Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1389 to 1648. Originally a hallhouse, early 14th century with 16th century additions and alterations. Possibly used as a Premonstratensian grange and rest-house of St Radegund's Abbey, or an Augustinian grange of St Martins, Dover.

Monument Types

• HOUSE (Medieval to Modern - 1300 AD to 2050 AD) + Sci.Date

Full description

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Description from record TR 24 NW 14:
[TR 24784793] West Court Farm [NR] (1) West Court Farm House, Sibertswold, is said to have been a rest house of St. Radegunds Abbey [see TR 24 SE 8] and is 15th c. and later. (2) In good condition and not out-standing. (3) West Court (formerly listed as "West Court Farmhouse") Grade II* Early 14th century, rebuilt and extended 16th century, particularly 1587. (4)(5) Additional bibliography - not consulted. (6)

Dendrochronology dating of the hall and service-end of the house gave a date range of 1389-1424. (8)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
RE 24 NW SHEPERDSWELL & COLDRED 1/86 West court( formerly 27.8.52 listed as "West Court Farmhouse") II* House. Early C14 and rebuilt and extended C16, particularly 1587 for John Parker. Timber framed, part exposed close studding with plaster infill, part rendered and part clad and extended with painted brick. Plain tiled roof. Hall house in origin, extended C16 with new ground-floor hall with jetty, with brick towers to west (dated 1587) and south west, the framed C16 portion possibly earlier than the brick towers. A sizeable mansion house was the intention, but seems never to have been completed. Entrance front: two storeys, of varying levels, with projecting 3 storey tower to left. Right hand section with plinth and plat band with hipped roof, stepped up to centre, with painted flint base and jetty, with close-studding and mid-rail frame exposed. Two storey brick wing projecting at end left and terminating in 3 storey bay/tower, with plinth, moulded string and cornice. The brick is in Minster Bond, a garden wall bond variant. Tower;4 light brick mullioned and transomed windows with label hoods on each floor, of 2 lights on return sides, with boarded door to right side, and sash window in connecting wing. Main range with 3 light wooden casement to left, and blocked mullioned sidelights, and 2 wooden casements and horizontally sliding glazing bar sash to right on first floor, and 2 glazing bar sashes, canted bay and wooden casement on ground floor. Door of 6 panels to centre right, the top 2 glazed, in C20 brick porch slate roofed outshot to right. Rear elevation with catslide outshot, projecting hipped staircase tower, with brick mullioned and transomed windows, those on the upper levels cut off by the roof and interrupted by later stacks, showing abandonment of building programme. Jettied gable end of connecting wing to front tower, with renewed mullioned and transomed oriel on original brackets. Garderobe extension to right corner on first floor. The stair tower has a moulded roundel inscribed 1587. Rebuilt lozenge-set moulded stacks. Interior: P
reveals the gradual development of the house; early C14 hall with tall moulded crown post roof, and smoke blackened roof timbers. Main entrance leads into screens passage. Service end rebuilt C16, with the close studded extensions, with moulded ceiling joists supported on carved corbel with cherub's head and strapwork motifs. Further C16 extensions with stair tower, with open well staircase rising through entire height of house, with moulded rail, solid baluster-panels, dado panelling and poppy head finials. Upper room with small-panel wainscotting, with half-fluted frieze and cornice. The door surrounds in this section moulded, with diamond stopped chamfers and sunflower motifs. Moulded and panelled C16 doors survive. Clasped purlin roofs to these sections, with wind-bracing to framed central block. Other features include C17 and early C18 fitted cupboards and doors with strap and H-hinges and raised panelling. The building was in origin a Grange;and possibly a rest-house, of the Canons of St. Martin's, Dover, granted 1538 to the Archbishops of Canterbury. Parker family were tenants here C16, and John Parker, whose initials are in the 1587 datestone, was confirmed in a coat of arms, 1588. His ambitions to gentrification reflected in his building works, the brick extensions with towers is described in 1616 and 1648 surveys grandly as "a fair gallery with three turrets leaded over"while the other accommodation was listed as a hall, great parlour, little parlour, kitchen, buttery, lardyre, washhouse, milkhouse, 2 cellars, and 9 chambers over these rooms. (See B.O.E. Kent II 1983, 460; Hasted, IX; Igglesden 20; History of West Court, printed by Kent County Council, available at West Court, analysis provided by E.W. Parkin).
Listing NGR: TR2479547948
Formerly TR 24 NW 14 (9)

Historic England archive material (10)

<1> OS 25" 1957 (OS Card Reference). SKE48272.

<2> MHLG (2045/11/A Sep 1960)22 (OS Card Reference). SKE46976.

<3> F1 FGA 22.04.64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42957.

<4> DOE (HHR) Dist of Dover 1987 39 (OS Card Reference). SKE40259.

<5> The Bldgs of Eng NE and E Kent 1983 39 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE50123.

<6> A Saunter thro Kent 20 (C Igglesden) (OS Card Reference). SKE32835.

<7> Field report for monument TR 24 NW 14 - April, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5675.

<8> Vernacular Architecture Group, ADS Dendrochronology Database, Vol. 23, Pg. 57 (Website). SKE17391.

<9> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<10> Historic England, Archive material associated with West Court, Shepherdswell, Listed Building (Archive). SKE54789.

Sources and further reading