Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1349 to 1975

Summary from record TQ 57 SW 1014:

Royal Manor house, built c.1543 Surviving south-west corner of the great courtyard of a house built by Henry VIII between 1541-1545, within the precinct of Dartford Priory.

Monument Types

• SITE (Medieval to Modern - 1349 AD to 1975 AD)
• COURTYARD HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1543 AD? to 1543 AD (post))
• GATEHOUSE (Post Medieval - 1543 AD to 1543 AD (post))
• MANOR HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1543 AD? to 1865 AD? (at some time))
• FARMHOUSE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1865 AD? to 1927 AD? (at some time))
• OFFICE (Modern - 1927 AD to 1927 AD (post))

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. KINGSFIELD TERRACE 5274 (East Side) Priory Farmhouse containing the remains of Dartford Priory Gatehouse (Formerly listed as Priory Farmhouse and Gate, Hythe Street) TQ 5274 1/16 22.12.55.
II*
2. Dartford Priory stood on the site of Hall's Engineering Works. It was founded by Edward III about 1349 in the buildings of a former royal palace. New buildings had been erected by 1356. The priory was suppressed in 1538 and the buildings converted into a royal house which was at first occupied by Henry VIII, then granted to Anne of Cleves by Edward VI, later used by Queen Elizabeth but alienated by James I. The principal remains of this house consist of the Gatehouse which was built by Henry VIII between 1541 and 1545. It was subsequently used as a farmhouse until taken over by Hall's Works. An L-shaped building. 2 storeys red brick but with some stone rubble to the ground floor. Tiled roof, partly replaced with glass to form skylights. 5 casement windows. In the angle of the L is a 2 storeyed rectangular projection. At the north end of the north wing is a blocked 4-centred stone carriage archway with a moulded brick head and dripstone over. The interior contains contemporary stone fireplaces and ceiling beams but has otherwise been modernised.
Listing NGR: TQ5393874402

Description from record TQ 57 SW 1014:
Royal manor house built on the site of the dissolved Dartford Priory in around 1543. Later passed into private hands. The building was used as a farmhouse when bought by Messers. J & E Hall Ltd in 1927 who used it as offices.Surviving south-west corner of the great courtyard of a house built by Henry VIII between 1541-1545, within the precinct of Dartford Priory.

The manor house comprises (a) an L-shaped two-storied brick building with a stair turret in the re-entrant angle. The building is in use as a store. The lower courses of part of the W. front, including the lower jambs of the gateway, are of stone, and the building also incorporates a two stone storied building at its S. end. These remains probably represent the west range of the nunnery. GPs AO/59/194/1 View from NE 2 View from NE 3,4, Panoramic view of W. front. (b) The boundary walls and some internal walls- see 25" AM for extent and description. (c) A 16th C. doorway inserted into the Priory wall. The whole of these remains are contained within the premises of Messrs. J. & E. Hall Ltd. Engineers (1). No change (2).

Additional reference (3-25). Photographs (26-32).

In 2001 an evalutation aross the works site uncovered a short section of wall foundation close to the north of the surviving Priory Farm. It had been heavily truncated and likely to have been part of the medieval priory and reused in the royal manor.(33 & 34)

A number of walls found could retate to the Tudor and later manor, although none could be closely dated. The apparetn re-used of medieval footing may relate to the conversion of the priory west range into the Tudor manor. (35)

Wessex Archaeology, 2000, Prospect Place Retail Park, Dartford: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment [DRAFT] (Unpublished document). SKE12320.

Wessex Archaeology, 2001, Prospect Place Retail Park Dartford, Kent: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (Unpublished document). SKE12316.

<1> F1 CFW 18-NOV-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE42633.

<2> F2 ASP 16-SEP-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43121.

<3> Arch.J. 83, 1926, 67-85 illusts. (A.W. Clapham) (OS Card Reference). SKE37200.

<4> Dartford Museum (Notice with exhibits from Priory) (OS Card Reference). SKE39666.

<5> O.S. 25" 1938 (OS Card Reference). SKE47806.

<6> V.C.H. Kent. 2. 1926, 181-90 (A.G. Little) (OS Card Reference). SKE50772.

<7> DOE(HHR) Dist of Dartford, Kent, Sept 1975, 7. (OS Card Reference). SKE40927.

<8> Arch J 79 1922 392 (E Hesketh) (OS Card Reference). SKE36684.

<9> Arch J 39 1882 177-179 (CFR Palmer) (OS Card Reference). SKE36625.

<10> Arch J 36 1879 241-71 (CFR Palmer) (OS Card Reference). SKE36619.

<11> Hist of the King's Works 1 1963 264 (HM Colvin ed) (OS Card Reference). SKE44035.

<12> Med Rel Houses Eng and Wales 1953 184 (D Knowles and RN Hadcock) (OS Card Reference). SKE46789.

<13> Med Rel Houses Eng and Wales 1971 285 (D Knowles and RN Hadcock) (OS Card Reference). SKE46796.

<14> Bldgs of Eng West Kent and the Weald 1980 257 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38052.

<15> Hist of the King's Works 4 2 1982 68-74 (HM Colvin ed) (OS Card Reference). SKE44042.

<16> Post Med Arch 12 1978 115 (J Cherry) (OS Card Reference). SKE48543.

<17> Kent Arch Rev 61 1980 19-20 (D Garrod) (OS Card Reference). SKE45799.

<18> Kent Arch Rev 47 1977 160-161 (B Philp) (OS Card Reference). SKE45785.

<19> Kent Arch Rev 2 1965 33 (JV Ritson) (OS Card Reference). SKE45752.

<20> DOE Arch Excav 1976 129 (B Philp) (OS Card Reference). SKE40789.

<21> Ant 16 1887 257-9 (JA Sparvel-Bayly) (OS Card Reference). SKE33107.

<22> Woolwich Dist Ant Soc 18 1912 80 (OS Card Reference). SKE51399.

<23> Woolwich Dist Ant Soc 7 1901-2 22-4 (OS Card Reference). SKE51400.

<24> Grose's Ant 2 1774 89-90 (OS Card Reference). SKE43636.

<25> Kent Arch Review No.49 (1977) 219-221. (OS Card Reference). SKE45870.

<26> PRIORY OF DOMINICAN NUNS AND ROYAL MANOR HOUSE, DARTFORD - PL- AN OF EXCAVATIONS. (Photograph). SKE1416.

<27> DARTFORD PRIORY, REMS OF PRIORY OF DOMINICAN NUNS, HENRY VIII MANOR HOUSE. (Photograph). SKE1420.

<28> DARTFORD PRIORY, REMS.OF PRIORY OF DOMINICAN NUNS - SITE PLAN. (Photograph). SKE1419.

<29> DARTFORD PRIORY, PRIORY OF DOMINICAN NUNS - DOORWAYS. (Photograph). SKE1418.

<30> PRIORY OF DOMINICAN NUNS AND ROYAL MANOR HOUSE, DARTFORD - FO- UNDATIONS OF CHURCH. (Photograph). SKE1417.

<31> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9412.

<32> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9679.

<33> Wessex Archaeology, 2001, Prospect Place Retail Park, Dartford (Unpublished document). SKE11956.

<34> Wessex Archaeology, 2001, Prospect Place Retail Park, Dartford, Archaeological Evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE12278.

<35> Wessex Archaeology, Prospect Place Retail Park, Dartford: Post-Excavation Assessment Report and Updated Project Design (Unpublished document). SKE12281.

Sources and further reading

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