Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1500 to 1566

Monument Types

• SITE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1500 AD to 1566 AD) + Sci.Date

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:

TR 14 NW ELMSTEAD -
1/122 Spong Farm House
29.12.66 II*
Farmhouse. Probably early-to-mid C16 on an earlier site. Timber framed, with painted brick and rendered infilling. Plain tile roof. 4 timber-framed bays; open hall to rear 2/3 of two central bays only, and storeyed end bays. 2 storeys, on flint plinth . Continuous jetty, coeval with open hall, with moulded solid-spandrel brackets, returning to left and right on moulded dragon posts. Broadly-spaced framing. First-floor tension braces to gable ends and four towards centre of front elevation. Long moulded window-cill to ground floor of right hall bay. Hipped roof with gablets. C17 brick ridge stack between left hall bay and left end bay. Irregular fenestration of 7 small single-light casements. Boarded double doors with four-centred arched head with leaf spandrels, up three steps under and slightly to right of stack. Painted brick lean-to to rear to left. Interior: exposed framing. Axial beam to front of centre of right hall bay, with double hollow chamfer to front side only; beam extends unmoulded into left hall bay and carries joists between it and jetty. Right end-of-hall beam moulded and brattished between this axial beam and a mortice for a spear for doorway towards rear end. Evidence for another doorway towards front end. Axial joists, morticed for central partition, to right end bay. Chamfered axial beam to ceiled left end bay, and tenoned cross beam towards left end. Central-truss tie-beam cambered and chamfered only over open hall, levelling out over gallery; tie- beam has arch brace to rear and knee brace from post on gallery to front of open hall, and further knee brace from front wall-post. First-floor partition to right end of hall has possible evidence for doorway to gallery. Left end partition disturbed by stack. Chamfered axial beam and chamfered joists to inserted hall floor. Roof not inspected. Said to have been owned by Robert Spong in circa 1440. Galleried hall unusual in this area.
Listing NGR: TR1247245771

Dendrochronology dating gave a date of 1520. (2)

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

<2> Vernacular Architecture Group, ADS Dendrochronology Database, Vol. 22, Pg. 44 (Website). SKE17391.

Sources and further reading