Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

All that remains of Great Culand is a rectangular brick and tile hung building now divided into two cottages. Great Kewland Farmhouse, or Great Quling, is first recorded by Hasted as a manor. The date 1599 (1579?) is marked on a door lintel and architectural features suggest a mid-16th century construction. There are large fireplaces and fine chimneys which have been reduced in height. Tradition names the house as a hunting lodge of Henry VIII but there is no proof of this.

A tread wheel drew water from a 120ft well (36.5m). This could have been part of the original structure or a later addition. It has been dismantled and is preserved at Maidstone Museum.

Monument Types

• FARMHOUSE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1500 AD to 1900 AD?)
• TREADWHEEL (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1500 AD to 1900 AD?)

Full description

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[TQ 73536147] Great Culand [GT] (1) Old Culand farmhouse, or Great Culand has large old fire-places and fine chimneys recently reduced in height. An old cage-wheel draws water from a 120' well. Tradition names this house as one of Henry VIII's hunting lodges but there is no proof of this. (2) Great Kewland farmhouse is not mentioned in the Domesday Survey, but is recorded by Hasted as Great Quling, being described as a manor. Over the lintel of a door is the date 1599 (1579?), and the architectural features of the house point to its being mid-16th.c. The Treadwheel was an integral part of the original structure, or an addition of only slightly later date. [Includes full description of treadwheel] (3) Now demolished. An amendment to the Antiquity model has been made. (4) Demolished c. 1956. The tread wheel is preserved in Maidstone Museum. (5) II Great Culand (2 dwellings) All that remains of this old Tudor manor house is a rectangular brick and tile hung building now divided into two cottages. (6) Additional bibliography. (7)

<1> OS 6" 1939 (OS Card Reference). SKE48359.

<2> Rochester Naturalist vol 4 1928 p.46 (OS Card Reference). SKE49314.

<3> Trans NS Vol 4 1923-4 p.36-9 Illust (HA Sandford) (OS Card Reference). SKE50656.

<4> F1 CFW 30-JUN-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE42836.

<5> Inf Mr F Twort "Greenways" Robin Hood Lane Bluebell Hill (OS Card Reference). SKE44341.

<6> F2 CFW 30-JUN-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE43292.

<7> MHLG 2227/11/A Malling RD Kent May 1950 22 (OS Card Reference). SKE47089.

<8> Official Guide Book (OS Card Reference). SKE47857.

<9> KARU TM 16 (OS Card Reference). SKE45634.

<10> Field report for monument TQ 76 SW 12 - June, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4170.

Sources and further reading