Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1199 to 1899.Remains of hospital founded before 1199 and granted to the Knights Hospitallers in 1214. A preceptory was established but it had ceased to exist by 1338. The main portion of the building dates from 13th century and was the Preceptory chapel, but was much altered 1755-6. Two-storeys and attic. The East end is faced with flints, the remainder re-faced with red brick in the 18th century. In the 19th century dormers were added. 18th century addition to the West on the site of the former tower. 19th century East-wing addition to the North-East. The site is moated.

Monument Types

• HOSPITAL (Medieval to Modern - 1199 AD to 2050 AD)
• CHAPEL (CHAPEL, Medieval to Modern - 1214 AD? to 2050 AD? (at some time))
• HOSPITALLERS PRECEPTORY (HOSPITALLERS PRECEPTORY, Medieval to Post Medieval - 1214 AD? to 1540 AD (between))
• MOAT (MOAT, Medieval to Modern - 1214 AD? to 2050 AD (post))
• HOUSE (Altered 1660's, 1755, c.1870 & 1970's, Post Medieval to Modern - 1667 AD? to 2050 AD (post))

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5274 SUTTON-AT-HONE MAIN ROAD (east side)
St John's Jerusalem TQ 57 SE 4/81 1.8.52
II* GV
2. A preceptory of the order of the Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem was founded here in 1199 by Robert de Basing. The main portion of the building dates from the C13 and was the Chapel of the Preceptory, but it was much altered by Edward Hasted, the County Historian in 1755-6. Two storeys and attics. The east end is faced with flints and has 2 lancet windows at first floor level which light the chapel. To the west of these is a buttress of flints and stone, then a blocked pointed mediaeval stone doorway and then another lancet. Double piscina inside. The remainder of the original building to the west has been refaced with red brick in the C18. This has 4 windows, with wide glazing bars intact, on ground and first floors are stone lancet windows and a doorcase with Gibbs surround and pediment over. Above the whole of the original portion are 4 pedimented dormers which were added in the C19. Tiled roof. To the west of the original building is a late C18 addition of higher elevation erected on the foundation of a C13 tower. This is stuccoed and has long and short quoins at its west end, a wooden modillion eaves cornice, one window and a pedimented dormer. To the north-east is an L-wing in buff brick added in the C19. The interior contains a C17 kitchen with inglenook, main staircase of circa 1755 with turned balusters, a drawing room with C18 panelling and dado rail and Mrs Hasted's boudoir circa 1755 with fireplace, panelling, Greek key patterned dado rail and swag ornaments to window wall. Abraham Hill (1635-1726) a founder member of the Royal Society lived here from 1667 to 1721 and Edward Hasted, the Historian of Greek, from 1757 to 1776. Listing NGR: TQ5589670372 (13)

Description from record TQ 57 SE 39:
[TQ 55887035] St. Johns [NR] Chapel [NR] (Remains of a Commandery of Knights Hospitallers) [also, area centred TQ 559 703] Moat [NR]. (1) Sutton-at-Hone. Founded as a Hospital before 1199 and granted to the Knights Hospitallers in 1214. A preceptory was established but it had ceased to exist by 1338. (2) St. Johns. Main portion of building dates from 13th c. and was the Preceptory chapel, but was much altered 1755 - 56. 2 storeys and attic. E. end faced with flints, the remainder re-faced with red brick in 18th c. 19thc dormers added. Tile roof. 18thc adddition to W. on site of a tower. 19thc E-wing addition to the N.E. (3) [Photo AO/60/152/4.] Plan of remains of chapel [A full architectural description is given.] (4) `St. Johns' (name confirmed). As described by Authority 3. The 18c addition to W. on site of a tower, incorporates parts of a Tudor building. The east wall is entirely of narrow red brick. Existence of a Tudor structure was confirmed by Lady Tallents. The house is a private residence, and is National Trust property. It is in fair condition A water-filled moat entirely surrounds the building, and is in good condition. See GPs. AO/60/142/1 House from S: /2 Tudor brick-work seen from NE. (5) Published 25" survey revised. (6) TQ 559705. St. John's, Sutton at Hone. Listed as a Medieval moated site. (7) St. John's Jerusalem. Grade II* A preceptory of the order of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem was founded here in 1199. The main portion of the building dates from the 13th century and was the Chapel of the Preceptory, but it was much altered in 1755-6. (8) Dendrochronology on timber from above the front door gives a felling date of c.1236. (9)

