Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The remains of the medieval manor house, mid 13th to 16th century, of Grench found during archaeological investigations in the 1990's. Finds recovered included a quantity of oyster shell, animal bone, pottery of utilitarian vessels of probably local origin and tile. Building features included internal and external walls, floor surfaces, hearths, boundary ditches and post holes. Overall a series of building phases were identifed between the 12th and 16th centuries. Various segments of wall,built at different periods. Possible boundary ditches, either undated or post-medieval in date. C19th rubbish pit filled with glas bottles and ceramics.

Monument Types

• BOUNDARY DITCH? (Unknown date)
• MANOR HOUSE (Demolished, Medieval to Post Medieval - 1250 AD? to 1599 AD? (at some time))
• WALL (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1400 AD? to 1599 AD?)
• BOUNDARY DITCH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• RUBBISH PIT (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

• ANIMAL REMAINS (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1250 AD? to 1599 AD?)
• OYSTER SHELL (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1250 AD? to 1599 AD?)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1250 AD? to 1599 AD?)
• TILE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1250 AD? to 1599 AD?)
• BOTTLE (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1899 AD)
• POTTERY ASSEMBLAGE (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1899 AD)

Full description

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The manor of Grange, anciently Grench, Gillingham, is mentioned with its chantry chapel, in 1349(1) although Hussey(2) states the chapel was built by Sir John Phillipot, who was Lord Mayor of London in 1378-9. The remains of the chapel are near the present house, and another ruin, called a Refectory, is also standing. (1-3)

The owner is changing the name from "The Grange" to the original name of "Grench Manor". The probable original remains consist of:- (A) The Chapel, at TQ 7932 6852, is a small building 13.0m. by 6.5m. with three walls (N.S.W) intact. The north and south walls each contain two windows and a pointed arch doorway: the west wall has a window in Decorated style. The east wall and roof have gone. Dedication not known. (B) An unidentified building called the Refectory, at TQ 7939 6852 next to the main gateway to Grench Manor, is of similar construction and style to the chapel. It consists of a southern side and eastern end only and is 18.0m. by 6.5m. The side wall contains two pointed arch doorways and three windows - the end wall is only fragmentary. The original purpose of the building is unknown but a reasonable assumption is that it was an outbuilding of Grench Manor. Further foundations have been noted under the lawn midway between the two buildings. (a) (4)

Additional Info (5 - 9).

Excavation at the south side of house (1992) revealed foundations of earlier activity. A number of structural fragments were found possibly representing a boundary wall, and part of a single structure (a minimum of two rooms one of which was floored with crushed chalk) in the SE area of the excavation and of medieval date. In addition three areas of substantial foundations were also found. At the SW side of the house massive mortared sandstone base of what could have been an external chimney or possibly a kiln (there were a number of heat damaged tiles of medieval date). A little further to the west a solid foundation measuring 3.45m square and 0.60m thick believed to be a stair tower, the main cellar. Finally a pair of parallel, narrow masonry walls butting the south wall of the existing houses main cellar which must have supported a vaulted ceiling and most likely represents a medieval vaulted cellar or chamber, probably an extension to the main cellar. There is no evidence of a building over this feature, nor are the walls robust enough to have supported a building. By the 19th century the roof had collapsed or been removed and the void infilled. The main cellar and the unknown structure found may represent the southern remains of the earlier manor house to which the vaulted structure was later added (10)

Additional evaluation by SEAS (Now Archaeology South East) in 1995. The evaluation showed that the area of the site had been disturbed by burrow, root and human activity, but discovered a continuation of wall (KARU wall "A" 1992) and additional external walls. A possible internal surface layer and later pit/hearth were located. It is not possible to ascertain if the external walls were a constituent part of the original Grench Manor.(12)

Second SEAS evaluation in early 1996 over a slightly wider area and watching brief on foundation construction for nursing home. In the southernmost area of the site (centred on TQ7931768446) a number of postholes and a ditch, possibly a boundary ditch, of uncertain date were found. Slightly further north, under the foundations of the new building, an oyster shell midden and occupation layer containing a high percentage of oyster shells were noted. No dating evidence was found but it was assumed to be medieval. At least three main building phases were uncovered on the site probably in use from the mid 13th to mid 16th centuries, although pottery found on the site suggests a 13th/14th to 15th century date for the main occupation.

The first building phase dates from the 13th to 15th centuries around the time of the tenancy of Menasses de Hastings. This phases seems to have been abandoned in favour of a n-s range with rooms extending to the west and this new building dates to the first half of the 15th century and may have had an integral chimney stack, or possibly added at a slightly later date. The final phase seem involved to addition of a wall to the western side of the building, enclosing the chimney. These changes were possibly carried out for John Bamme.

