History of Holy Cross
The Saxon Arch
	Until 1948 it was thought that there was no surviving part of the Church earlier than the Norman work, which can be seen from the outside in the South wall, especially just west of the Porch. In that year, however, the portion of the arch at the west end of the nave, on the North side, was discovered. This is now encased in glass. The arch includes a single Kentish rag through-stone, resting on a tufa respond. It was evidently part of an earlier arcade between the nave and the original North aisle. In the opinion of Mr FC Elliston Erwood FSA, the authority on Kentish Churches, and of other experts, this arch is Saxon work, dating from before the Norman conquest. The presumption is that in Anglo-Saxon times Bearsted possessed a church of the basilican type, consisting of nave, North and South aisles, and chancel with an apse.* * a Saxon Church at Bearsted is mentioned in Textus Roffensis.
Back