Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1300 to 1926. The castle was begun by Roger de Leyburn in 1260 without licence and the justiciar was ordered to stop him and, if necessary, to pull down the castle. At the time Roger was an opponent of Henry III but he later changed sides. It was Roger who saved the King's life at the Battle of Evesham in 1265. In the circumstances he was allowed to finish his castle and a grant of building stone to Roger by the King in 1266 marks the reconciliation between them. There is a reference to the castle in 1307. The manor was transferred to the Cistercian house of St Mary Graces in 1397. The ruins were converted into a residence in 1926 by the architect, Walter Godfrey.

Monument Types

• CASTLE (Medieval - 1260 AD to 1397 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1260 AD to 1260 AD)
• WALL (Medieval - 1260 AD to 1260 AD)
• SITE (Medieval to Modern - 1300 AD to 1926 AD)
• CISTERCIAN MONASTERY? (Medieval - 1397 AD to 1397 AD)
• HOUSE (Modern - 1926 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
LEYBOURNE CP MALLING ROAD TQ 65 NE (west side) 7/200 Leybourne Castle 25.8.59
- II*
Castle gateway ruin, outbuilding and house. Early C14 and 1925-26. House related to ruins by Walter Godfrey in free Cotswold vernacular style. GATEWAY: random rubble stone. Two broad semicircular bastions with a triple-chamfered depressed arch between with beginnings of opening area. Loop-holes on ground floor with widish square windows above. Portcullis groove and beginnings of rib-vault oriel cut in archway. Internally, evidence of upper floors, and vaulted cupboard in addition to west bastion. Low wall, probably reconstructed in right-angle to west and south, connecting with 2-storey random rubble gabled outbuilding, probably also C14 with arched doorway in north gable end and two- light window arch. HOUSE: Attached to east bastion and stretching to south East front: Random rubble with stone tiled roof, and hipped gable to left arch shallow projection. Ridge stack to left and stack to right behind ridge, both very tall. 2 storeys; 3 bays, irregular with shallow, parapeted, canted bays at each end. Large 10-light window on ground floor, off-centre to right with 5-light window above. Large projecting gabled chimney breast to left with door- way, further to left. South side: Hipped to right with centre valley and gabled end to left with tall projecting stack. 2 storeys; 2 windows to right, 12-light window below. North front: 2 storeys; irregular fenestration of 5 windows on 1st floor, and 1 for right on ground floor with round-arched doorway to left with stone surround and brick arch between. Interior: ground floor rooms panelled. Scheduled as an Ancient Monument.
Listing NGR: TQ6858258935

Description from record TQ 65 NE 19 :
[TQ 6885 5891] Leybourne Castle on site of Leybourne Castle [NR] Moat [NR] (1) Leybourne - a minor castle erected temp. Richard I. A great part of the walls may be Norman but it is generally of Henry III. A ruined, machicolated gateway is perhaps Edward III and has two drum towers. The Hall has vanished but one of the ranges which remains seems to have lain next to it and contained apartments. The remains of the chapel are a short distance to the north and it had an arched porch. A dwelling-house was erected in the C16 which was converted into a farmhouse during the past century. [Descent of manor given from Domesday to date of writing]. (2) The gateway of Leybourne Castle, of about 1300, has a [water] shoot, the stone work of which is intact ... the slot resembling that of a letter box, measures 1ft 7.5ins by 2ins. On the inside it opens funnel-shaped in the sill of the window about the slot. There are indications that it was lined with lead. (3) ....the ....gatehouse ....of the castle of Leybourne ... shows a bulge ...containing latrines. (4) Additional references. (5,6) Rebuilt as a modern house, January 1931, and very well done. (7) Leybourne Castle (name confirmed by owner) is a modern house built in 16th century style incorporating the remains of the earlier castle. Of the original castle little now remains except the gatehouse, the chapel and a fragment of a wall-tower, all contained within a small, near circular bailey and surrounded by a (probably dry) moat, the east quadrant of which has been destroyed. The gatehouse, partly incorporated in the modern house comprises a gateway flanked by two drum towers intact to first floor level, which retain a number of original features including arrow-loops, portcullis grooves, the water-shoot referred to by Toy and an old well in the east drum tower.. (see GPs AO/59/56/8 - from south west and 59/57/1 and 2 from north east and north west). The shell of the chapel remains but it has been modernised and re- roofed and few original features survive. (See GP AO/59/57/3 from north east). A fragment only of the (?SE) wall-tower is now standing to approx first-floor level including a window: it is probably contemporary with the gatehouse (ie. 1300) (See GP AO/59/57/4 - from west). A 25" survey has been carried out. (8) Checked and correct. (9) Leybourne Castle. Grade II*. Close to the church are the remains of a castle of Norman foundation. The chief remnant is the gateway built during the reign of Edward III. [For full description see list]. (10) Leybourne Castle. From the road one sees only the Walter Godfrey's sophisticated essay of 1930 in a free Cotswold vernacular. Why he chose this far from obvious style is explained on the north side, by the lower half of a fortified stone gatehouse. Two broad semi- circular turrets and a triple-chambered depressed arch between them, arrow-slits in the turrets and widish square windows above. Portcullis grove and the beginning of an upper arch over the entrance. The entrance passage had a rib vault. Internally evidence of upper rooms and a vaulted garderobe in the round-ended addition to the right turret. No securely dateable feature. Would the early 14th century fit best? Part of a round turret stands detached from the south end of the house. The outbuilding to the west of it has medieval walls. The enraving in Harris's History of Kent, 1719, suggests that these fragments belonged to a not quite regular rectangle of curtain walls. But old drawings show a confused medieval building on the site of the present house, with one trefoiled window. (11) Leybourne Castle - full description. (12) TQ 688 589 Leybourne Castle. Listed as a moated site in the County checklists for Kent 1977 and 1979. (13-14) TQ 688589. Leybourne Castle (uninhabited oarts) scheduled, county number 35. (15)
Evaluation for new garage. Section of masonry appear to be very similar and on the same alignment as masoanry found during a CAT watching brief at the castle in 1997. The size of bricks 2.5" and the presence of grey mortar suggests that it is of probably 19thC consturction and relates to the 16thC house which stood in the remainas of the castle.(21). A grant of £21,633 was made for work on the ruinous parts and the chapel which has been completed.(22).

