Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1250 to 1732 18th century country house, incorporating the remains of a Medieval chapel Alleged site of C7th palace of King Egbert (not supported by excavated evidence)

Monument Types

• BUILDING (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1250 AD to 1732 AD)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

Description from record TR 35 SW 171:
[TR 3112 5481] Eastry Court on site of Palace [NR]. (1) A chapel at Eastry Court, formerly Court Lodge, was restored in 1285-1331. Eastry Court was refronted in 1786, and considerable alterations within included the conversion of the chapel, at the east end of the house, into a kitchen. The East window is still visible, though blocked. (2,3) Eastry Court, now subdivided into flats, is of several periods of construction. The South-East wall of the South-East wing contains a fragment of flint rubble walling with a blocked two-light stone mullioned window, probably the East wall of the chapel (see GP AO/64/122/2). Some half timbered work is elsewhere visible, but the building is otherwise of little architectural interest. (4) Listed Grade II*. [Full architectural description]. (5)

Description from record TR 35 SW 2:
[TR 31125481] Eastry Court on site of Palace [NR] (1) Eastry is referred to by Simon of Durham as "villa regalis" and Egbert, King of Kent, is reputed to have murdered two of his nephews in his palace there c690. The manor came into the possession of the Archbishops of Canterbury before the C9 and after 811 it was held by Christ Church Convent. (2) Trial excavations were carried out by the Department of Archaeology of the University of Leeds during July 1980 within Eastry Court Farm. TR 312548. Two areas were examined immediately to the N of Eastry Court. The first produced a naturally silted, post-medieval ditch whose fill contained a sherd of Belgic pottery. The second area revealed a complex of pre-C13 ditches, which had completely removed the original chalk surface. A corner of the pre-C13 timber-framed building was examined. No earlier finds were recovered except small quantities of C10-C11 'Saxo-Norman' pottery. It is hoped that excavations will continue in 1981. (3) Two areas were excavated (see illustration cards 1,2 and 3). Area A contained a U-section ditch cut 80 cms into the chalk bedrock. (It was post-medieval in date and contained a residual body sherd of Gallo-Belgic pottery). Area B contained a variety of features (see illustration cards 3, 4). The intensity of activity in this area had been such that little of the original chalk surface remained (see illustration card 3, coloured), and what little remained had been scarred by ploughing or had suffered a variety of post-medieval intrusions. Phase 1: The earliest activity in the area consisted of a short discontinuous trench, 7 cms deep and filled with a dark brown clay and two blocks of rammed chalk, possibly to support timbers, which would have measured a maximum of 17 x 10 cms. This was cut into a shallow terrace cut into the chalk bedrock. No dating evidence was directly associated with this feature, but it must predate the C13. Phase 2: Structures on the chalk platform of Phase 1 were replaced with another of which one corner was excavated. The structure was represented by a 20 cms wide band of orange clay (no 26 illustration card no 3) containing large quantities of clay daub. Within this was a 15 cms wide band of rammed chalk rubble (no 25 illustration card no 3), whose combined L-shaped plan is interpreted as representing footings of the corner of the building, whose interior consisted of a grey clay containing charcoal flecks. The consistently compact nature of the chalk rubble suggests it was not packing for, nor secondary filling, of a void caused by the removal of timber. It is more probable that it formed a footing. This structure, and its predecessors of Phase 1, are on the same alignment. A terminus ante quem for the termination of use of this structure is provided by the C13 pottery which sealed it. Phase 1/2: A flat-bottomed ditch, aligned N-S, was cut into the chalk bedrock on the NW side of the structures belonging to Phases 1 and 2. Its infill consisted of material, including daub, from the collapsed or demolished building of Phase 2, which it also sealed. The precise phase at which this ditch was cut could not be determined, except that it was prior to the termination of use of the building belonging to Phase 2. It may antedate Phase 1. The infilling of this ditch contained pottery of the period 1250-1300 (see illustration card no 5). Phase 3: A V-sectioned ditch (see illustration card 3, 31) was cut after the collapse and infilling of all previous features, aligned NW-SE and turning at right angles at the south-eastern extent of the excavation. The north-western extent of this ditch was truncated by later features. The infilling of this ditch consisted of a compact deposit of dark brown clay and chalk rubble, evenly mixed. It seems probable that the infilling of the ditch also took place at a similar time to the demolition of a