Two miles further west we come to dear old Winchelsea. The church (built
between 1288-1292), of which only the choir and chancel, with some
portions of the transepts, now remain, was originally dedicated to St.
Thomas a Becket, but in the present day is called after St. Thomas the
Apostle. It possesses an exceptionally fine vane, perched on a curiously
squat, barn-like structure, which does duty for a tower. With its
creeper-covered dormer windows and a somewhat convivial-looking
chimney-pot sticking up out of one of them on the south side, it looks
more picturesque than ecclesiastical; but the beauty of the vane itself
at once arrests attention. I think it is one of the most elaborate
specimens of wrought ironwork, applied to such a purpose, that I have
met with; against a sunny sky it is like so much beautiful filigree--the
metal wind-plate is apparently a much later restoration, and is
perforated with the letters "W. M." and the date 1868. From the vane you
could almost jump into the old tree beneath which John Wesley preached
his last sermon. Eastward, but very little beyond the shadow of the
vane, is Tower Cottage, Miss Ellen Terry's country retreat. Mr. Harry
How, in a recent number of THE STRAND MAGAZINE, has told us in
one of his interesting "Interviews" of the quiet home life of the great
actress when staying here. What a glorious outlook the old vane has--on
the one hand quaint, sleepy Rye and the flat stretches of Romney Marsh;
to the north the great Weald of Kent; to the westward beautiful Sussex,
and straight in front the open sea of the English Channel.
[Illustration]
Folkestone makes a capital centre from which to go a-hunting vanes, but
before we start it is well worth while to glance for a few moments at
the modern one on the Parish Church of St. Eanswythe. It was designed,
about fifteen years ago, by Mr. S. S. Stallwood, the architect, of
Reading, who, by-the-bye, is, too, responsible for the fine west window.
The vane is of dark metal throughout, save for the gilt arrow, and
stands on a turret to the south-west of the Perpendicular embattled
tower. It is in excellent condition, notwithstanding its very exposed
position to the Channel storms. Down on the harbour jetty, surmounting
the lighthouse and hard by where the Boulogne mail-boats come in day by
day, is a vane with scrolly arms, well worth noting; and, again, on a
house out toward Shorncliffe, are a couple of "fox" vanes, one of which
blustering Boreas has shorn of its tail; poor Reynard, in consequence,
is ever swirling round and round--a ludicrous object--apparently ever
seeking and never finding the aforesaid tail.
[Illustration: On Cheriton Chvrch Tovver]
[Illustration: Near Cheriton. W. Hogg. 1892.]
About a mile inland, near the Old Hall Farm, on an outhouse or piggery,
is the subject of the accompanying sketch. It has certainly seen much
better days, and is rather a quaint specimen of the genus weather-vane.
It will be noted that rude winds have carried away, almost bodily,
three out of the four letters which denote the compass-points, but have
in mercy spared poor piggy's curly tail.
[Illustration: At Newington. W. Hogg. 1892.]
A mile or so further on is a daintily-designed but very simple vane,
which stands on the north-east corner of the tower of the ancient church
of St. Martin at Cheriton. Canon Scott Robertson, the well-known
antiquarian, pronounces this tower to be of unusual interest. He tells
us that it is probably pre-Norman, but certainly was erected before the
end of the 11th century. Traces of characteristic, rough, wide-jointed
masonry and a small, round-headed doorway should be specially noted. Let
us linger in the church itself for a few moments. In the north Chantry
(13th century) we shall find an interesting mural tablet thus
inscribed:--
"Here lieth Interred the Body of Mrs. Elizabeth Raleigh, Grand Daughter
of the FAMED Sr Walter Raleigh, who died at the Enbrook, 26 day of
October, 1716, aged 30 years."
It stands close to a finely carved pulpit four hundred years old. The
north porch is a memorial to the _first_ Lord Justice of England--Sir
James Lewis Knight-Bruce, who with his wife lies buried almost within
its shadow. On an old house close by is a "cow" vane--when I made the
sketch given, pigeons by the score from a neighbouring cote kept
perching on it in a very friendly and picturesque fashion. Two miles
further in the same direction brings us to the village of Newington,
which possesses one of the quaintest little churches in Kent. Among
other things it boasts some seventeen brasses--some dating back to the
15th and 16th centuries--an ancient dial, on oaken shaft fast mouldering
away--and a picturesque wooden belfry surmounted by a vigorously
modelled gilt weathercock in capital preservation.
[Illustration: At Sevington.]
On Sevington spire, near Ashford, is a daintily designed vane, dated
1866. Some storm has given it--as the sailors say--a list to port, but
that seems somehow not to take away from but to add to its charm. It is
interesting to note that not far from here is the house where once
resided Dr. Harvey, the famous discoverer of the circulation of the
blood.
[Illustration: At Orlestone]
[Illustration: At Sandgate]
[Illustration: At Maidstone]
A mile on brings us to Hinxhill--a dear, old-world place--its
picturesque little church, with ivy-covered walls, moss-grown roof,
quaint open-timbered chancel, and fine stained-glass, all go to make a
never-to-be-forgotten picture. On the little Early English spire is set
a vane simple and good in treatment, and thoroughly in accord with its
surroundings.
At Sandgate is a well designed "horse and jockey" vane on a flagstaff,
in a garden about fifty yards from where the ill-fated sailing ship, the
_Benvenue_, went ashore and sank, and which was blown up by order of the
Admiralty only last autumn.
Dover, too, has its share of interesting vanes; perhaps the one
belonging to St. Mary the Virgin is the best. It is attached to an old
lead-covered spire surmounting a decorated Norman tower with rich
exterior arcading, practically untouched by the unloving hand of the
so-called "restorer"; but there are several others in the older streets
of the town well worth noting.
The seeker for vanes, quaint and ancient, must on no account miss going
down the High Street of Tonbridge. There are three within a stone's
throw of each other which must be noted, specially the one locally known
as "The Sportsman"--he stands over a dormer window in the red-tiled roof
of an old house of the Sheraton period, immediately opposite the famous
"Chequers Inn." The house itself is very interesting; it has evidently
been, in its early days, of considerable pretension, but has been an
ironmonger's shop since 1804. On going within to make inquiries about
the vane, I gathered that it is at least 120 years old, probably much
more, the oldest part of the house being contemporary with the
"Chequers." The vane is cut out of thick sheet copper and strengthened
with stout wire in several places to keep it rigid, and the whole is
painted in colours (a very unusual feature), in imitation of the
costume of the period; and I was shown a curious old print of Tonbridge
in the time when the well-to-do farmers wore top-hats and swallow-tailed
coats, in which the vane is represented just as it appears at present.
Vane number two is a much weathered and discoloured one, almost within
touch, on a wooden turret surmounting the Town Hall--a typical Georgian
building, lately threatened with demolition, and for the further life of
which I noted a vigorous pleading in the pages of _The Graphic_ of
November 4th, 1892. Number three is a fox, rudely cut out of flat metal,
with a "ryghte bushie tayle," fixed on a house gable overlooking the
street.
[Illustration: The Sportsman Tonbridge]
[Illustration: At Rochester]
[Illustration: On Town Hall