Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

There is documentary evidence for an earthwork castle (motte and bailey?) erected in Stephen's reign and demolished in 1175. Stephen de Penchester was granted a licence to embattle his manor house here in 1281. The new stone castle is apparently in the corner of the original bailey. The castle was mentioned in 1340-41 and was described as being in bad condition in 1398-9. In the early 16th century Sir Henry Wyatt built the two-storeyed range that divides the courtyard into two unequal parts and a half-timbered block against the south-east corner of the curtain wall. The castle was a ruin in 1905. It was then acquired by Sir Martin Conway and by 1929, with W D Caröe as architect, was adapted into a usable home with scholarly restorations. These included the battlements, hall and the range that continues round to the gatehouse. The site remains in use as a private residence.

Summary from record TQ 75 NE 709:

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1100 to 1929

Monument Types

• DOVECOTE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CASTLE (Medieval to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
• MOTTE (Medieval - 1135 AD to 1175 AD)
• CASTLE (Medieval to Modern - 1281 AD? to 1905 AD?)
• PARK (Medieval to Unknown - 1304 AD?)
• COUNTRY HOUSE (Modern - 1929 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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[TQ 75205791] Allington Castle [GT] (Restored) [TQ 75265782] Motte [GT] (1)

Allington Castle is a fortified country house with a moat which connects with the Medway. The present building was erected between 1279 and 1299 and altered after 1492, and included buildings of the 12th c. It was thoroughly restored between 1905 and 1929. Two 12th c circular stone dovecots to the east and west of the north wall are said to be the earliest in England. The western one has been converted into an oasthouse. The first castle on the site was an early Norman moated mound to the south. [See plan AO/LP/63/94]. (2)

Above description correct. The castle, which is a Retreat, the property of the Carmelite Fathers, is in excellent condition. The western dovecot has been converted into a private residence. The other is ruinous, but is at present under repair. The motte is fragmentary and mutilated. See GPs, AO/64/118/2-5. Published 1/1250 survey revised. (3)

Allington Castle. The 1st castle on the site was a moated mound built by William de Warenne. In the 12th c further building took place to the north of this, but this castle was "overthrown" in 1174, and a small manor house built on the site. Portions of both these constructions were incorporated in the subsequent Castle. The present building was erected by Stephen de Penchester, or Penshurst, between 1279 and 1299 and continued by his son-in-law and successor Sir Henry de Cobham in the early 14th c. It was altered by Sir Henry Wyatt after 1492. It was forfeited to the Crown in 1554 at Sir Thomas Wyatt's rebellion. It subsequently became 2 farm houses and eventually fell into ruins, from which is was rescued by Lord Conway who, with his architect W D Caroe, thoroughly restored the Castle between 1905 and 1929. It is a square fortified country house consisting of buildings ranged round the inside of the courtyard with a curtain wall connecting them and semi-circular towers facing the moat which connects with the Medway. In the south-west corner is Soloman's Tower of 4 storeys, which is larger than the other towers. In the north-west corner is the gatehouse with restored machicolation and battlements, and iron- studded medieval double doors, approached by a barbican and stone bridge over the moat. The lower portions of the Gatehouse date from the 12th c manor house. The wing which divides the courtyard in half was built by Sir Henry Wyatt and contained a long gallery, which was probably one of the 1st long galleries in England to be constructed. This was later destroyed but was restored by Lord Conway. Sir Henry Wyatt added the timber-framed buildings in the south-east corner of the Castle which were the kitchen and offices. There are of 2 storeys and attic, the ground and 1st floors being of stone with 2 timbered gables above, rendered and overhanging on bressumers with moulded bargeboards and pendants and 1 gabled dormer. Casement windows with small square leaded panes. Sir Henry Wyatt also altered most of the windows of the castle. His son Sir Thomas Wyatt, the poet, was born here in 1503. The latter's son, Sir Thomas Wyatt, also lived here till his insurrection in 1554. Henry VII visited the Castle in Sir Henry Wyatt's time; Henry VIII in 1527, 1530 and 1536; also Cardinal Wolsey in 1527 and Catherine Parr in 1544. (4)

This restored and much refashioned building, in a very fine condition, is occupied by a community of Friars. The west dovecote is still in use as a private dwelling whilst the east dovecote which is roofless and now stands to under half its original height has many nesting boxes in situ. The feature shown on the 1905 map (2) as "the remains of early-Norman moated mound" lies at TQ 75265782. It is now traceable as a flat platform approximately 50.0 m by up to 30 m wide stands out a little above the surrounding sloping ground and is covered by young trees and bushes. Its west side is now overlaid by a car park, the south side disfigured by a boundary hedge and the east side almost completely cut away to extend a boat dock for the adjacent marina. The north side is skirted by the castle moat which has presumably been re-excavated since only its course was depicted on the 1905 map. Within the southern (or inner) courtyard is an unobtrusive patch of concrete set at ground level. It was surveyed by ASP (B) on the OS revision document and described by him there thus : "Foundations of semi-circular tower and adjoining rooms, probably part of keep of early 12th century adulterine castle, destroyed 1174-5, now marked out in concrete". ASPs informant on these details is not know and until some evidence to support the identification is forthcoming the site is best omitted from the OS plan. OS 1:1250 plan revised (earthworks of motte only). (5)

