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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 55 SE 95
Type of record:Listed Building
Name:IGHTHAM MOTE

Summary

Ightham Mote is a Grade I listed 14th-century Medieval moated manor house near Sevenoaks. The house was constructed in 1340 but a number of alterations have since been made. The house is surrounded by an impressive garden with lakes and woodland areas. A number of rooms and exhibitions are open to the public including a great hall, crypt, old chapel, drawing room and billiards room. There has been extensive conservation at the site and a Tudor chapel with hand-painted ceiling and a Grade I listed dog kennel are also available to view.

Summary from record TQ 55 SE 2 :

Ightham Mote is a Grade I listed 14th-century Medieval moated manor house near Sevenoaks. The house was constructed in 1340 but a number of alterations and additions have since been made. The house is surrounded by an impressive garden with lakes and woodland areas. A number of rooms and exhibitions are open to the public including a great hall, crypt, old chapel, drawing room and billiards room. There has been extensive conservation at the site and a Tudor chapel with hand-painted ceiling and a Grade I listed dog kennel are also available to view.

Summary from record TQ 55 NW 79 :

Ightham Mote is a Grade I listed 14th-century Medieval moated manor house near Sevenoaks. The house was constructed in 1340 but a number of alterations and additions have since been made. The house is surrounded by an impressive garden with lakes and woodland areas. A number of rooms and exhibitions are open to the public including a great hall, crypt, old chapel, drawing room and billiards room. There has been extensive conservation at the site and a Tudor chapel with hand-painted ceiling and a Grade I listed dog kennel are also available to view.

Images

Ightham Mote   © Explore Kent
Grid Reference:TQ 58476 53485
Map Sheet:TQ55SE
Parish:IGHTHAM, TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT

Monument Types

  • FISHPOND (FISHPOND, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • MOAT (MOAT, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • CHAPEL (Medieval - 1335 AD to 1365 AD) + Sci.Date
  • HOUSE (Medieval - 1335 AD to 1365 AD) + Sci.Date
  • MANOR HOUSE (Medieval to Modern - 1340 AD to 2050 AD)
  • CHAPEL (Medieval - 1471 AD to 1499 AD) + Sci.Date
  • CHAPEL (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1500 AD to 1599 AD)
  • HOUSE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1500 AD to 1599 AD) + Sci.Date
  • FISHPOND (FISHPOND, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • MOAT (MOAT, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1600 AD to 1699 AD) + Sci.Date
  • TOWER (Post Medieval - 1600 AD to 1699 AD)
  • HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)
  • HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1899 AD)
Protected Status:Scheduled Monument 1013120: IGHTHAM MOTE MEDIEVAL MOATED SITE; Listed Building (I) 1362410: IGHTHAM MOTE

