has a single Norman light in the north wall and traces of three others, blocked up, seen from within. Other windows are 15c. The west window is modern. Chancel windows are Early English lancets, one part-replaced by a 15c window. The east end lights are modern. The porch is 13c., and the tower Norman with 14/15c inserted windows. List of rectors given from 1267. The church is in use for ecclesiastical purposes. GP/AO/59/56/1 from SW. /2 from NE (3) In normal use. (4)
TQ 65 NE OFFHAM C.P. CHURCH ROAD 6/3 (west side) 25.8.59 Church of St Michael GV I Church. Circa 1100, additions of C12 and C13, alterations of C14 and C19. Ragstone rubble with plain tiled roofs. Nave, chancel and north tower, added in C12. 3 stage tower, C12 window in lowest stage and C15 top stage. One original window in nave, all others replaced in later C19. Chancel added in C13, south aisle added in C13, blocked and removed in C13, arches still visible inside nave. Lancets in chancels with round rerearches. Interior. C14 chancel arch, with squint each side and round relieving arch over. Stained glass: C15 angel in south west lancet. TQ 65 NE OFFHAM C.P. CHURCH ROAD 6/9 (west side) Frederick Addison chest tomb 15 yards south of Offham Church GV II Chest tomb. Dated 183. Stone. Large square chest tomb with panelled sides, cornice and low pyramid top. Frederick Addison, d. 183. (5-11)

Description from record TQ 65 NE 327:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 65 NE OFFHAM C.P. CHURCH ROAD 6/3 (west side) 25.8.59 Church of St Michael GV I
Church. Circa 1100, additions of C12 and C13, alterations of C14 and C19. Ragstone rubble with plain tiled roofs. Nave, chancel and north tower, added in C12. 3 stage tower, C12 window in lowest stage and C15 top stage. One original window in nave, all others replaced in later C19. Chancel added in C13, south aisle added in C13, blocked and removed in C13, arches still visible inside nave. Lancets in chancels with round rerearches. Interior. C14 chancel arch, with squint each side and round relieving arch over. Stained glass: C15 angel in south west lancet. Listing NGR: TQ6598357335 (11)

In 2023 an archaeological watching brief was carried out during construction of a new soakaway to the north west of the nave, and the connecting tranch to the north-west corner of the nave. No features were observed but several human long bones and two skulls were seen, one of which was only partial, and another which could have been part of a full inhumation (12). The bones were left in-situ.

<1> OS 6" 1936 (OS Card Reference). SKE48337.

<2> History of Kent, Vol.4. (1798) pp.537 ff (Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE44148.

<3> F1 ASP 06-JUN-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE41962.

<4> F2 ASP 19-FEB-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43136.

<5> DOE(HHR) Dist of Tonbridge and Malling Kent 1984 5-6 (OS Card Reference). SKE41091.

<6> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 440-441 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37894.

<7> Field report for monument TQ 65 NE 11 - June, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3298.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 65 NE 11 - February, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3299.

<9> Diocese of Rochester (Tim Tatton-Brown), 1991, Offham, St Michael and all Angels: Diocesan church survey (Unpublished document). SKE29454.

<10> P.J Tester, Arch Cant 1986, 1986, Architectural Notes on St. Michael's Church, Offham (Article in serial). SKE29288.

<11> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<12> Archaeology South-East, 2017, Archaeological Watching Brief Report St Michael’s Church, Offham Kent (Unpublished document). SKE58332.