Date of the hopsitals foundation is unclear, traditionally 1199, but seems likely to have been early in the 13th century. The property was confiscated by the Crown in 1540 and granted to Sir Maurice Dannys in 1544. The chapel only seems to have been converted into a house during the ownership of Abraham Hill (1660-1721). Later alterations ere undertaken by Edward Hasted (leaseholder 1755 - 66) and in the late 19th century. The site was given to the National Trust by Sir Sephen Tallents in 1943.

No evidence for claustral buildings although c.6m square foundations were found in 1930 c.12m south of the south-eastern corner of the house and the field to the south of the house contains "tile and other debry". A piece of timber removed by Rentokil, date unknown, was tested by the Institute of Archaeology, Oxford who assessed a germination date of c1150 and felling date of c1236. The precise location of the timber is not known but came from over the front door.

The moat, which surrounds the site and dates from the 13th century remained "wet" until 1976 and has been dry ever since.(11)

A desk-based assessment carried out at the site in 2006 summarises the history of the Commandery and presents information on details of the area.(12)

from the National Heritage List for England:
The monument includes a moated preceptory and an associated fishpond situated beside the River Darent.

The preceptory lies on a NNW-SSE orientated, sub-rectangular, artificial island measuring 185m by 120m. In the north western quarter of the island are the remains of the preceptory chapel, dating from the 13th century, incorporated within a later, 16th century residence, with 17th and substantial 18th and 19th century additions and alterations in brick. The residence is a Grade II* Listed Building. Documentary evidence suggests that the main period of medieval building took place around 1234, when Henry III is recorded as having ordered five oaks from Tonbridge Forest for the chapel roof. The chapel is a rectangular building, with external buttresses, constructed of flint rubble with ashlar dressings. It is lit by simple, lancet windows, several of which, along with the original doorway on the south eastern wall, have been blocked at a later date. Inside the chapel, on the ground floor at the eastern end of the south eastern wall, is a double piscina, or alcove, originally containing water basins. At the south western end is a further area of medieval walling which may represent the remains of a tower. Traces of further preceptory buildings may survive in buried form beneath the undulating ground which forms the modern gardens surrounding the residence.

The island is surrounded on all four sides by a moat, the south western arm of which is formed by the River Darent. The northward flow of the river both feeds and drains the moat. The north western, north eastern and south eastern arms remain waterfilled and are between 5m and 8m wide. A modern sluice controls the flow of the river near the north western corner of the moat, and the banks of the river at this point are retained with modern brick walls. There is also a smaller modern sluice on the north western arm of the moat. The moat is bounded by retaining earthworks which survive particularly well on the north western and north eastern sides, taking the form of substantial linear banks up to 2m high and 12m wide. Access to the island is provided by a Grade II Listed, 19th century, brick-built bridge situated near the northern end of the south western arm of the moat. Two modern footbridges span the north eastern arm and the north western corner of the moat. The preceptory is thought to have gone out of use by 1338, after which time it was used as a residence. Amongst its later occupants were Abraham Hill, a founder member of the Royal Society, who lived at the manor house between 1667 and 1721, and, between 1757 and 1776, Edward Hasted, the historian, who carried out many of the 18th century alterations to the buildings. The preceptory and its surrounding land were given to the National Trust by Sir Stephen and Lady Tallents in 1943.

To the south west of the moat on the opposite river bank are the earthwork remains of a narrow, rectangular fishpond originally fed with freshwater by the river. This is a slightly sunken, marshy area of ground 146m long and 12m wide.