A geophysical survey in 1998 to the north of the gatehouse picked up a strong signal form the moat which surrounded the castle. On the north side of the moat an anomaly was interpreted as a structure or hard standing on the northern edge of the moat. Another set of anomilies, found just north of the gatehouse, were interpreted as possible buildings may be connected with defensive works.(23, 26)

In 2007 a pipe trench was excavated by Archaeology South East underneath the Chapel which was to be converted to residential accommodation. The trench was 0.5 m wide, 0.8 m deep and ran for 6 m across the chapel floor. A test-pit was also dug at the southern end. The trench revealed the foundations of the chapel, being a stepped wall footing of 4 courses of rough stone bonded with mortar. No dateable material was found but residual medieval sherds were recovered. (24)

"The castle was begun by Roger de Leyburn in 1260 without licence and the justiciar was ordered to stop him and, if necessary, to pull down the castle. At the time Roger was an opponent of Henry III but he later changed sides. It was Roger who saved the King's life at the Battle of Evesham in 1265. In the circumstances he was allowed to finish his castle and a grant of building stone to Roger by the King in 1266 marks the reconciliation between them. There is a reference to the castle in 1307. The manor was transferred to the Cistercian house of St Mary Graces in 1397. The ruins were converted into a residence in 1926 by the architect, Walter Godfrey." (25)


From the National Heritage List for England:
"Details
The monument includes an enclosure castle situated on a gentle east facing slope in an area of Greensand. The castle has ruined upstanding remains of medieval masonry dating from about 1300, surrounded by a partially infilled circular moat.

The enclosed central area of the castle measures c.48m in diameter and contains the remains of the enclosing wall, which constituted the castle's main defence, with the gateway entrance on the north east side. The gatehouse is formed by two drum towers which survive to the first floor level. These incorporate a number of features including arrow-loops, external portcullis grooves and a water chute above the entrance way. Within the eastern tower is a well. On the south eastern edge of the enclosed area are the remains of a mural tower which survives up to c.7m high and appears to be contemporary with the gatehouse.

On the west side of the interior inside the enclosing wall is a rectangular building 11m north-south by 6m east-west, thought to be a chapel. Although the building may incorporate some of the earlier construction of the castle, it is believed to relate to the private house which was built within the castle ruins during the 16th century.

Surrounding the central area is a moat, visible to the north, west and south as an earthwork up to 15m wide and 1m deep. To the east the moat has become infilled and is no longer visible from ground level, surviving as a buried feature. An entrance causeway crosses the moat to the north east.

There is little documentary evidence which records the earliest history of Leybourne Castle but it has been suggested that the castle was originally Norman, dating to the 11th or 12th century. The majority of the upstanding masonry, however, dates to the early 14th century and the gateway was built during the reign of Edward III.

The 16th century house, erected in the ruins of the castle, remained until 1930 when the present house was built along the eastern line of the castle wall.

Leybourne Castle ruins are Listed Grade II*, but are nevertheless included in the scheduling except where incorporated into the modern house.

Excluded from the scheduling are the modern inhabited house, fences, fence posts and gates, although the ground beneath all these features is included.

