Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

Grade II listed building. Main construction periods 1700 to 1899. Episcopal Palace; lodge. Medieval bishops palace rebuilt in 1185 and 1319. Converted into a private residence during the 17th century, has 18th and 19th century alterations. 18th century farmstead with 19th century alterations. The two storey 18th century farmhouse is built of red brick, the front elevation cement rendered. Hipped plain tiled roof with central brick stack off-ridge to rear and hipped dormer to left.

Monument Types

• BISHOPS PALACE (BISHOPS PALACE, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FISHPOND (FISHPOND, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FISHPOND (FISHPOND, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• HOUSE (HOUSE, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• PALACE (PALACE, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• HOUSE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1700 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

Description from record TQ 66 SW 14 :
[TQ 64606052] Court Lodge (NAT) Remains of a Palace (NR) (1) Gundulf, Bp. of Rochester, was allotted the manor of Trottescliffe soon after his election in 1077. An episcopal palace was erected but by 1185 the buildings were so ruinous that they had to be rebuilt. It was again improved by Hamo De Heth, Bp. 1319-52, who built a kitchen two dining-rooms and outhouses and surrounded the house with walls. Some years after the Reformation the palace was leased out and is held by the Whitaker family. (2) Add. ref. (3) Add. ref. to Authy. 2. In 1918 there was nothing left of the palace except the indication of its former size in the very high rooms of the farmhouse. A coating of cement had "utterly destroyed its character". The house is approached by an apparently 17th c. brick gateway and three of the original fishponds survive. Many old outhouses had been recently demolished. (4) 'Court Lodge' (name confirmed by the owner) is a brick two-storey private residence of the 17c. The house has been refaced on the south side and plastered over. The lower courses of the W. wall are of flint and ironstone evidently a fragment of the former palace. An outbuilding at the rear of the house contains a fragment of flint walling in the west side with a small original square-headed stone window apparently in situ. The gateway, comprising two large square pillars of ornamental brick, each surmounted by a stone ball finial, and the S and E garden walls are contemporary with the present house. GP/AO/59/187/2 from South. An Antiquity Model Survey has been done. Three ponds to the south of Court Lodge (shown by Authority 1, and certainly those referred to by Authority 4 as Fishponds) are now filled in with waste, the northernmost two are grassed over, the southern one is boggy. They bear in shape little resemblance to artificially constructed fishponds. (5) No change. (6) TQ 66 SW TROTTISCLIFFE C.P. CHURCH ROAD 2/24 (north side) 1.8.52 Court Lodge GV II House. C18 with C19 alterations. Red brick, the front elevation cement rendered. Hipped plain tiled roof with central brick stack off-ridge to rear and hipped dormer to left. 2 storeys; 4 window first-floor, C18 glazing bar sashes with open boxes. 2 window ground-floor, both C19 glazing bar sashes, one single, one tripartite. Central panelled door in architrave moulded surround.

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 66 SW TROTTISCLIFFE C.P. CHURCH ROAD 2/24 (north side) 1.8.52 Court Lodge GV II
House. C18 with C19 alterations. Red brick, the front elevation cement rendered. Hipped plain tiled roof with central brick stack off-ridge to rear and hipped dormer to left. 2 storeys; 4 window first-floor, C18 glazing bar-sashes with open boxes. 2 window ground-floor, both C19 glazing bar sashes, one single, one tripartite. Central panelled door in architrave moulded surround.
Listing NGR: TQ6454660311 (11)

<1> Hist of Kent 2 1782 30 38 229 ff (Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE43950.

<2> DOE (HHR) Dist of Tonbridge & Malling Kent 1984 18 (OS Card Reference). SKE40379.

<3> Arch J 77 1920 175 ff (P Norman) (OS Card Reference). SKE36680.

<4> Eng Episc Palaces: Prov of Canterbury 1910 8 (ed R.S Rait) (OS Card Reference). SKE41585.

<5> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 575 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37921.

<6> F1 ASP 18-JUN-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE42166.

<7> F2 FGA 20-OCT-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43330.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 66 SW 14 - June, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3586.

<9> Field report for monument TQ 66 SW 14 - October, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3587.

<10> OS 6" 1936 (OS Card Reference). SKE48337.

<11> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading