Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1543 to 1899. Built between 1543 and 1580, remodelled in the 18th century and further altered in the 19th and 20th centuries. Renamed Lullingstone Castle in the 18th century, the house is three storeyed and brick-built with a tiled roof. Some 16th century work is visible in the north and east fronts. The Tudor house was surrounded by a moat and was approached via two gatehouses. The inner gatehouse was demolished in the mid 18th century, but the outer gatehouse survives (TQ 56 SW 58). A documentary source of the 1690s depicts an embattled wall around the moat, which has since been filled in.

Images

Monument Types

• HOUSE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1543 AD to 2050 AD)
• BARRACKS (Modern - 1940 AD to 1945 AD (between))

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
EYNSFORD LULLINGSTONE LANE 1. 5280 Lullingstone Lullingstone Castle TQ 56 SW 5/67 1.8.52 II* GV
2. Lullingstone Rouse, as it was originally called, was first built by Sir Percyvall Hart (1496-1580) between 1543 and 1580. Portions of this house survive on the north and east fronts as well as in the Gatehouse. It was altered and recast in the C18 by Percyvall Hart (died 1738), the fervent admirer of Queen Anne and Non-Juror and by Sir John Dixon Dyke (died 1810). It was first called Lullingstone Castle in the mid C18 when Anne Hart (died 1763) inherited the house and carried it by marriage to Sir Thomas Dyke (died 1756) and has no appearance of a castle. The house is of 3 storeys, built of red brick with a tiled roof and sash windows with glazing bars intact. The principal C16 work is visible in the north and east fronts. The former, which is L-shaped, has 2 projecting bays on all floors, 3 chimney breasts to the recessed portion and a parapet at the west end. The east front also has a chimney breast. The principal or entrance front faces west. Its centre portion which is of only 2 storeys and is recessed, is late C17 or early C18. This has 3 windows and a modillion eaves cornice. In front of this is a ground floor addition of the C19 containing the front door with pilasters and pediment and with a balustrade over it. On each side are 3 storey projecting blocks dating from the early C18, 3 windows in each. These are L-shaped. The 3 inner window bays of each are flush with the C19 ground floor addition and the 2 outer ones slightly set back. Brick stringcourses and wooden modillion eaves cornice to each. To the return south front of the south block a 2 storeyed bay has been added in the C19. The south front to the east of this dates from the C18. Two storeys 5 windows. Red brick and flints. Early C19 addition in the south- east corner. Good interior including early C18 panelling, staircase with slim turned balusters and State Drawing Room occupying the upper 2 floors in the west front with a late C16 plaster barrel vault with thick enriched ribs in pattern of quatrefoils. Three big pendants and roundels of Roman Emperors with walls hung with early C18 panelling with fluted Corinthian pilasters. (See Country Life Article 1st November 1913).
Listing NGR: TQ5301664385 (1)

Description from record TQ 56 SW 18 :
[TQ 5301 6437] Lullingstone Castle on site of [NAT] Lullingtstone Hall [NR] (2)

Lullingstone House, as it was originally called, was first built between 1543 and 1580. Portions survive on the N and E fronts, as well as in the Gatehouse (TQ 56 SW 58), but it was altered and re-cast in the 18th century by Percyvall Hart (d 1738) and Sir John Dixon Dyke (d 1810). First called Lullingstone Castle in mid 18th century. House of 3 storeys, of red brick with tiled roof. Centre portion of principal, W front, is late 17th or early 18th century. In front of this is a ground floor addition of the 19th century with early 18th century 3 storey projecting blocks to either side, L-shaped in plan. To the return S front of the S block, a 2 storey bay was added in the 19th century. The S front E of this dates from 18th century, 2 storeys, red brick and flints early 19th century addition in SE corner. (3)

Lullingstone Castle, a private residence, as described above and in good condition. See GPs AO/64/126/4-6. (4)

Lullingstone Castle, Lullingstone Lane, Lullingstone. Grade II*. Lullingstone House, as it was originally called, was first built by Sir Percyvall Hart (1496-1580) between 1543 and 1580. Portions of the house survive on the N and E fronts as well as in the Gatehouse. It was altered and later called Lullingstone Castle in the mid 18th century. (For full description see list). Moll Cob, Lullingstone Lane, Lullingstone. Grade II. Possibly originally a Dower House to Lullingstone Castle. (For full description see list). Ruins of Bath House at Lullingstone Castle, Lullingstone Lane. Grade II. 18th century. Rectangular brick bath about 12 feet long by 8 feet wide surrounded by brick and flint oval-shaped wall now ruined but rising to a height of about 8 feet. This is situated on the banks of the River Darenth which provided the water. (5)

Lullingstone Castle listed as a moated site, class 3. (6)

During WWII the house was occupied by a number of army units. First in 1940 the 15th & 17th Meduim Battery, Royal Artillery, presumably maning the guns around the dummy airfield (TQ 56 SW 115). In 1941 70th & 76th C.W (Chemical Warfare) Compaines, Royal Engineers occupied the castle until 1943 when the 221 Field Ambulance R.A.M.C took over and used the castel and grounds for trainig excercises. Finally in 1944 a U.S Army coloured unit occupied the castle.(8)

Additional bibliography. (7)

Archive material (10)

Architectural survey (11)

<1> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<2> OS 6" 1936-46 (OS Card Reference). SKE48341.

<3> MHLG Schedule Dartford HLG 3541 1952 (OS Card Reference). SKE47171.

<4> F1 ASP 02-OCT-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE41899.

<5> DOE (HHR) Dist of Sevenoaks Kent Oct 1982 24-26 (OS Card Reference). SKE40321.

<6> CBA Res Rep 17 1978 30 (F A Aberg) (OS Card Reference). SKE38791.

<7> Cantium 5 2 1973 29-35 (OS Card Reference). SKE38580.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 56 SW 18 - October, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2981.

<9> Pittman, S., 1983, Lullingstone Park: The Evolution of a Medieval Deer Park (Monograph). SKE11893.

<10> Historic England, Archive material associated with Lullingstone Castle (MKE30766) (Archive). SKE53753.

<11> Historic England, 2016, Architectural Survey, Lullingstone Castle (Unpublished document). SKE53754.

Sources and further reading

Related records