It is uncertain how the excavated features related to the rest of the manor buildings and the size of the buildings found remains unclear.

Finds recovered included a quantity of oyster shell, animal bone, pottery of utilitarian vessels of probably local origin and tile.(13)

The evaluation appears to have determined the limits of the medieval manor house to the north-west of the exisiting building. Walls found form part of a phase of extensions dating to the 15th and 16th centuries. Two ditches found to the east appear to be possible field boundaries associated with cultivation/horticulture, and suggest that cultivation took place up to the limits of the manor.(14)

Desk-top assessments (15 - 16)

Grace Manor Nursing Home (built on the fromer site of the medieval Grench Manor). Trench 1 contained a V profile ditch, probably boundary ditch. No evidence for date. This trench also contained a possible truncated base of a possible garden feature dated to the C19th by pottery retrieved from its fill.

Trench 2 several wall segments. One forming an L shape, was 0.5m wide by 0.25m deep, the second was 0.45m wide but its depth was not fully exposed. This latter wall ran from the eastern edge of the trench and turned out of the southern end.Towards the northern end was a wall segment 0.6m wide. The Western end had been robbed out and the eastern end was truncated by the insertion of a later phase wall. This later wall measured 0.4m wide by 2.6m long. Northern end another wall segment aligned NW to SE measuring 0.3m wide and 1.6m long. All wall segments were made of Kentish Ragstone and occasional flints bonded with lime mortar. Numerous peg tiles with medieval sandy grey ware and a fragment of C81th/19th flower pot from redeposited soil.

Trench 3 contained round bottomed gully amongst the infill was found a fragment of bone and a roofing tile. Sealing the ditch was a layer which contained a possible medieval ploughsoil.

Another post-medieval boundary ditch was found. Infill contained earthenware pottery and fragments of post-medieval tile.

Trench 4 contained a circular flat bottomed rubbish pit 1m diameter by .45m deep. This contained cast iron guttering and C19th glass bottles. Another ditch, possibly a post-medieval boundary ditch, was infilled with charcoal flecking and abraded ceramic building material (16)

EDP, 2009, Grace Manor, Gillingham, Kent: Archaeological Assessment (Unpublished document). SKE15930.

<1> Hasted, E., 1786, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 2, Hist of Kent 2 1782 83 (E Hasted) (Monograph). SKE8061.

<2> Arch Cant 29 1911 237 (A Hussey) (OS Card Reference). SKE34946.

<2> Hussey, A., 1911, Archaeologia Cantiana Vol. 29. Chapels in Kent, Arch Cant 29 1911 237 (A Hussey) (Article in serial). SKE8032.

<3> Chats about Gillingham 1906 30 (CS Leeds) (OS Card Reference). SKE38951.

<4> E Smith Randall Owner (OS Card Reference). SKE41539.

<5> F1 AC 06-NOV-51 (OS Card Reference). SKE41769.

<6> F2 CFW 05-NOV-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43207.

<7> DOE (HHR) Borough of Gillingham 1973 (OS Card Reference). SKE39911.

<8> Newman, J., 1980, Buildings of England: West Kent and the Weald, Bldgs of Eng West Kent and the Weald 1980 293-94 (J Newman) (Monograph). SKE7817.

<9> DOE Amendment Letter. 6.11.90 (OS Card Reference). SKE40783.

<10> Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, 1992, Gillingham Grench Manor: Summary Report of an Archaeological Rescue-Excavation January 1992 (Unpublished document). SWX6865.

<11> Field report for monument TQ 76 NE 43 - November, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4068.

<12> South East Archaeological Services, 1995, Archaeological Evaluation at Grench Manor, 348 Grange Road, Gillingham (Unpublished document). SWX7042.

<13> Kirk, L, 1998, Excavation at Grench Manor, Gillingham (Unpublished document). SKE11931.

<14> Oxford Archaeology, 2005, Grace Manor Nursing Home, Grange Road, Gillingham, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE12490.

<15> Wessex Archaeology, 2000, Grange Farm, Gillingham Kent Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (Unpublished document). SKE12491.

<15> CgMs Consulting, 2002, Archaeological Desk Based Assessment of Land at Grange Farm, Gillingham (Unpublished document). SKE12492.

<16> Oxford Archaeology, 2005, Grace Manor Nursing Home, Grange Road, Gillingham, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE15625.

Sources and further reading

Related records