From The National Heritage List for England:

Reasons for Designation
An enclosure castle is a defended residence or stronghold, built mainly of stone, in which the principal or sole defence comprises the walls and towers bounding the site. Some form of keep may have stood within the enclosure but this was not significant in defensive terms and served mainly to provide accommodation. Larger sites might have more than one line of walling and there are normally mural towers and gatehouses. Outside the walls a ditch, either waterfilled or dry, crossed by bridges may be found. The first enclosure castles were constructed at the time of the Norman Conquest. However, they developed considerably in form during the 12th century when defensive experience gained during the Crusades was applied to their design. The majority of examples were constructed in the 13th century although a few were built as late as the 14th century. Some represent reconstructions of earlier medieval earthwork castles of the motte and bailey type, although others were new creations. They provided strongly defended residences for the king or leading families and occur in both urban and rural situations. Enclosure castles are widely dispersed throughout England, with a slight concentration in Kent and Sussex supporting a vulnerable coast, and a strong concentration along the Welsh border where some of the best examples were built under Edward I. They are rare nationally with only 126 recorded examples. Considerable diversity of form is exhibited with no two examples being exactly alike. With other castle types, they are major medieval monument types which, belonging to the highest levels of society, frequently acted as major administrative centres and formed the foci for developing settlement patterns. Castles generally provide an emotive and evocative link to the past and can provide a valuable educational resource, both with respect to medieval warfare and defence and with respect to wider aspects of medieval society. All examples retaining significant remains of medieval date are considered to be nationally important.

Leybourne Castle survives comparatively well despite the later construction of a house within the defences. Large areas of the ward and surrounding moat have remained undisturbed and contain both archaeological remains and environmental evidence. These will provide an insight into the construction of the castle as well as the economy and way of life of the inhabitants of a 13th century enclosure castle." (27)

1959, LEYBOURNE CASTLE. (Photograph). SKE1445.

Jarman, C., 1997, Results of Watching brief at Leybourne Castle, West Malling. (Unpublished document). SKE53837.

<1> OS 6" 1936 (OS Card Reference). SKE48337.

<2> The Castles of England 1 1897 29 (J D Mackenzie) (OS Card Reference). SKE50255.

<3> The Castle of Gt Britain 1953 240 (S Toy) (OS Card Reference). SKE50254.

<4> The English Castle 1936 92 (H Braun) (OS Card Reference). SKE50346.

<5> Md Military Arch 2 1884 188 (G T Clark) (OS Card Reference). SKE46671.

<6> VCH Kent 1 1906 481 plan (OS Card Reference). SKE50826.

<7> Rec 6" (Anon undated) (OS Card Reference). SKE49021.

<8> F1 AC 03-AUG-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE41747.

<9> F2 FGA 19-FEB-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43329.

<10> MHLG Malling RD Kent May 1950 56 (OS Card Reference). SKE46901.

<11> The Buildings of England West Kent and the Weald 1980 380 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE50232.

<12> Md Military Architecture in Eng 2 1884 188-9 (G T Clark) (OS Card Reference). SKE46673.

<13> Moated Site Res Grp 6 1979 47 (ed C J Bond) (OS Card Reference). SKE47239.

<14> Arch Cant 93 1977 22 (T Tatton-Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE36139.

<15> DOE (IAM) Ancient Monuments Eng 2 1978 112 (OS Card Reference). SKE40709.

<16> Field report for monument TQ 65 NE 19 - August, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3309.

<17> Field report for monument TQ 65 NE 19 - February, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3310.

<18> Untitled Source, CAT Apr. 1997(66) (Unpublished document). SKE6451.

<19> Untitled Source, Summary report on a supplimentary resistivity surveyat Leybourne Castle. Unpub,Stratascan, March 199 (Unpublished document). SKE6451.

<20> Untitled Source, Arch. Eval Report at Leybourne Castle. Unpublished,CAT, March 1998 (Unpublished document). SKE6451.

<21> Canterbury Archaeological trust, 1998, Archaeological Evaluation at Leybourne Castle, West Malling. (Unpublished document). SKE7275.

<22> Castle Studies Group, 2003, Castle Studies Group Newsletter 16 (Serial). SKE12008.

<23> Stratascan, 1998, A summary report on a Supplementary Resistivity Survey carried out at Leybourne Castle, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE7282.

<24> Archaeology South-East, 2007, The Chapel, Leybourne Castle, Leybourne, Kent:an archaeological investigation report (Unpublished document). SKE12960.

<25> Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders, 2001, Kent's Defence Heritage (Unpublished document). SKE6956.

<26> Stratascan, 1998, A Report for Neilly-Smith Architecture LTD on a Geophysical Survey carried out at Leybourne Castle, Leybourne, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE15634.

<27> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading

Related thematic articles

• Kent's Castles (Thematic Essay)