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 55 SE IGHTHAM MOTE ROAD 3/11 (east side)
1.8.52 Ightham Mote GV I
House. Present buildings date at least from circa 1340-1360, with much addition since. Moated, 4 ranges round courtyard with smaller yard behind to east. West front 2 ranges either side of west tower. Coursed rubble stone to left and right, the upper parts galletted, the lower ungalletted. Plain tiled roofs with end stacks. Central tower random rubble stone with early C16 crenellated brick parapet. Two storeys to sides, 3-storey tower. Three windows either side of centre almost symmetrical, save first floor to left with one larger 3-light window with dripmould centrally-placed. Two-light lattice casement windows with round heads in square frames. Three-light lattice casements with dripmould and cusped heads to lights on first and second floors of tower. Main entrance arch in larger, shallower arched surround. Large double doors with smaller door in right-hand one. North front. Deep random rubble basement. Random rubble gable end of west front to right with stone C18 Palladian window inserted in C16 window surround. Two timber-framed ranges to left. Right-hand range taller with plain tiled roof and coved eaves at right-hand end. Large off-ridge stack to left. Three large casements regularly placed around centre of range and smaller casement to left. Lower framed range to left with plain tiled roof and 3 brick stacks off-ridge to rear. Irregular 3 window front, stone casements below, wooden casements above. East front. Random rubble ground floor, mixture of random rubble and timber-framing above. Framed gable end at extreme right-hand end, large wooden casement on first floor. Stone gable end to left of it taller with windows on first floor and in attic. Central timber-framed block, close-studded. Plain tiled roof with 2 different roof pitches. Three storeys, irregularly fenestrated, 3 windows on second floor, 2 on first floor. Arched entrance with bridge over moat on ground floor to left. Gable end large brick stack to left. Stone mullioned window on all 3 floors of gable. South front. Random stone, below random stone gable and to left. Timber-framed return gable at right-hand end. Central part jettied over ground floor as is the right-hand gable, recently covered with applied timbering. Plain tiled roof with 2 brick stacks, left and right of centre. Two storeys; 7 window first floor, 7 window ground floor, all casements, mostly with arched heads in square surrounds. Courtyard. West side. Central tower with main entrance to courtyard below, and two 3-light windows with cusped heads to the lights and dripmoulds on first and second storeys above. North side. Timber-framed with wooden loggia to right on the ground Floor and the 3 chapel windows above. Staircase projection to left with small wooden bell-turret on gable. East side. Hall range. Random rubble and tall storey to right, timber-framed with 2 return gables and 2 storeys to left. Entrance to hall at extreme right with moulded arch of Bethersden marble. Five-light lattice casement window with possibly original glass and 5 stained-glass coats-of-arms to left of the entrance. Cusp-headed lights in square-headed surround with dripmould. Both gables with C16 decorated barge-boards. Large oriel window on coved footing flanked by smaller casements. One pane of glass in this oriel is inscribed 'John Rauner, 1680', the name of,the glazier and the date of the introduction of the window. Central gabled dog-kennel, half-timbered, added in 1891. Windows on the north and east sides have Gothick-headed glazing bars, added circa 1800. Interior: Built circa 1340-60. Possibly never had a screens passage for there is a lancet of contemporary date where the answering doorway to the main entrance should have been. Two arched doorways in south end wall, that to right larger, possible the original buttery and pantry entrances. Trussed rafter roof with collar purlin and crown-post resting in stone sphare arch which rests on a pair of carved corbels. Wooden arches at each end also resting on carved corbels Panelling and fireplace surround by R Norman Shaw, 1872. Crypt. Circa 1340-60,2 bays with pair of quadripartite rib vaults. Original chapel. Circa 1340-60, converted into 2-rooms, 1521-27. Original arched dorway with moulded surround. Depressed ogee-arched squint into Oriel Room. On site of original solar. Trussed rafter roof with 2 crown posts and one king post on tie beams. Jacobean revival 2-tier fireplace, 1866. Staircase, circa 1620. Two-flight rectangular square newel with Italian balusters. Carved Saracen's head on lower newel post. Chapel 1521-27. Wooden barrell vault with 3 tie-beams, decorated with painted royal badges and chevrons. Contemporary screen, pairs, pulpit and sounding board. Stained glass possibly Cologne in origin and circa 1525, in one window. West door, circa 1340-60, boarded with long strap hinges. Drawing Room. South fireplace 2 tier, circa 1620, and carved frieze of same date. Hand-painted Chinese wallpaper of C18, restored in 1891-92, same date as north-west neo-Jacobean, 1891-92. Chapel Staircase. 1891-92. See Country Life, I, 406; 21; 414; 71; 240.
Listing NGR: TQ5843553324


From the National Heritage List for England:
"Details
Ightham Mote includes an exceptionally well preserved moated manor house, a nearly-square moat some 50m long by 7-10m wide, an infilled fishpond and an outer courtyard of buildings. The evolution of the building from a hall-house with adjoining solars and chapel in the mid-14th century to a grand Jacobean mansion set around a quadrangle in the 17th century is documented both historically and archaeologically. Such moated sites are generally seen as prestigious residences of the Lords of the manor, the moat not only marking the high status of the occupier but also serving to deter casual raiders and wild animals. In the mid-16th century an outer courtyard to the west of the house was enclosed by ranges of half-timbered stables, staff quarters and a gatehouse. Only the western end of this courtyard survives, a fire having destroyed the remainder. The central area is now a lawn. To the north of the house the lawn occupies the area of a former fish-pond which would have provided fish for the table. The date of its construction is unknown, but it was infilled between 1789 and 1849 as part of a change in fashion towards lawns and landscaped gardens. The standing remains include Listed Buildings: Manor House, Grade I, The West Range (Moat Cottages) and eastward projecting walls of the West Range, Grade II*. All standing remains, with the exception of the two lengths of walling on the north and south of the western courtyard, are excluded from the scheduling. The ground beneath all these structures is included in the scheduling.

