Three 12th Century Churches Part 1

Ailz was reading about an unsolved Kentish murder from 30 years ago- and the article mentioned, in passing (probably to emphasise how Miss Marpleish the set up was)- that the village where it took place has a 12th century church. "Right," she said, "That's where we're going on our day off."

In fact the village, Monkton, is flanked by two other villages with 12th century churches- St Nicholas at Wade and Minster in Thanet- both of which get stars in Simon Jenkins' 1000 Best English Churches.

And there are few things I like better than a 12th century church.

St Nicholas was open but parts of the building had been barricaded off as an anti-covid measure, Monkton church was closed and Minster in Thanet was not only open but offered unrestricted access....

Here's St Nicholas...



What I liked best about the interior were these Norman capitals in the south arcade. I shouldn't really have been in the south aisle- but the system of barricades was incomplete and I got to it without moving anything- and managed to take the pictures before the verger turned up and stood breathing heavily through her mask while plucking up courage to tell me I was out of order. The third face is not only a green man but a green king, which Jenkins says is unique...







I refrained from telling the verger I thought her barricades were pointless and officious- and made friends with her before leaving- and to show there were no hard feelings fed some coins into the collection box- where they got jammed in the slot. "Never mind," she said, she knew a man with a screwdriver...

And then we went on to Monkton....