Religion > Churches, Mosques, Synagogues and Temples

St Mary the Virgin .Upchurch

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CAT:
I quite agree Martin R regards the lack of use as a navigational point at Brookland, though worth considering the original route of the River Rother prior to the storm of c.1287, which would have seen Brookland closer to the river side than it is to the sea today. I could see the church tower/spire at Upchurch being utilised, but not constructed especially, though the other bipartite spire at Bexley is too far from the waters edge to be of any navigational use. 

MartinR:
Accepted that they are quite different, I was just drawing attention to the fact that Brookland could not be a navigation mark and does need to let the sound out which were the two theories put forward for Upchurch.  Given the chart information and position (it is not at the end of any reach or creek) I can't see the navigation idea.  Furthermore, it would often be in the distance against the sun (because it lies to the south of the river) which makes for difficult fine detail.  As a spire it is useful, but I personally don't buy the candle-snuffer design as a form of topmark.

CAT:
I had considered Brookland Bellfry Martin R, which in affect could be referred to as a triple 'candle snuffer', but dismissed this as not being quite the same as Upchurch, or Bexley church bipartite spires, both of which stand on stone towers and surmount the base of a traditional square pyramidical spire base. The Brookland belfry is a real oddity for Kent, and possibly unique in the county. Not to be confused with the timber west tower of High Halden church, though later in date is constructed similarly to that of Brookland with a central four-post square tower frame surrounded with an octagonal timber base. 

MartinR:
Have a look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Augustine%27s_Church,_Brookland which has a double candle-snuffer.  Originally it was an open framework, but was clad in C15.  Internally it is clear that the bells are carried on the original square frame mounted on massive ground beams whilst the cladding is carried on a lighter octagonal frame.  There's no chance of the original shape being a navigation mark, AIUI the break in the outline is purely to allow the sound of the bells to escape.  After all, enclosed quiet bells are a 21C phenomenon so as not to disturb the neighbours - historically the bells are meant to disturb them, and get them to the church on time.

CAT:
Interesting to know where in New Romney one of the other examples of this roof is. There is only one church in the town and it has no spire at all. I did wonder if it meant Old Romney, but that has a traditional 'Kentish' broach spire. I'll check the other Romney Marsh churches to see if any of those have this unusual spire type.

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