Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1400 to 1985. C15th or early C16th

Monument Types

• HOUSE (Medieval to Modern - 1400 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TR 13 SW 21 :
(TR 11133470) French House (NAT) (1) TR 13 SW LYMPNE ALDINGTON ROAD (South Side) 6/5 French House 29.12.66 II* House. C15 or early C16. Restored circa 1930 by H. Charlton Bradshaw for Sir Philip Sassoon. Further restoration 1953 and 1985. Timber framed, with rendered infilling. Plain tile roof. Wealden, with two roughly equal-length hall bays and storeyed end bays. 2 storeys, on stone plinth. Broadly-spaced close-studding. Tension braces to first floor of left end bay. Arch braces to flying wall-plate. Later brace to central tie-beams. Left end bay jettied to front, to gable end and to rear on moulded dragon posts. Right end bay jettied to front and gable end on plain dragon post. Hipped roof. Multiple brick ridge stack to junction of hall and left end bay. Projecting stone stack, with brick dressings and diagonally-set brick flues, to right gable end. Irregular fenestration of 3 leaded casements; one 4-light wood mullion window to left end bay, one broad 2-light window to left hall bay [above a 3-light ground-floor metal casement], and one 2-light casement to right end bay. Leaded French doors with 4-centred-arched wooden architrave to right end of right hall bay. Ribbed door with similar architrave to rear of left end of left hall bay. Long rear wing to right of circa 1930, with stone ground floor, timber framed floor and plain tile roof. Interior not inspected. Said to have slipped several feet during landslide in 1730s. (2) French House, a timber-framed house, of the Wealden type, was carried bodily down the hill by a landslip in 1734. It was unscathed, which says something for having a timber-frame. Information from K. Gravett. (3)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:

TR 13 SW LYMPNE ALDINGTON ROAD (South Side)
6/5 French House 29.12.66 II*
House. C15 or early C16. Restored circa 1930 by H. Charlton Bradshaw for Sir Philip Sassoon. Further restoration 1953 and 1985. Timber framed, with rendered infilling. Plain tile roof. Wealden, with two roughly equal-length hall bays and storeyed end bays. 2 storeys, on stone plinth. Broadly-spaced close-studding. Tension braces to first floor of left end bay. Arch braces to flying wall-plate. Later brace to central tie-beams. Left end bay jettied to front, to gable end and to rear on moulded dragon posts. Right end bay jettied to front and gable end on plain dragon post. Hipped roof. Multiple brick ridge stack to junction of hall and left end bay. Projecting stone stack, with brick dressings and diagonally-set brick flues, to right gable end. Irregular fenestration of 3 leaded casements; one 4-light wood mullion window to left end bay, one broad 2-light window to left hall bay (above a 3-light ground-floor metal casement), and one 2-light casement to right end bay. Leaded French doors with 4-centred-arched wooden architrave to right end of right hall bay. Ribbed door with similar architrave to rear of left end of left hall bay. Long rear wing to right of circa 1930, with stone ground floor, timber framed first flour and plain tile roof. Interior not inspected. Said to have slipped several feet during landslide in 1730s.
Listing NGR: TR1123234709 (4)

<1> OS 1:10000 1978 (OS Card Reference). SKE48163.

<2> DOE (HHR) Dist of Shepway Kent 15 May 1984 4 (OS Card Reference). SKE40343.

<3> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 395 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37887.

<4> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading