Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1762 to 1872. Country House 1762-1766 with later alterations

Monument Types

• COUNTRY HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1762 AD to 1872 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TR 04 SE 6 :
[TR 06044049] Mersham-le-Hatch (School) [NAT] (1) Country house, Grade I, Merhsam-le-Hatch. Construction commenced 1762 and was completed in 1765. The interior was completed between 1766 and 1772. (For full description see list). (2,3) Mersham-le-Hatch, covenanted to the National Trust. (4) Mersham-le-Hatch, the home of the Knatchbulls from 1485, is still owned by them in the person of Lord Brabourne, although now occupied by the Caldicott community. Building commenced 1762 and was completed in 1765 under Robert Adam, architect. The general design remains basically palladian, as do some of the interiors of this early period. (5)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TR 04 SE MERSHAM HYTHE ROAD (north side)
4/134 Mersham-Le- Hatch 13.10.52
GV I
Country house. 1762-1766 interiors completed 1772, altered 1827 and 1872. Robert Adam for Sir Wyndham (and Sir Edward) Knatchbull. Red brick with Portland stone dressings and slate roof. In plan a large rectangular block linked by narrow, straight balustraded corridors to rectangular flanking wings, with service court beyond to east (in Smeeth C.P.). Entrance front: central block of two storeys, basement and attic, with banded plinth with simple frieze and cornice parapet, with central projecting pediment. Hipped roof with 2 pedimented dormers (added 1827) and stacks to left and to right. Regular fenestration of 7 bays, the centre 3 projecting slightly below the pediment, glazing bar sashes in moulded surrounds throughout, double size to ground floor with cornices to left and right of doorcase. Double 3 panelled doors to centre with semi-circular fanlight in pedimented Tuscan surround. Flight of 9 moulded steps to central 3 bays, with wrought iron rails to side walls terminating in scrolled baluster-shaped lamp stands. Linking corridors to left and to right, 1 storey and basement, with banded plinth carried over from main block, and cornice to balustraded parapet. Single glazing bar sash to each flanked by semi-circular headed niches containing statues of the seasons (draped women). Two storey and basement end partitions with stone bands and cornice to pyramidal roofs, with pedimented dormers to left and right returns. Central stack. Three glazing bar sashes to each floor, Basement area over whole front with spear head rails. Garden front: "less of a Palladian cliche" (Newman). Because of the slope of the ground, this elevation has a full raised basement (ie. 3 storeyed main block). The main block projects strongly, 4 bays deep to left, 5 to right. Seven bay front, the central 3 in full height bow, the centre on 1st floor with pediment. Ground floor balustraded loggia with paired Tuscan columns added 1872 by J.P. St. Aubyn, with doubled panelled doors to centre. Corridors with 3 glazing bar sashes (2 to ground floor with doorway) and plain rectangular 3 bay end pavilion extended at both ends by storey height brick walls to service courtyards, the principal one to left, with large stacks and pyramidal roofed outhouses with louvred cupola and round headed windows, with arched entrances to main elevation. This portion of the house is actually in Smeeth parish and is cross-referenced in that parish. Interior: decorated 1766- 1772, the chimney pieces by Thomas Carter, (see Rupert Gunnis,) the plasterwork by Joseph Rose. Main entrance hall (plaster ceiling gone) with triglyph and metope cornice, double doors to staircase hall with semi-circular fanlight and fluted pilaster doorcase with frieze and cornice flanked by round headed niches. Large consoled fireplaces with pedimented tabernacles over with grisaille paintings of a Roman marriage and sacrifice by Zucchi. Typical Neo-classical frieze and cornice to fluted panelled doors (and curtain pelmets). Staircase: rising from basement to oval skylight in square well, with iron balustrade carried on large sunk-panelled piers on open string with Vitruvian scroll enrichment on tread ends, with ramped and moulded hand rail. Ionic loggias on the top landing. Simple geometric stair in side well, and turned baluster stairs in end pavilion. Dining room: with wooden fire surround, lugged with consoles, with niches continuing statuettes over dado panelling with fluted frieze. Hexagon-pattern frieze and cornice to ceiling with simple tripartite pattern with scalloped and palmette roses. Drawing room: more typically "Adam" in style, designed 1772, with bowed end wall. Ionic columned fireplace with reclining woman cornucopia and pyramid motifs on plaque. Grisaille medallions, swagged, on walls with modillion cornice and frieze with urns and gryphons. Ceiling with beamed compartments, scalloped ovals and circles and anthenion and palmette enrichment. Library: carved wooden fireplace with gryphon centre piece. Fitted shelving with brass attachments (wyverns, urns, etc.) and other Neo-classical enrichments. Egg and tongue cornice. Ceiling with single central palm rose. Basement entrance hall (below drawing room) to garden: dado rail, scroll cornice and stone beamed ceiling. Fine panelled doors with cornices and consoles throughout, even the upper domestic rooms with cornices and good fireplaces. Adam's first completely new design after returning from Rome, but not much advanced on previous and after Palladian inspired designs (possibly because of the parsimony of Sit Wyndham and after 1763 Sir Edward Knatchbull), only the drawing room really recognisably in the Adam style. See B.O.E. Kent, 1983, 425-426). Listing NGR: TR0603240390 (7)

Historic England archive material: AL0810 Mersham le Hatch, Hythe Road, Mersham This album has not yet been fully catalogued. Copyright, date, and quantity information for this record may be incomplete or inaccurate.

<1> OS 1:10000 1978 (OS Card Reference). SKE48163.

<2> DOE(HHR) E Ashford RD July 1955 42-3 (OS Card Reference). SKE41154.

<3> English Homes Period VI (H Auray Tipping) (OS Card Reference). SKE41652.

<4> Bldgs of Eng W Kent and the Weald 1980 425-6 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38000.

<5> Properties of the NT 1973 100 (OS Card Reference). SKE48748.

<6> Arch J 126 1969 269-70 (PE Curnow) (OS Card Reference). SKE36568.

<7> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading