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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 65 NE 46
Type of record:Listed Building
Name:GATEHOUSE AND CHAPEL TO ST MARY'S ABBEY

Summary

In the 14th century a gatehouse with a chapel attached was built as an entrance to St Mary's Abbey.The west face of the gatehouse and whole lower storey is of stone. The upper storey is of timber with wattle and daub infill.It is jettied on the east side.

At the north end is a square ended chapel, built in the 14th century but with 15th century additions. Its timber roof has been restored with red tiles.

At the west end is a 16th century fireplace with an external chimney stack which crosses an upper, blocked window. Below the fireplace is a blocked flight of stairs possibly leading to a vault.

Summary from record TQ 65 NE 356:

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1467 to 1899


Grid Reference:TQ 6822 5774
Map Sheet:TQ65NE
Parish:WEST MALLING, TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT

Monument Types

  • CHAPEL (Medieval to Modern - 1300 AD to 2050 AD)
  • GATEHOUSE (Medieval to Modern - 1467 AD to 2050 AD)
Protected Status:Listed Building (I) 1209130: GATEHOUSE AND CHAPEL TO ST MARY'S ABBEY

Full description

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[TQ 68225774] Chapel [NR] Gateway [NR] (1,2) The precinct of the Abbey was entered, about the centre of its northern face, through a gatehouse. This building is still intact and consists now mainly of 14th c. work, possibly containing some C15th insertions. Projecting eastwards from its north end is a square ended chapel, probably 14th c., with windows of that date. It was long desecrated but was restored to use in the mid-19th c. (3) The upper storey of the gatehouse, of timber with wattle and daub infilling, is jettied out along the east side. The lower storey and the whole of the west face is of stone. The south end has been rebuilt in modern times. The chapel has a restored timber roof with red tile, otherwise it is of 14th c. date. At the west end is a fireplace, the external chimneystack of which (probably 16th c.) crosses and upper blocked window. Below the fireplace is a flight of steps. The lower end is blocked up, but doubtless leads to a vault. GP AO/59/58/2 Gatehouse from south-east : 58/3 Chapel from south- east : 59/1 Gatehouse from north-west. (4) Malling Abbey, West Tower and Site of Abbey Church, scheduled no. 84. In the 14th century the gatehouse with its attached chapel was built. The Gatehouse is now occupied as a dwelling, and its chapel is restored and in use as such. (5)

Description from record TQ 65 NE 356:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
WEST MALLING
TQ6857 SWAN STREET 1156-0/3/155 Gatehouse & Chapel to St Mary's 25/08/59 Abbey (Formerly Listed as: SWAN STREET St Mary's Abbey)
GV I
Gatehouse and chapel. Late C15 or early C16 former prebendary, almonry and pilgrim's chapel with C16 alterations restored in C19. Built of stone rubble with tiled roof with stone and brick chimneystacks. 1 to 2 storeys with irregular fenestration. Roughly L-shaped. West elevation has a feature of 3 external chimneystacks of stone but brick above roof lead. Continuous drip-mould with 2 gargoyles, a shield with motto now illegible over the arch and probably the Honeywood family shield to right. Large approximately central stone arch with dripmould and renewed double doors. To the right is a smaller 4-centred arch with dripmoulding and carved spandrels. 3 shields, 1 with the instruments of the Passion, 1 with a pierced heart and 1 with the motif worn away. Double-arched window above. To the left is a blocked-in squint. Deep plinth. North elevation has a ground floor of stone rubble, the first floor timber-framed but refaced in roughcast. 1st floor has 5-light C16 wooden mullioned window. Ground floor has 2 paired stone mullioned windows. Chapel has blocked doorway. East elevation has a ground floor of stone rubble and 1st floor timber-framed and plastered with roll-moulded jetty with square framing visible in cart entrance. Tiled roof. Central carriage entrance with 4-centred arch. Moulded wooden pilaster to left of arch. Also to the left is a ground floor 2-light splayed mullioned window and a stone doorcase altered into a window with leaded lights. To right of the entrance is a 6-light wooden mullion with some C19 stained glass in the upper cames and arched doorcases to right with original 5-plank door. South elevation has stone ground floor, header bond brickwork above and Flemish bond brickwork to gable. All windows in this elevation are C20. Attached to the east is the pilgrim's chapel altered to become a family chapel in the C19. South front is of ashlar with stone trefoil-headed light with quatrefoils above. Cambered arched doorcase with panel above end stoup. C19 east window with reticulated tracery. Interior of chapel has barrel-vaulted ceiling to eastern half. To west roll-moulded beam on stone corbels supports an upper chamber with squints. Joists are exposed with roll-moulded beam in centre. Former Victorian screen at rear. 2-plank door in 4-centred arched frame leading to upper floor. Moulded beams to 2 upper rooms, the chamber next to the arch has a stone fireplace and an original Perpendicular window surround with arched head. Jowled posts and Crownpost roof with 2 square crownposts each with 1 headbrace to collar beam. Arched braces. (Buildings of England: Newman J: West Kent and the Weald: 576; Maycock A: A History of St Mary's Abbey, West Malling: 1970-).
Listing NGR: TQ6822557745 (7)


<1> OS 25" (OS Card Reference). SKE48250.

<2> OS 6" 1936 (OS Card Reference). SKE48337.

<3> Arch J 88 1932 180 (F H Fairweather) (OS Card Reference). SKE36756.

<4> F1 ASP 12-JUN-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE42072.

<5> DOE (IAM) Record Form Kent 3 11 1986 (OS Card Reference). SKE40756.

<6> Field report for monument TQ 65 NE 46 - June, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3325.

<7> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>OS Card Reference: OS 25".
<2>OS Card Reference: OS 6" 1936.
<3>OS Card Reference: Arch J 88 1932 180 (F H Fairweather).
<4>OS Card Reference: F1 ASP 12-JUN-59.
<5>OS Card Reference: DOE (IAM) Record Form Kent 3 11 1986.
<6>Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 65 NE 46 - June, 1959.
<7>XYMap: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. [Mapped feature: #12383 building, ]

Related records

TQ 65 NE 352Part of: ST MARYS ABBEY CONVENT BUILDING (Listed Building)