History

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The connection between the village of Graveney and the Christian church can be traced back to a time before the Domesday Survey.

In 811 Canulph, King of Mercia, who had also made a successful take-over bid for the Kingdom of Kent, sold the manor of Graveney to Wilfred, Archbishop of Canterbury, for the use of Christ Church, Canterbury.

The Domesday Survey records the manor as being ‘ Terre militum Archieni’ (land held of the Archbishop by knights service) and tenanted by the de Gravene family.

The construction of the church building in terms of style and material sets it in the mid 12th century. The chancel arch, a simple Romanesque work of around 1160, is contemporary with the chancel walling, and the lancet windows in the north wall may have been influenced by the 1174 rebuilding of the Canterbury Quire, for here is the first evidence of the pointed arch.
 

It is probably safe to assume that the great east window, still to be traced in its label moulding, was a reticulated work of c1340-50 such as at new Romney; its double centred arch of a breadth to contain such tracery. It was replaced by a mature perpendicular window in the next stage of the building after the Black Death halted work (except for the c1400 Sedilia) for the next 100 years

 

At the east end of the south aisle there is a beautiful flowing window of c1330.
The surviving glass of the period c1320-30 may be found in two Windows: the south-west chancel light and the east window of the north aisle. In the former are fragments in gold, blue and red depicting figures. foliate capitals and areas of ruby colour. The latter contains representations of Mark the Lion and Luke the Bull.

 

In the south side of the Chancel is a perpendicular 3 seated Battlemented Sedilia hardly later than c 1400. Some parts of this Structure display 14 century details though the general design resembles 15c examples. 

 

The Chancel Screen is 15c; the nave arches on each side have been cut away from the rood loft, and the entrance door with steps can be sew to the north. Fragments of the screen's 14c predecessor were found among some church lumber between the wars. Stylistically comparable to the south-east chancel window and east window of the south aisle, the screen remains bear evidence of gold gesso and must date from 1320-13330
The Pulpit came from Faversham Parish Church and has some fine caning of fruit and leaves including the pea pods of Grinling Gibbons.
In the south aisle them is a tomb with a fine canopy; embattled and with the remains of the Dodde brass. The Piscina to the east of it has a round basin projecting from the wall. There is also a Piscina in the south east wall of the north aisle.

 

The octagonal Font is 15c. The curved faces of the bowl have carved on them the implements of Passion; the Arms of the Archbishop and Tudor Roses.
Visitors to Graveney often ask when the Box Pews were installed At a Vestry meeting in May 1822 it was agreed that there should be two rows of pews on each side of the church. In February 1823 it was decided that this resolution should be pm into effect immediately.

 

The Pews on the south aisle are 15c. Them are also some ancient benches with parts of a screen incorporated in the Chancel. In 1925 Archdeacon Hardcastlee recommended that the box pews should be replaced by chairs, The PCC warmly welcomed the idea but the price, E1-4s-6d for each chair, was prohibitive so the removal of the pews was postponed and never discussed again!

 

In the south aisle and of great interest is a 13c chest with five incised trefoil arches on the front.

 

Graveney's brasses all commemorate members of the Dodde family. Judge Martin was a judge of the Kings Bench and is shown in his official robes with a coif upon his head; his feet rest upon a lion and in his hands he holds a heart inscribed with the letters IHU MCY. His wife is dressed in a kirtle under a mantle and has a horned headdress. Judge Martin's will instructed that he should be buried in the "new Chapel qf the Blessed Mary there before the alter and a marble slab he placed over my grave". He built much of Graveney Court.
A later Judge Martyn (I533) left £6-13s-4d to a priest to sing, for one year after his death, in the chapel of St John the Baptist.

 

In the churchyard there are the graves of Airson "Bunch" Keys known comedian and Kit Pedlar, a modern writer.