| Summary : Mainly 13th century with 14th century fenestration and with a 15th century west tower, but the west end of the north aisle incorporates walling of a Saxon basilican church. There is dispute as to whether the Saxon work is sub-Roman, circa 775-825, or 9th/10th century. Some Norman stonework is built into the later work and one may assume that a Norman church, detached from the Saxon building, once stood on the site of the nave, and caused the irregularity of its lines. It would have been of the usual type having an aisleless nave and square-ended chancel. A unique site, as there is no other surviving basilica of this size in England. Excavations in 1966 showed the building to be larger than first thought. It could be suggested that possibly a small, self-supporting community maintained an independent life into the 7th century, and continued to use the basilican church built in Roman or sub-Roman times.Lydd was one of the early minsters founded in Kent before 700. |
More information : (TR 04262095) All Saints Ch (NAT) (1)
Lydd Church is mainly C13th with a C15th west tower but the west end of the north aisle incorporates walling of a Saxon basilican church not earlier than the mid-10th c. Some Norman stonework is built into the later work and one may assume that a Norman church, detached from the Saxon building, once stood on the site of the nave, and caused the irregularity of its lines. It would have been of the usual type having an aisleless nave and square-ended chancel. (2)
In normal use. (3)
Lydd Church. A unique site, as there is no other surviving basilica
of this size in England. Excavations in 1966 showed the building to
be larger than first thought. It could be suggested that possibly a
small, self-supporting community maintained an independent life into
C7th, and continued to use the basilican church built in Roman or
sub-Roman times. Dr H.M Taylor in a prive communication to the author has now reviewed his dating and says the basilican form requires an C8th date. (4)
1355 All Saints Church.
TR 0420 NW 1/1 28.11.50. Grade A.
The parish church of Lydd, called the Cathedral of the Marsh. There
are the remains of a Saxon Basilica in the north west corner. The
Chancel and the 3 easternmost bays of the nave are Early English and
the 3 westernmost bays and tower are C15. The exterior is built of
ragstone rubble with a tiled roof. The tower is crenellated and has 4 crockets. Lierne vaulting inside. Nave and aisles. Fine C15 king-post roof supported by carvel corbels. 2 piscinas and a sedilia. Restored chancel roof. C16 memorial to Thomas Godfrey and an effigy of Sir Walter de Meryl, Lord of the Manor of Jacques Court. Brasses. Mid C18 font. (5)
A late Roman date for the small basilican building incorporated into
the north-west corner of Lydd Church is a possibility. However, there is no definite dating evidence apart from the fact that its small scale and regular arcading does not fit in with what is known at present of Anglo-Saxon churches. (6)
The church is archaeologically of the highest interest and
architecturally on a grand scale. It is visually the centre of Lydd.
The tower was built in 1442-1446 by Thomas Stanley, one of the senior
masons at Canterbury Cathedral. It is of ragstone, and is three stages high with low plain battlements.
The long, low church is of C13 date, but has suffered a number of
changes, particularly the bombing and subsequent complete rebuilding
of the chancel in 1958 by Anthony Swaine. Other parts of the church
were restored in 1951-3, but none of this work has spoilt the sober,
serious design, unenriched but not austere, of the C13 builder. The
proportions are everything, the details nothing. The church has a
wide nave and aisles, and seven-bay arcades of short circular piers.
The rough rubble walling of the NW corner is not an inspiring sight,
but it is the remains of a Saxon church. The remains of blocked
arches visible in the interior must have belonged to an unusually
small basilican, that is aisled, nave. The date of the church is
disputed,and the nearest parallel in size and plan is the C5
Romano-British church excavated at Silchester. The masonry shows none of the knowledge of Roman building techniques. In fact Lydd stands quite apart from Augustinian imports. (7)
All Saint's church, Lydd. The nave, chancel and aisles are of the
C13, with the windows being inserted in the C14. The tower is of the first half C15. (8)
Architectural remains of Saxon date were discovered at the west end of the church. Although affected by later alterations, and obscured by plaster, they were suggested as being the nave of an aisled basilican church. (9)
The remains of the Saxon basilica point to an extremely small church,
and could be dated to c. end C8. Since (a) the whitewash and
plastering have been removed, the Saxon features are now clearly
visible. It appears to date from the C9 or C10. (10)
In the documentary evidence, Lydd appears at the end of C8, although
was in existence earlier. Possibilities for the erection of the
church are the latter part of the C8, or the beginning of the C10
following the Danish invasion. There seems to be no work in the rest
of the church earlier than the C13, other than the pre-Conquest
building, and so the structure may have remained practically complete
until the enlargement of the church in the mid C13. As there is a general absence of late Saxon features at Lydd, a date of AD 775-825 could be suggested. (11)
At the west end of the church there are parts of the walls of what
appear to be a very small basilican church. The single splayed window widened to a double splay points to a date not later than the mid C8. The low level of the floor of the church compared with the ground surface, also emphasises its age. It is thought that it could be an early Saxon church of C8, but there is a possibility that it could be a survivor from Romano-British times. (12)
A small church with aisles, with a west annexe of some sort, and
probably an apsidal chancel. A visible junction between the original
Anglo-Saxon wall and C13 Early English wall exists. The nave was
26ft x 16 ft. Excavations are needed to establish the full extent of the church. A date of AD 775-825 is too early, as the double-splayed
window dates it to not before mid C10. (13)
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