nearby structure as large quantities of daub, burnt black on one face and with a white limewash on the other, were contained within it. The latest pottery within the ditch is also dated to the C13. Phase 4 (see illustration card no 5). This phase was represented by the corner of a V-sectioned ditch (35 on illustration card no 3) at the north-western extent of the excavation, which had been formed by re-cutting the ditch of Phase 3, before turning to the NE. The ditch was filled with red-brown clay with large quantities of chalk and rubble and flint distributed evenly through it. The infill contained C13 and earlier, pottery (see illustration card no 6). Phase 5: The remaining structures on the site consisted of C19 brick farm buildings and a cellar, with a wide variety of dumped post-medieval debris, including chalk, slag, slate and building rubble. The sequence of development of the structures and ditches in area B can be reliably established (see illustration card no 5) in a succession of two structures and ditch whose infilling is contemporary with the demolition of the later structure; a sequence of two ditches followed. Dateable artefacts of medieval date were found only in the ditch fills, and while the proportions of types of fabric vary, the most relevant is that the latest material in all of them is of similar date. The pottery ranges from the C11-C13, of which the earliest is certainly residual and the latest types only provide termini post quos. It may also be residual. The ditch examined in area A is at right angles to the ditch of Phase 1/2 in area B, and while this is certainly not evidence of contemporaneity, the former contained C18 material. The absence of significant quantities of material earlier than the C11 may be significant as an indication of periods of occupation on the site. There is certainly nothing to support the view that the site was the location of an Anglo-Saxon royal palace. The ditches may best be interpreted as property boundaries, although their date of excavation could not be established. (7)
Description of the excavations in 1981. (8)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
EASTRY CHURCH STREET TR 3154 (east side) 13/119 Eastry Court 13.10.52 GV I
House, site of Archiepiscopal palace. C14 or earlier, C16 and early C18, for Isaac Bargrave. Flint and rubble, timber framed, rendered and clad and extended in red brick. Plain tiled roofs. Ten bay early C18 front to aisled or semi-aisled hall with remains of chapel and domestic wings to rear. Two storeys on plinth with sunk panelled parapet to hipped roof with stacks to left and to rear right. Ten glazing bar sashes on first floor, that in fifth bay from right with segmental frame, and 9 on ground floor, all with gauged heads, flying cornices, and sunk panels below first floor windows. Door of 6 raised and fielded panels in fifth bay from right in enriched bolection moulded frame with rectangular fanlight, fluted Ionic pilasters and cornice. Rear wings; rear left timber framed, originally jettied range,plastered. Rear right, ground floor only of chapel, with lower half of East Window. Interior; C18 range with raised and fielded panelled rooms with dado rails and moulded cornices, elliptical arches to passageways, single flight stair with swept panelled dado/baluster as part of wall. Parallel range to front apparantly a semi-aisled hall, with large arcade posts surviving and a possible raised cruck on first floor, all of large scantling. Large inglenook fireplaces, in English Bond, partly blocked. Stone chamfered window surrounds in rear wings. Clasped purlin roofs, much altered in parts, with brick chamfered four centred arched fireplace in attic. Cellars with coursed chalk blocks below what appear to be medieval foundations, may relate to pre-Conquest Kentish Royal palace on site. The interior history of the building, complex already, is obscured by C19 and C20 partitions in process of restoration at time of survey.(See B.O.E.Kent II 1983 p.308; see also Hasted, X,p.104; also Igglesden,19 55; also Arch. Cant. XCVIII, 1982).
Listing NGR: TR3112354813 (9)

Historic England Archive Material (10)

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

<2> Archaeologia Cantiana 29 1911 235 (A Hussey) (OS Card Reference). SKE37327.

<2> History of Kent 4 1799 216 (E Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE44117.

<3> A Saunter Through Kent 19 1926, 56-7. (Igglesden) (OS Card Reference). SKE32856.

<4> Field report for monument TR 35 SW 2 - June, 1964, F1. A.S. Phillips 30.6.64 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6119.

<5> DOE (HHR) Dist. Dover 26-Nov-1987 (OS Card Reference). SKE40424.

<6> Arch Cant 96 1980 368 (CJ Arnold) (OS Card Reference). SKE36249.

<7> Arch Cant 98 1982 121-135 (CJ Arnold) (OS Card Reference). SKE36307.

<8> Medieval Architecture 26 1982 189 (SM Younds and J Clark) (OS Card Reference). SKE46858.

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

<10> Historic England, Archive material associated with Eastry Court, Eastry, Listed Building (Archive). SKE55422.

Sources and further reading