A large piece of masonry was encountered during the unmonitored excavation of a service trench within the walls of the fortified manor house in 1997. The stone work consisted of roughly hewn Kentish ragstone blocks bonded together with a pinkish shelly lime mortar. The wall probably forms part of the foundation of an adulterine keep/castle destroyed in 1174. An examination of the sections of the trench showed no other archaeological features. No artefacts were recovered from the spoil. After recording the masonry was removed under archaeological supervision. (12)

"There is documentary evidence for an earthwork castle (motte and bailey?) erected in Stephen's reign and demolished in 1175. Stephen de Penchester was granted a licence to embattle his manor house here in 1281. The new stone castle is apparently in the corner of the original bailey. The castle was mentioned in 1340-41 and was described as being in bad condition in 1398-9. In the early 16th century Sir Henry Wyatt built the two-storeyed range that divides the courtyard into two unequal parts and a half-timbered block against the south-east corner of the curtain wall. The castle was a ruin in 1905. It was then acquired by Sir Martin Conway and by 1929, with W D Caröe as architect, was adapted into a usable home with scholarly restorations. These included the battlements, hall and the range that continues round to the gatehouse. The site remains in use as a private residence." (13)

Description from record TQ 75 NE 709:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
CASTLE ROAD 1. 5278 ALLINGTON (South-East Side) Allington Castle TQ 75 NE 9/168 30.7.5l.
I GV
2. The 1st castle on the site was a moated mound built by William de Warenne. In the C12 further building took place to the north of this, but this castle was 'overthrown' in l17+, and a small manor house built on the site. Portions of both these constructions were incorporated in the subsequent Castle. The present building was erected by Stephen de Penctester, or Penshurst, between 1279 and 1299 and continued by his son-in-law and successor Sir Henry de Cobham in the early C14. It was altered by Sir Henry Wyatt after 1492. It was forfeited to the Crown in 1554 at Sir Thomas Wyatt's rebellion. It subsequently became 2 farm houses and eventually fell into ruins, from which is was rescued by Lord Conway who, with his architect W D Caroe, thoroughly restored the Castle between 1905 and 1929. It is a square fortified country house consisting of buildings ranged round the inside of the courtyard with a curtain wall connecting them and semi-circular towers facing the moat which connects with the Medway. In the south-west corner is Solomn's Tower of 4 storeys, which is larger than the other towers. In the north-west corner is the Gatehouse with restored machicolation and battlements, and iron-studded mediaeval double doors, approached by a barbican and stone bridge over the moat. The lower portions of the Gatehouse date from the C12 manor house. The wing which divides the courtyard in half was built by Sir Henry Wyatt and contained a long gallery, which was probably one of the lst long galleries in England to be constructed. This was later destroyed but was restored by Lord Conway. Sir Henry Wyatt added the timber-frame buildings in the south-east corner of the Castle which were the kitchen and offices. Them are of 2 storeys and attic, the ground and lst floors being of stone with 2 timbered gables above, rendered and overhanging on bressumers with moulded bargeboards and pendants and 1 gabled dormer. Casement windows with small square leaded panes. Sir Henry Wyatt also altered most of the windows of the Castle. His Son Sir Thomas Wyatt, the poet, was born here in 1503. The latter's son, Sir Thomas Wyatt, also lived here till his insurrection in 1554. Henry VII visited the Castle in Sir Henry Wyatt's time; Henry VIII in 1527, 1530 and 1536; also Cardinal Wolsey in 1527 and Catherine Parr in 1544. All the listed buildings at Allington Castle form a group. Listing NGR: TQ7522157907 (14)

The Castle was also the centre of an extensive park first referred to in a document of 1304. By 1573 it was over 350 acres in size but the boundaries of the park are unknown. (15)

Additional material (16-20)

<1> O.S. 1:1250 1956 (OS Card Reference). SKE47793.

<3> Arch. Cant. 28, 1909, 337-62 (plans, illusts.) (Sir W. M. Conway) (OS Card Reference). SKE36993.

<4> F1 ASP 06-MAR-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE41963.

<5> DOE (HHR) Dist of Maidstone Area Kent 2 8 74 16-17 (OS Card Reference). SKE40281.

<6> Allington Castle Guide 1983 (OS Card Reference). SKE32999.

<7> F2 MJF 13-AUG-86 (OS Card Reference). SKE43342.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 75 NE 20 - March, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3791.

<9> Field report for monument TQ 75 NE 20 - March, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3792.

<10> Field report for monument TQ 75 NE 20 - August, 1986 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3793.

<11> Untitled Source, Arch South East Field Survey Report 1997 (Unpublished document). SKE6451.

<12> Untitled Source, Arch South East WB Report 1997. (Unpublished document). SKE6451.

<12> Archaeology South-East, 1997, An Archaeological Watching Brief at Allington Castle, Maidstone, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE6655.

<13> Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders, 2001, Kent's Defence Heritage (Unpublished document). SKE6956.

<14> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<15> Susan Pittman, 2011, Elizabethan and Jacobean Deer Parks in Kent (Monograph). SKE32115.

<16> DR W E ST J FINNY (Collection). SKE6526.

<17> DR W E ST J FINNY (Collection). SKE6526.

<18> Not Given (Collection). SKE6507.

<19> Not Given (Collection). SKE6507.

<20> Archaeology South-East, 1997, An Archaeological Watching Brief at Allington Castle, Maidstone, Kent (Unpublished document). SKe6655.

Sources and further reading

Related records

Related thematic articles

• Kent's Castles (Thematic Essay)