Geograph - photograph every grid square

Grade I listed

There is some evidence for an Anglo-Saxon church here, but this was replaced around 1200 with the first masonry church.
The church dates from the mid-14th to the mid-15th century, it consists of a west tower, nave with north and south aisles, a choir and south chapel and chancel. There is a 14th century south porch.
The tower was erected in the first half of the 14th century and is built of ironstone with white ragstone corners, and was actually the last part of the church to be built. There are eight bells.
The south porch was built around the same time as the tower, there is a mass dial on the right side. The porch may possibly have had a parvise, but there is no room in existence now. The porch and some of the buttresses show grooves made by sharpening arrowheads, this was common in mediaeval times.
The north wall of the chancel has 13th century Lancet windows, and the chancel arch dates from the 14th century, as do the north aisle and tower arch. The chancel has a five light east window dating from circa 1472.
The north and south chapels were built in the 15th century in Perpendicular style. At the same time, the south aisle was raised and rebuilt with Perpendicular windows. Arches leading into the new chapels were built by breaking through the original 13th century walls of the church.

The present nave dates from the second half of the 13th century to the early 14th century. The nave arcades are of five arches, alternate round and octagonal.
There was originally a Rood screen, the Rood stairs were in an external turret.

The font dates from the 14th century and is hexagonal with Shields of Culpeper and Guldeforde.

At the eastern end of the south aisle is the south Chapel built in the 15th century by Sir Edward Guldeforde (d. 1449). His will asked that he be buried in the middle of the Chapel, and a large slab lies in the centre with indents for brasses which have long since gone. The Chapel contains several Memorials to the Gybbons family, one being to Robert Gybbons (died 1719 aged 77), which was restored in 1994. The Chapel has a piscina on the south wall from the 15th century. The east window has stained-glass portrayal the arms of Gybbons-Moneypenny, dated 1837.

The chancel was renovated in the 1930s. The chancel has a 15th century piscina in the south wall, and there was possibly a 13th century Easter Sepulchre on the north side.
The nave and aisles have a mediaeval roof with tie beams and king posts. There are several renditions of the "Green Man".
The north Chapel or Scotts Chapel contains several memorials and grave slabs and has a fine memorial to James Moneypenny who died in 1721, as well as his wife and children. The monument features two weeping putti, a garlanded urn and coat of arms.

The nave has a west Gallery upon which is the organ, dating from 1825.

The churchyard contains several table tombs, 18th-century headstones and several ancient Yew trees.

Grade I listed buildings and structures are of exceptional, even international importance. There are over 6,000 in the country. Only 2.5% of listed buildings are Grade I listed.
In Scotland the classification is Category A
Index: Link

Rolvenden is a village located on the A28 south west of Tenterden.
Wikipedia: Link
Parish council: Link