Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1500 to 1979 C16th farmhouse

Monument Types

• FARMHOUSE (Medieval to Modern - 1500 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TQ 83 NW 12 :
(TQ 84493716) Birchley House Farm (NAT) (1) 5272 BIDDENDEN Birchley Farmhouse (Birchley West) (Birchley East) TQ 83 NW 3/114 16.8.62. II* 2. Birchley Farmhouse is a C16 timber-framed house originally called Barkley and built by the Randolph family. The north front has close- studding with plaster infilling. Its west end is recessed with its 1st floor oversailing on the protruding ends of the floor joists and a gable over containing an attic window. Bay of 2 tiers of 6 lights on the ground floor flanked by windows of 3 lights. Similar oriel window with plastered cove beneath and minus the flanking windows on the 1st floor. The attic window has 3 lights. The remaining portion of the front has a projecting bay of 2 tiers of 7 lights on the ground and 1st floor with a gable above over-sailing on brackets and containing an attic window. Doorway in the left corner with a sloping hood supported on brackets of carved figures. All the windows are casement windows with wooden mullions and transoms and small diamond-shaped leaded lights. Tiled roof. Clustered brick chimneystack. The west front is tile hung, the east front faced with red brick on the ground floor and with weather-boarding above. Modern wing added to the south. Birchley West and East are additions circa 1905 in red brick part tile hung but Birchley West contains part of the C17 wall painting. The interior contains C16 panelling, and one room has wall painting probably dating from the C17. One doorway has the date 1632 and the initials W R (William Randolph) E R (his wife Elizabeth) and B R (his son Bernard) and one window frame has 'Bernard Randolph 1610' scratched on it. (2)

The house was used as a VAD hospital for non- convoy troops in 1917

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
BIDDENDEN 1. 5272 Birchley Farmhouse (Birchley West) Birchley East) TQ 83 NW 3/114 16.8.62. II* 2. Birchley Farmhouse is a C16 timber-framed house originally called Barkley and built by the Randolph family. The north front has close-studding with plaster infilling. Its west end is recessed with its 1st floor oversailing on the protruding ends of the floor joists and a gable over containing an attic window. Bay of 2 tiers of 6 lights on the ground floor flanked by windows of 3 lights. Similar oriel window with plastered cove beneath and minus the flanking windows on the 1st floor. The attic window has 3 lights. The remaining portion of the front has a projecting bay of 2 tiers of 7 lights on the ground and 1st floor with a gable above over-sailing on brackets and containing an attic window. Doorway in the left corner with a sloping hood supported on brackets of carved figures. All the windows are casement windows with wooden mullions and transoms and small diamond-shaped leaded lights. Tiled roof. Clustered brick chimneystack. The west front is tile hung, the east front faced with red brick on the ground floor and with weather-boarding above. Modern wing added to the south. Birchley West and East are additions circa 1905 in red brick part tile hung but Birchley West contains part of the C17 wall painting. The interior contains C16 panelling, and one room has wall painting probably dating from the C17. One doorway has the date 1632 and the initials W R (William Randolph) E R (his wife Elizabeth) and B R (his son Bernard) and one window frame has 'Bernard Randolph 1610' scratched on it. Listing NGR: TQ8452537196 (3)

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

<2> DOE (HHR) Dist of Ashford, Kent Aug 1979 16 (OS Card Reference). SKE40201.

<3> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading