Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1300 to 1975. Chantry chapel (remains) on site of leper hospital founded c.1155. Now a museum. Second World War civil defence training centre established at the Milton Chantry buildings in Milton Place, Gravesend. It consisted of lecture rooms and a gas chamber for training purposes. It was established in 1939. Its longevity is unknown but would have been decommissioned by no later than 1945. Part of the buildings still survives.

Monument Types

• LEPER HOSPITAL (LEPER HOSPITAL, Medieval - 1155 AD to 1524 AD)
• BUILDING (Medieval to Modern - 1300 AD to 2050 AD)
• CHAPEL (CHAPEL, Medieval to Post Medieval - 1524 AD to 1540 AD)
• PUBLIC HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1667 AD to 1780 AD)
• BARRACKS (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1900 AD)
• CIVIL DEFENCE BUILDING (Modern - 1939 AD? to 1945 AD?)
• MUSEUM (MUSEUM, Modern - 1945 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5277 COMMERCIAL PLACE (East Side)
Milton Chantry TQ 6574 SW 2/13 23.1.52.
II*
2. The property of Gravesend Corporation. The Chantry chapel is all that remains of the leper hospital of Milton which was founded by Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, about 1322. This was converted into a dwelling at the Reformation and became a public house called the New Tavern in the C18. It was restored in 1852 and 1862 and again recently. The east wall is of flints. The remainder of the exterior has been rebuilt or encased in brown brick in the C19. Tiled roof. Restored window of Early English type in the east wall. C17 chimneystack. The interior contains a C14 arch-braced roof on the 1st floor and a stone fireplace with blank spandrels. Similar C14 arch-braced roof on the 2nd floor. There are the remains of a cross-wing 3 bays with Queen post roof.
Listing NGR: TQ6525474338

Description from record TQ 67 SE 1:
[TQ 6525 7433] CHANTRY [G.T.] (Rems. of) (1) The Leper Hospital of St. Mary the Virgin, Milton by Gravesend, was founded c. 1155; and refounded 1321. In 1524 it passed to the king and was made into a chantry for two chaplains. Scheduled (2-4). This has been partially restored. The only visible remains are the restored east end consisting of a flint and rubble wall containing a large 'restored' window and a smaller original mullioned window. The original flint and rubble core and a number of square headed mullioned windows, are visible at certain points along the north wall which is, for the most part, faced inside and out with the modern brick. The south and west wall are completely hidden by modern brick facing, both inside and out. Now in use as Gravesend Museum. General condition good. See G.P./51/46/8 (5). Milton Chantry. Grade II*. The property of Gravesend Corporation. The Chantry chapel is all that remains of the leper hospital of Milton which was founded by Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, about 1322. This was converted into a dwelling at the Reformation and became a public house called the New Tavern in the 18th century. It was restored in 1852 and 1862 and again recently (6). Additional bibliographic references (7-11) and photograph (12).

Description from record TQ 67 SE 1187:
Second World War civil defence training centre established at the Milton Chantry buildings in Milton Place, Gravesend. It consisted of lecture rooms and a gas chamber for training purposes. It was established in 1939. Its longevity is unknown. It would have been decommissioned by no later than 1945, although a lack of a clear mention of the facility in council and civil defence documents after 1940 may suggest that it soon had a reduced role. Part of the Chantry buildings was demolished in 1969 but the chapel section, with the north ground floor room which contained the gas chamber, still survives as the Chantry Heritage Centre.
Owner : Public
Publicly accessible : Yes
How accessed for survey : The Chantry and the room formerly containing the gas chamber is accessible during the normal hours of this Heritage Centre
Tourism Potential : Within the context of the building already being a visitor attraction, there is scope for enhancing interpretation with information about its use as a Second World War civil defence facility.
Condition : good
Date of visit : 31/01/06

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5277 COMMERCIAL PLACE (East Side)
Milton Chantry TQ 6574 SW 2/13 23.1.52.
II*
2. The property of Gravesend Corporation. The Chantry chapel is all that remains of the leper hospital of Milton which was founded by Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, about 1322. This was converted into a dwelling at the Reformation and became a public house called the New Tavern in the C18. It was restored in 1852 and 1862 and again recently. The east wall is of flints. The remainder of the exterior has been rebuilt or encased in brown brick in the C19. Tiled roof. Restored window of Early English type in the east wall. C17 chimneystack. The interior contains a C14 arch-braced roof on the 1st floor and a stone fireplace with blank spandrels. Similar C14 arch-braced roof on the 2nd floor. There are the remains of a cross-wing 3 bays with Queen post roof.
Listing NGR: TQ6525474338 (13)

Archive material (14)

<1> O.S. 25" 1932. (OS Card Reference). SKE47801.

<2> "Med. Rel. Houses, England & Wales" 1953, 291 (Knowles & Hadcock). (OS Card Reference). SKE32673.

<3> L. & P.Hy.VIII, 4, 1, 123.297 (OS Card Reference). SKE45991.

<4> V.C.H. Kent 2, 1926, 221-2 (R.C. Fowler) (OS Card Reference). SKE50731.

<5> A.M. England & Wales 1961, 59. (OS Card Reference). SKE32941.

<6> F1 AC 22-OCT-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE41822.

<7> DOE (HHR) Bor of Gravesham 1975 4 (OS Card Reference). SKE39796.

<8> Med Rel Houses Eng and Wales 1971 377 (D Knowles and RN Hadcock) (OS Card Reference). SKE46799.

<9> Bldgs of Eng West Kent and the Weald 1980 303 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38062.

<10> Anc Mon Board for Eng 18th Ann Rep 1971 4 (OS Card Reference). SKE33046.

<11> Field report for monument TQ 67 SE 1 - October, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3589.

<12> CHAPEL FROM ALMOST DUE EAST. (Photograph). SKE2637.

<13> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<14> Historic England, Archive material associated with Milton Chantry Listed building (Archive). SKE53894.

Sources and further reading

Related records