The residence of which the chapel forms a part, and the main, 19th century bridge across the south western arm of the moat, are excluded from the scheduling as they are considered to be more appropriately protected by their listed status. All modern garden walls, fences, greenhouses and outbuildings situated on the island, the modern sluice and retaining walls near the bridge and the two modern, wooden footbridges are also excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath all the above features is included.

ASSESSMENT OF IMPORTANCE
A preceptory is a monastery of the military orders of Knights Templars and Knights Hospitallers (also known as the Knights of St John of Jerusalem). At least one preceptory of the Knights of St Lazarus is also known to have existed in England. Preceptories were founded to raise revenues to fund the 12th and 13th century crusades to Jerusalem. In the 15th century the Hospitallers directed their revenue toward defending Rhodes from the Turks. In addition, the preceptories of the Templars functioned as recruiting and training barracks for the knights whilst those of the Hospitallers provided hospices which offered hospitality to pilgrims and travellers and distributed alms to the poor. Lazarine preceptories had leper hospitals attached. Like other monastic sites, the buildings of preceptories included provision for worship and communal living. Their most unusual feature was the round nave of their major churches which was copied from that of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Indeed their use of such circular churches was unique in medieval
England. Other buildings might include hospital buildings, workshops or agricultural buildings. These were normally arranged around a central open space, and were often enclosed within a moat or bank and ditch. From available documentary sources it can be estimated that the Templars held 57 preceptories in England. At least 14 of these were later taken over by the Hospitallers, who held 76 sites. As a relatively rare monument class, all sites exhibiting good survival of archaeological remains will be identified as nationally important. (13)

Archaeological remains of the preceptory of the Knights Hospitallers at
Sutton-at-Hone survive well and it is rare for standing remains to survive in monuments of this class. In addition, it will provide evidence relating to the occupation of the site and the nature of the surrounding environment. The waterfilled moat and the associated fishpond provide ideal conditions for the survival of organic remains. (14)

National Trust, 1998, National Trust Annual Archaeological Review (Article in serial). SKE53713.

Society for Medieval Archaeology, 1999, Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology (OS Card Reference). SKE53772.

Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2001, Archaeological watching brief at St Johns Jerusalem (Unpublished document). SKE53773.

The National Trust, 2001, St. John's Jerusalem. Archaeological Evaluation of West Wing North Wall. (Unpublished document). SKE53774.

Rumley, Peter T.J., 2010, Archaeological Watching Brief: Repairs to North Moat Bank and Weir Brick Revetment at St John's Jerusalem, Sutton-at-Hone (Unpublished document). SKE16735.

<1> OS 6" 1938-9 (Prov. Edn) (OS Card Reference). SKE48358.

<2> Md Rel Ho Eng & Wales 1953 246 311 (Knowles & Haddock) (OS Card Reference). SKE46679.

<3> MHLG Schedule Dartford RD 2033/11/A Nov 1960 34 (OS Card Reference). SKE47172.

<4> Arch Cant 47 1935 208 (P K Kipps) (OS Card Reference). SKE35216.

<5> F1 ASP 22.07.60 (OS Card Reference). SKE42228.

<6> F2 FGA 26.08.64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43332.

<7> Moated Sites Res Gp 6 1979 48 (CJ Bond) (OS Card Reference). SKE47258.

<8> DOE(HHR) Boro of Dartford Kent 17 3 82 30-1 (OS Card Reference). SKE40828.

<9> Field report for monument TQ 57 SE 39 - July, 1960 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3077.

<10> Field report for monument TQ 57 SE 39 - August, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3078.

<11> Leach, P. E., 1994, St. John's Jerusalem, Sutton at Hone, Kent, St. John's Jerusalem: Arch. report, NT, 1994. (Unpublished document). SKE12033.

<12> The National Trust, 2006, St. John's Jerusalem Sutton-At-Hone Kent: Archaeological And Historical Landscape Survey (Unpublished document). SKE15691.

<13> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<14> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

Sources and further reading

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