History

Constructed in the 1840s to replace the small medieval church at Seasalter, St.Alphege church is somewhat deceptive from the outside. The west front of the church is made of squared ragstone blocks, typical of the period but as you peer round the corner, you will see the church is made of stock brick.

It was built to hold hundreds of parishioners and in the 1860s a west gallery was erected to increase the seating accommodation and to take a bold organ (now in the north transept). The beautiful church chancel still has its original Decalogue and Lord’s Prayer on display, whilst above it three late nineteenth century paintings include a vision of St Alphege whose body passed through here on its way to reburial in Canterbury Cathedral. Unusually, although this church never charged pew rent, the bench ends are numbered so that each parishioner had an allotted seat.

The base of the font from Seasalter is now to be found in the south transept. St.Alphege has a seating capacity of approx 450 people and is truly at the heart of Whitstable town, an integral part of a vibrant Christian community.

Art

The Millennium Screen

(See “A Celebration of the Millennium of the Martyrdom of St Alphege” Faversham Life 18 April 2025 for an interview with artist, Sonia McNally)

Travel through Europe and you will see cathedrals, churches and chapels richly adorned with works of art, covering the walls, the windows and the ceilings. For a medieval person, entering one of these buildings would be like walking into a box of jewels, a vast contrast to their everyday lives, a sense of heaven on earth. Travel back through time to before the Reformation in the 16th century and the picture would be the same this country. The Victorian period of church building saw a revival in artistic decoration often based on the medieval period, however St Alphege Town Church in the heart of Whitstable was built along more simple lines. It therefore seemed appropriate that when time came to celebrate the millennium of St Alphege’s martyrdom (1012 A.D.), a piece of art was commissioned as a permanent record of his life, witness and death.

The usually illiterate medieval churchgoer, would have been accustomed to following accounts from the Bible or the lives of the saints through a series of images, which would tell the story. This is what the artist has aimed to achieve in the 12 panels that comprise the millennium screen, together with themes reflecting modern Christianity.

Situated between the Narthex and the Nave, it is hoped the screen will heighten the spiritual atmosphere of the church and the experience of all who visit: pilgrims, tourists, and local people. To quote Thomas Becket, St Alphege was “Canterbury’s first Martyr” ( Shaw, p 10), yet his story is not widely known; the screen will help to rectify this. The children of St Alphege Church of England Infant School were also involved in designing a window for their school building. Their involvement has ensured St Alphege’s story is known to the younger generation.

Local artist Sonia McNally, was chosen to design and produce the screen. Sonia studied Fine Art at Canterbury Christ Church University and has used the Cathedral as a subject for her work, paying particular attention to the medieval stained glass windows.