Reasons for Designation
Around 6,000 moated sites are known in England. They consist of wide ditches, often or seasonally water-filled, partly or completely enclosing one or more islands of dry ground on which stood domestic or religious buildings. In some cases the islands were used for horticulture. The majority of moated sites served as prestigious aristocratic and seigneurial residences with the provision of a moat intended as a status symbol rather than a practical military defence. The peak period during which moated sites were built was between about 1250 and 1350 and by far the greatest concentration lies in central and eastern parts of England. However, moated sites were built throughout the medieval period, are widely scattered throughout England and exhibit a high level of diversity in their forms and sizes. They form a significant class of medieval monument and are important for the understanding of the distribution of wealth and status in the countryside. Many examples provide conditions favourable to the survival of organic remains.

Ightham Mote is a particularly important example because the detailed historical and archaeological documentation of the site makes it one of the most informative examples in the country, and underlines the importance of the large amount of archaeological evidence considered to survive beneath the present structures, beneath the lawn to the north and beneath the courtyard to the west." (28)


Description from record TQ 55 NW 79 :
A house of courtyard plan, lying within a moat, with further buildings in an outer court to the west. The earliest parts of the house date from the mid C14, recently confirmed by tree-ring samples. Later alterations and additions

Description from record TQ 55 SE 2 :
[TQ 5846 5347] Ightham Mote [NR] (1) Ightham Mote - a roughly square house, built round a centre courtyard, with its outer walls rising, for the most part, straight out of the water of the moat which surrounds it: early 14th century with 16th century and 17th century additions. (2) Ightham Mote: a medieval and later moated manor house occupied and in good condition. Ornamental ponds above the moat undoubtedly represent former fish or supply ponds. Published 25" survey correct. (Pamphlet supplied.) (3) Ightham Mote, Grade I, Mote Road (east side). House, present building dates at least from circa 1340-1360. Moated. Stable Building 20 yards to east of Ightham Mote, Grade II, Mote Road (east side). Late 19th century. Gates, Gatepiers and Mounting Block to south-west of Ightham Mote, Grade II, Mote Road (east side). Early 19th century. Garden Urn 30 yards west of Ightham Mote, Grade II, Mote Road (east side). Late 18th century. Stone. (For full descriptions see list.) (4) [TQ 584 535] Ightham Mote, listed as a moated site in the Kent County Checklist - December 1979 and December 1977. (5)(6) Ightham Mote is the most complete small medieval manor house in the county. The earliest known owner of the Mote is Sir Thomas Cawne, in the third quarter of the 14th century. However the kernel of the house is older than that. In the 15th century it belonged to the Hauts. Richard Haut was Sheriff of Kent in 1478 and 1483, but forfeited his estates at the death of Edward IV. His son got them back, lost them again, and the grandson, as soon as he came of age, c.1506, sold Ightham Mote to Sir Richard Clement. Late in the 16th century it passed to the Selbys. (Full architectural description of Mote follows as Authority 4.) The Chapel must be Sir Richard Clement's addition, for the pomegranate of Aragon is painted with the Tudor rose on the wagon roof. It is perfectly preserved, with a screen and pulpit with linenfold panels and a pretty pierced Prieze on the tester. No Renaissance details; indeed the tracery looks more like the late 14th century than the early 16th century. Linenfold panelling of the sanctuary. Pews with poppyheads. Stained glass: big figures under Germanic-looking canopies. Garish colours. Again the Aragon emblem is incorporated. (7) Ightham Mote, property of the National Trust. One of the best known moated houses in the country, dating from the 14th century. Covenant given by Mr C. H. Robinson in 1954. Covenants over 30 acres adjoining given by Mr C. H. Robinson and Mr J. Goodwin in 1963. covenants over 20 acres of Scathes Wood given in 1968 by Mr J. Goodwin. (8) Detailed architectural account and plans and Selby family tree.(9-11)

