Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1400 to 1799

Summary from record TR 04 NE 47 :

Nos 134-140. 15th c origin, altered 16th c-18th c

Monument Types

• HOUSE (HOUSE, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• SITE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1400 AD to 1799 AD)
• HOUSE (HOUSE, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TR 0446 0546 WYE BRIDGE STREET (south side)
8/187 Nos. 134-140 (even) Old 27.11.57 Swan House)
GV II*
House, now cottage row. C15 origin, altered and extended C16-C18. Timber framed on red brick base with some flint and rubble, part exposed with plaster infill and weatherboarded, mostly rendered. Tile hung rear range. Plain tiled roof. Hall house plan in origin, since C18 4 cottages. Two storeys on plinth, with continuous jetty (underbuilt to centre right) on brackets carved as grotesques and gryphons, and cherubs bearing Coat of Arms of Swann family. Ovolo moulded bressumer. Coved eaves cornice to roof, stepped down to end right bay, and hipped with stacks to end rear left and to right. Hipped dormer to right return. Four glazing bar sashes and tripartite glazing bar sashes to left and to right on 1st floor, 3 glazing bar sashes, that to Centre with segmental frame, on ground floor, and mullion and transomed C19 canted bay to left, and tripartite sash to right in C16 canted bay (now flush with underbuilt wall surface). Half-glazed door to left, early C18 panelled doors to centre left in wooden Gibbs surround, to centre right in fluted surround with pedimented hood on gryphon brackets, to right with pediment on brackets, and at end right with mullioned rectangular fanlight, all with steps; simple rails to centre left. Right return with recently exposed 5 light mullioned and transomed 1st floor window, and 5 light Venetian-derivative on ground floor, with plank and stud door in fine moulded and stop-chamfered doorway. Rear, with catslide outshot and rear hipped wings. The main block, particularly to the east (No. 140 is a very narrow single room in depth, backed by immense stack. Interior: the plastered outer wall disguises several surviving mullioned windows. Finely moulded interior beams, much cut into by conversion C18 to 4 houses. The construction and decorative details of No. 140 suggest an earlier separate building here. "Tudor" bosses in ceiling to No. 138. Stone carved fireplaces especially No. 140 (similar to work in Wye College). The Swan family lived here C16-C18. The Coat of Arms on the jetty bracket and carved on the fire- place was granted 1533; the main body of the continuous-jettied building is unlikely to predate this. (See G.A. Worrall, Wye Local History Magazine, BOE Kent II, 507).
Listing NGR: TR0525746709

Description from record TR 04 NE 47 :
(TR05264670) Nos 134-140 Old Swan house (1) Nos 134-140 (even) Old Swan House. House, now cottage row. 15th c origin, altered and extended 16th-18th c. Timber framed on red brick base with some flint rubble, part exposed with plaster infill and weather boarded, mostly rendered. Tile hung rear range. Plain tiled roof. Hall plan in origin, since 18th c, 4 cottages. ( Listed Grade II*) [Full archaeological description} (2)

<1> OS 1: 2500 (OS Card Reference). SKE48135.

<2> DOE (HHR) District of Ashford, 16 February 1989 (84) (OS Card Reference). SKE40478.

Sources and further reading