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Monument details

HER Number:TR 06 NW 1015
Type of record:Listed Building
Name:Muswell Manor (formerly named Muscle house and Mussel Manor), Leysdown on Sea

Summary

Muswell Manor. Early C19, the rear span possibly older. Leysdown-on-Sea, Sheerness. Wing Road (east side). From 1909 it served as the clubhouse of the Aero Club, based at Leysdown flying field. Visited by the Wright brothers in 1909. After a period as MoD property, it became a country club after the second world war.


Grid Reference:TR 04309 69371
Map Sheet:TR06NW
Parish:LEYSDOWN, SWALE, KENT

Monument Types

  • BUILDING (Constructed early 19th century, Post Medieval to Modern - 1800 AD to 2050 AD)
  • HOUSE (Early 19 Century, Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1832 AD)
  • PLAQUE (Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
Protected Status:Listed Building (II) 1273062: MUSWELL MANOR

Full description

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2 storeys, rough rendered. Steeply-pitched roof with end stacks. 2 hipped dormers. 4 windows, hung sashes without glazing bars. Modern sun porch to front elevation. Long prentice to rear. Included for historical reasons as the centre used by the Wright brothers, the Short brothers, Lord Brabazon and Mr. Rolls while carrying out early flying experiments at Eastchurch. (1)

On the 1st edition map as Muscle House, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions as Mussel House. It became Muswell Manor after the second world war.

In the book, Kent Aviation, A Century of Flight, by Roy Humphreys, a photograph exists of a meeting between the Short brothers and the Wright brothers at Mussel (Muswell) Manor Aero Clubhouse.

From 1909, it served as the clubhouse of the Aero Club based at Leysdown flying field [TR 06 NW 1078] (where the Short brothers were also based) and was visited by the Wright brothers in the same year. Becoming MoD property during the first and second world wars after the pioneers had moved to Eastchurch airfield, the house was released after World War Two and became a country club, renamed Muswell Manor [2].

See also the walled garden for Mussel Manor (TR 06 NW 1074).

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
WING ROAD 1. 5282 (East Side) Leysdown-on-Sea, Sheerness Muswell Manor TR 06 NW 17/150
II 2. Early C19, the rear span possibly older. 2 storeys, rough rendered. Steeply- pitched roof with end stacks. 2 hipped dormers. 4 windows, hung sashes without glazing bars. Modern sun porch to front elevation. Long pentice to rear. Included for historical reasons as the centre used by the Wright brothers, the Short brothers, Lord Brabazon and Mr Rolls while carrying out early flying experiments at Eastchurch.
Listing NGR: TR0430969371


<1> Department of the Environment, KCC Greenback Index (Index). SWX9400.

<2> Ashword, Chris, 1985/1990, Action Stations 9: Military Airfields of the Central South & South East (Monograph). SKE8330.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>Index: Department of the Environment. KCC Greenback Index.
<2>Monograph: Ashword, Chris. 1985/1990. Action Stations 9: Military Airfields of the Central South & South East.

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