Archaeological studies undertaken during restoration work 1989 onwards of Ightham Mote NT property and Laundry Cottage. Work includes building survey, tree-ring dating and stone anaylsis. (20 also 28)

A watching brief was carried out on re-paving of Fountain Garden and work to the cobbles in the Great Courtyard in 2005 and 2006. In the courtyard the cobbles were examined but could not be firmly dated. Beneath them a sandy context was found that may relate to the original construction of the island on which the Mote sits. No significant finds were discovered in the Fountain Garden. (21)

Dendrochronology dating of the first floor joists of the west gate tower. Date range 1322-1347. Dendrochronology of the roof of the new chapel / former long gallery. Date range 1471-1481. (22)

Dendrochronology dating of the roof over the N-S solar range. Date range 1321-1367. Dendrochronology dating of the roof over the hall. Date range 1326-1367. Dendrochronology dating of the roof over the chapel. Date range 1333-1367. (23)

Dendrochronology dating of the centre portion of the east range. 4 phases of constuction. Unclear from website summary which phase is cited. One phase dated to 1417-1437, another to 1534-1554. Dendrochronology dating of the roof of the north-west range. Date range 1469-1489. (24)

The first floor of the west range was later rebuilt to form a drawing room. Dendrochronology gave a felling date of c.1610. (25)

Dendrochronology dating of the close studding and jetty of the east range gave a date range of 1469-1489. Date range of 1477-1497 for the jetty joists, 1555/6 for the stud post, and 1557/8 for the wall post. (26)

Dendrochronology dating of the gallery along the northern side of the courtyard gave a date range of 1504-1524. Panels from the drawing room dated to 1614-1633. (27)


National Trust, 1995, National Trust Annual Archaeological Review (Article in serial). SKE53712.

National Trust, 1998, National Trust Annual Archaeological Review (Article in serial). SKE53713.

National Trust, 1999-2000, National Trust Annual Archaeological Review (Article in serial). SKE53714.

<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> MHLG (2227/11/A May 1950) 53-4 (OS Card Reference). SKE47012.

<3> F1 CFW 23-JUL-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42730.

<4> DOE(HHR) Dist of Tonbridge & Malling Kent May 1984 9 (OS Card Reference). SKE41089.

<5> Moated Site Res Gp 6 1979 47 (ed C J Bond) (OS Card Reference). SKE47234.

<6> Arch Cant 93 1977 221 (T Tatton Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE36145.

<7> Bldgs of Eng West Kent & Weald 1980 344-347 illus (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38039.

<8> The Properties of the National Trust 1978 101 (OS Card Reference). SKE50484.

<9> Arch Cant 27 1905 1-36 illus (H Taylor) (OS Card Reference). SKE34913.

<10> Arch J 20 1863 386-388 (OS Card Reference). SKE36594.

<11> Arch Cant 24 1900 189-200 (J Oldrid Scott,CE Woodruff) (OS Card Reference). SKE34868.

<12> Arch Cant 45 1933 116 (A Vallance) (OS Card Reference). SKE35147.

<13> Trans Battle Hist Soc 8 1959 18 (OS Card Reference). SKE50630.

<14> Arch J 62 1905 (OS Card Reference). SKE36660.

<15> Archaeologia 107 1982 153-163 illus (D Starkey) (OS Card Reference). SKE37299.

<16> Ightham Mote 1952 Illus Particulars Plan & Conditions of Sale (Pamphlet) (OS Card Reference). SKE44202.

<17> Ightham Conservation Study 1980 (Tonbridge & Malling DC) (OS Card Reference). SKE44201.

<18> KARU (OS Card Reference). SKE45470.

<19> Field report for monument TQ 55 SE 2 - July, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2828.

<20> National Trust, ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES UNDERTAKEN DURING BUILDING RESTORATION WORK 1989 ONWARDS of IGHTHAM MOTE, IVY HATCH, KENT (Unpublished document). SKE7424.

<21> Peter Leach, 2006, Archaeological studies undertaken during building restoration work 1989 onwards of Ightham Mote, Ivy Hatch, Kent: Volume 7 The Great Courtyard and Fountain Garden 2005-6 (Unpublished document). SKE13644.

