Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1341 to 1850 Country house originally constructed as a manor house during the early 14th century. A licence to crenellate was granted in 1341. A second licence to crenellate, granted in 1392, produced an enclosing outer wall with side and angle towers. The house was extended and altered in the late 14th century, in the 1430s, 1552, and during 17th to 18th century. Restorations were carried out circa 1818 and 1850s. The large, rambling house is built largely of sandstone, with tiled roofs.

Monument Types

• MANOR HOUSE (Medieval to Modern - 1341 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5280 PENSHURST PENSHURST
Penshurst Place TQ 5244 22/787 TQ 5243 23/787 lO.9.54.
I GV
2. Large, rambling building of various periods built largely of sandstone in differing colours but with some brickwork and a little Kentish ragstone. Elevations mostly battlemented, but some steeply-pitched tiled roofs visible. The oldest part is hall house built by John de Pulteney, license to crenellate 1341. Very large hall with fine timber roof resting on figure corbels. Carved screen of late C16. Solar end much altered with stone external curved stair of mid C15. Undercroft below has piers running into arches without capitals. Further license to crenellate of 1392 produced enclosing outer wall with square side and angle towers. Only south central gate tower (qv) survives complete and western stretch of wall. Mid C15 the Buckingham building, to west of old house, much altered in 1850's. To south of this the Elizabethan wing with long gallery on 1st floor. Rich plaster ceiling and Jacobean woodwork articulated by fluted pilasters. Sensitively restored. This links with altered south-west tower. Other Elizabethan ranges link altered north-west tower with north central tower and the latter to the original house. Central tower (King's tower) remodelled at this time. Considerable renewal of these parts aid building of long north-east section in 1818 by J B Rebecca in Tudor-Gothic style. Penshurst Place, the South Central Tower and wall, the Southern Wall, the Inner Garden Wall and the Garden Wall form a group. Listing NGR: TQ5274543976 (1)

Description from record TQ 54 SW 4 :
(TQ 52754398) Penshurst Place (NR) (2) Penshurst Place. A licence to crenellate the manor house at Penshurst was granted in 1341 and the chief portions of the medieval work in the present house date from that year or those immediately following. There is no moat. Additions to the house were made in the late 14th c., the 15th c., the early 16th c. and 1579. (3) Penshurst Place, a large private residence, is as described above, and is in excellent condition. The house and grounds are open to the public on certain days. (4) 5280 PENSHURST PENSHURST Penshurst Place TQ 5244 22/787 TQ 5243 23/787 10.9.54. I GV 2. Large, rambling building of various periods built largely of sandstone in differing colours but with some brickwork and a little Kentish ragstone. Elevations mostly battlemented, but some steeply-pitched tiled roofs visible. The oldest part is hall house built by John de Pulteney, license to crenellate 1341. Very large hall with fine timber roof resting on figure corbels. Carved screen of late C16. Solar end much altered with stone external curved stair of mid C15 . Undercroft below has piers running into arches without capitals. Mid C15 the Buckingham building, to west of old house, much altered in 1850's. To south of this the Elizabethan wing with long gallery on 1st floor. Rich plaster ceiling and Jacobean woodwork articulated by fluted pilasters. Sensitively restored. This links with altered south-west tower. Other Elizabethan ranges link altered north-west tower with north central tower and the latter to the original house. Central tower (King's tower) remodelled at this time. Considerable renewal of these parts and building of long north-east section in 1818 by J B Rebecca in Tudor-Gothic style. (5) Penshurst Place, the South Central Tower and wall, the Southern Wall, the Inner Garden Wall and the Garden Wall form a group. There is no finer or more complete 14th century manor house than Penshurst Place. The vastly extended front is predominantly Tudor and Elizabethan and early 19th century. Built by Sir John de Pulteney without fortifications of any kind, licence to crenelate was granted in 1341. The medieval hall of four bays is large, 62 feet long by 39 feet wide. Full architectural description. (6)

Additional bibliography (7-9)

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

<2> OS 6" 1960 (OS Card Reference). SKE48367.

<3> English Homes Period 1 1 1066-1485 166-188 illus (HA Tipping) (OS Card Reference). SKE41648.

<4> F1 ASP 21-DEC-62 (OS Card Reference). SKE42218.

<5> DOE (HHR) Dist of Sevenoaks RD Kent 1975 218 (OS Card Reference). SKE40331.

<6> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 454-459 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37897.

<7> Arch Cant 17 1887 xlviii (OS Card Reference). SKE34763.

<8> Hist of Kings Works 4 pt 2 1982 219-20 (HMSO) (OS Card Reference). SKE44022.

<9> Field report for monument TQ 54 SW 4 - December, 1962 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2737.

Sources and further reading

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