Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Mainly 1630 house

Monument Types

• HOUSE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1630 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TQ 86 SE 23 :
[TQ 8945 6183] Tunstall House [NAT] (1) Tunstall House was built by John Grove in 1630. After the death of his grandson in 1755 it was sold to Rev. Thomas Bland, Vicar of Sittingbourne. On his son's death, it became a boarding school for young ladies, and subsequently became the property of Mr Murton. The present owner is Lieutenant Colonel H. Lumley Webb. The house has been modernised. (2) Tunstall House has a square porch of the Stuart period with two chambers above. The house itself is long, built entirely of red brick, and of two storeys, the upper one built in the roof and lighted by dormer windows. The lower windows were originally arched but these have been filled in and the mullioned windows have been replaced by wooden ones. At right angles with the long front are wings, but judging from the timbers of the roof the main building is narrow. It is suggested that parts of the house are modern, but the bricks of all the walls indicated that the whole structure was erected at the same time, 1630. John Grove, who built it, died in 1678. [Interior description follows.] (3) Tunstall House is as described by Igglesden. GP AO/63/120/4. (4) Tunstall House, Grade I, Tunstall Road (west side). 17th century (pre1678). Garden wall, dovecot and stables, Grade II, Tunstall House. 17th century. (For full descriptions see list.) (5)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 86 SE TUNSTALL TUNSTALL ROAD (west side)
5/64 Tunstall House 27.8.52 GV I
House. C17 (pre-1678). Chequered brick in Flemish bond and plain tiled roof. Two storeys and attic on plinth with plat band, 4 corniced gables, and projecting gabled porch of 2 storeys and garret to left, with large stacks of 4 panels to right and 2 panels to left, and wood turret to end left capped with lead cupola. Regular fenestration of 5 wood casements in gables with segmental heads except in porch, the end left window blocked by lozenge-shaped clock face. Four mullioned and transomed windows to first and ground floors, with cross-window in porch. Multi-panelled door. Porch entry round arched on imposts with panelled soffits, fluted Doric pilasters, frieze, bolection cornice, and pediment with bust of Shakespeare. Built either for Sir Edward Hales d. 1654, or his steward John Grove, d. 1678. (See BOE Kent II, 1983 481-2). Listing NGR: TQ8946161825 (6)

Additional bibliography (7-8)

HE archive material: BF061297 Tunstall House, Tunstall File contains miniature format film print: 111/L/5 a photograph of an undated colour drawing of the house.

<1> OS 6" 1938-47 (OS Card Reference). SKE48354.

<2> Church and Village of Tunstall 1937 72 (A A Midwinter - Rector) (OS Card Reference). SKE38962.

<3> A Saunter through Kent 24 1930 69-70 (C Igglesden) (OS Card Reference). SKE32881.

<4> F1 CFW 04-JUL-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42420.

<5> DOE (HHR) Swale Boro Kent 27 Nov 1984 67-68 (OS Card Reference). SKE40621.

<6> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<7> TUNSTALL HOUSE FROM WEST (Photograph). SKE2568.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 86 SE 23 - July, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4606.

Sources and further reading