Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The Model Farm was built under the ownership of James Harmer, consisting of a Farmhouse and Dairy by 1841 and other ancillary buildings. None of the buildings were extant by 1999.

Monument Types

• GARDEN FEATURE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1840 AD? to 1940 AD? (between))

Full description

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The Model Farm was built under the ownership of James Harmer, consisting of a Farmhouse and Dairy by 1841 and other ancillary buildings. Harmer was responsible for the construction of the current Ingress Abbey building in 1833 [TQ 57 NE 93] and the further development of the park and gardens [TQ 57 NE 97]. Charles Moreing, who had designed the new Ingress Abbey building, also designed the farm buildings.
The 1868 ordanance survey map shows an aggregation of buildings, including a possible whale shaped pond and a celtic cross shaped building interpreted as the dairy. Some of these elements were incorporated into an arcaded facade, which stretched to the Eastern Mound [TQ 57 NE 99] to the north. This facade provided access to the top of the eastern mound, via a walkway on top of the arcade and access through to the chalk pits in the south eastern quadrant of the site [TQ 57 NE 94].
The surviving 'limekiln' building consists of a couple of brick built arches, surrounded by a chalk built structure dressed with flint, which the results report suggests was part of the arcaded façade running up to the eastern mound. The arches were originally constructed against the north face of the chalk quarry edge (perhaps the limit of 18th century quarrying), although subsequent quarrying has removed this edge leaving the arches exposed. Hence their appearance as a couple of tunnels. The report concludes that the term limekiln is a misnomer, as there is no apparent area for burning lime and that the arches were probably used for storage and part of the model farm. This contradicts the early landscape record report, which still refers to these structures as a ruined brick 'limekiln'.
Little remained of these structures by 1999, as the area had been severely truncated, probably by work associated with the Empire Paper Mills [TQ 57 NE 95]. Footings discovered at the base of the eastern mound and dated through associated artefacts to the 19th century, may be associated with the model farm complex. [1 and 2].

<1> AOC Archaeology Group, 2004, Results Of Archaeological Excavation And Recording At Ingress Abbey, Greenhithe, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE12239.

<2> Debois Landscape Survey Group, 1999, Ingress Abbey, Greenhithe, Kent A record of the landscape. (Unpublished document). SKE12236.

Sources and further reading

Related records