More information : [TQ 92812972] St Mary's Church (NR) (site of) (1)
Ebeney Chapel shown at approx. the OS position. (2)
The Church of St Mary of Ebony is mentioned in various wills between 1468 and 1533. (3)
In 1858, the church of St Mary the Virgin, Ebony was rebuilt on a new site (TQ 92173067) as the old site was three quarters of a mile from the nearest road and houses. The graveyard survives and appears to have been in use up to c.1900. (4)
The derelict, hexagonal Chapel Bank graveyard (TQ 92812972) was surveyed in 1979 by the Tenterden Area Archaeological Group. A space among the gravestones easily fitted the approximate dimensions of the church demolished in 1858 (see illus). This was proceded by a much larger medieval church destroyed by fire in the 16th century. An excavation trench aligned east-west and another aligned north-south confirmed that the medieval church was, in fact, larger. Massive sandstone foundations (1.5m wide) were part of the original north wall and 8.0m south of them were found the much poorer foundations of
the probable later church. A stone, squarish platform appeared to be a pillar base, possibly of the medieval south aisle. The east-west aligned trench exposed foundations of a substantial wall, probably the east wall of the medieval church, beyond the grave-free area associated with the later church.
Finds included 14th and 15th century floor-tiles, some re-used in the second church; medieval pottery sherds and fragments of painted glass; seventeenth century window glass and a tiny silver coin identified as a contemporary forgery of a 14th century penny from York mint. Further work is planned for 1980. (5) (6)
Report of excavations 1977-1987. (7)
|