<22> Vernacular Architecture Group, ADS Dendrochronology Database, Vol. 25, Pg. 36 (Website). SKE17391.

<23> Vernacular Architecture Group, ADS Dendrochronology Database, Vol. 19, Pg. 48 (Website). SKE17391.

<24> Vernacular Architecture Group, ADS Dendrochronology Database, Vol. 27, Pg. 78 (Website). SKE17391.

<25> Vernacular Architecture Group, ADS Dendrochronology Database, Vol. 28, Pg. 124 (Website). SKE17391.

<26> Vernacular Architecture Group, ADS Dendrochronology Database, Vol. 26, Pg. 47 (Website). SKE17391.

<27> Vernacular Architecture Group, ADS Dendrochronology Database, Vol. 30, Pg. 90 (Website). SKE17391.

<28> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<29> Peter Leach and Peter Rumley, 2004, Archaeological Studies Undertaken During Building Restoration Work 1989 Onwards of Ightham Mote, Ivy Hatch (Unpublished document). SKE17653.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
---Article in serial: National Trust. 1995. National Trust Annual Archaeological Review. Vol 4 pp 14.
---Article in serial: National Trust. 1998. National Trust Annual Archaeological Review. Vol 6 pp 34-35.
---Article in serial: National Trust. 1999-2000. National Trust Annual Archaeological Review. Vol 8 pp 41.
<1>OS Card Reference: OS 6" 1961.
<2>OS Card Reference: MHLG (2227/11/A May 1950) 53-4.
<3>OS Card Reference: F1 CFW 23-JUL-64.
<4>OS Card Reference: DOE(HHR) Dist of Tonbridge & Malling Kent May 1984 9.
<5>OS Card Reference: Moated Site Res Gp 6 1979 47 (ed C J Bond).
<6>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 93 1977 221 (T Tatton Brown).
<7>OS Card Reference: Bldgs of Eng West Kent & Weald 1980 344-347 illus (J Newman).
<8>OS Card Reference: The Properties of the National Trust 1978 101.
<9>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 27 1905 1-36 illus (H Taylor).
<10>OS Card Reference: Arch J 20 1863 386-388.
<11>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 24 1900 189-200 (J Oldrid Scott,CE Woodruff).
<12>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 45 1933 116 (A Vallance).
<13>OS Card Reference: Trans Battle Hist Soc 8 1959 18.
<14>OS Card Reference: Arch J 62 1905.
<15>OS Card Reference: Archaeologia 107 1982 153-163 illus (D Starkey).
<16>OS Card Reference: Ightham Mote 1952 Illus Particulars Plan & Conditions of Sale (Pamphlet).
<17>OS Card Reference: Ightham Conservation Study 1980 (Tonbridge & Malling DC).
<18>OS Card Reference: KARU.
<19>Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 55 SE 2 - July, 1964.
<20>Unpublished document: National Trust. ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES UNDERTAKEN DURING BUILDING RESTORATION WORK 1989 ONWARDS of IGHTHAM MOTE, IVY HATCH, KENT.
<21>Unpublished document: Peter Leach. 2006. Archaeological studies undertaken during building restoration work 1989 onwards of Ightham Mote, Ivy Hatch, Kent: Volume 7 The Great Courtyard and Fountain Garden 2005-6.
<22>Website: Vernacular Architecture Group. ADS Dendrochronology Database. Vol. 25, Pg. 36.
<23>Website: Vernacular Architecture Group. ADS Dendrochronology Database. Vol. 19, Pg. 48.
<24>Website: Vernacular Architecture Group. ADS Dendrochronology Database. Vol. 27, Pg. 78.
<25>Website: Vernacular Architecture Group. ADS Dendrochronology Database. Vol. 28, Pg. 124.
<26>Website: Vernacular Architecture Group. ADS Dendrochronology Database. Vol. 26, Pg. 47.
<27>Website: Vernacular Architecture Group. ADS Dendrochronology Database. Vol. 30, Pg. 90.
<28>Map: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.
<29>Unpublished document: Peter Leach and Peter Rumley. 2004. Archaeological Studies Undertaken During Building Restoration Work 1989 Onwards of Ightham Mote, Ivy Hatch.

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