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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1300 to 1824. College 1362 (rems. of); almshouses 1598. Founded in 1362 by Sir John de Cobham as a chantry for 5 priests. Surrendered to the Crown in 1539. Refounded as almshouses by the will of a later Lord Cobham and completed in 1598.

Monument Types

• SITE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1300 AD to 1824 AD)
• COLLEGE OF SECULAR PRIESTS (COLLEGE OF SECULAR PRIESTS, Medieval - 1362 AD to 1539 AD)
• ALMSHOUSE (ALMSHOUSE, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TQ 66 NE 6 :
[TQ 66966835] Cobham College [GT] (Almshouses A.D.1598) [TQ 66966831] College [GT] (Remains of) (1)

John, Lord Cobham founded and endowed a college at Cobham in 1362. It appears by the foundations and other remains to have been quadrangular; and part of the east wall and large chimney pieces of the kitchen or refectory yet remain at the S.E. angle. Between the north side of the new college and the south side of the church are the remains of the north cloister ……. William, Lord Cobham, Lord chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth, founded and endowed the "New College of Cobham", a "quadrangular building composed of small squared stones," the north and south sides 56'7" and the east and west sides 51'. On the south side is the large hall with a raised floor at the upper end. (2)

The first college of Cobham was not dissolved, but privately surrendered to George Brook, Lord of Cobham, whose possession was secured by Act of Parliament. The new College of Cobham was completed on 29th September 1598. [Included is a full historical account of the foundation.] (3)

Cobham, Originally founded as a chantry or small college of five priests in 1362. The master and four others acknowledged the Royal supremacy in 1535. (4)

Full description of legal documents relating to the foundations of the two colleges, the second in 1598 as an almshouse for twenty poor persons; together with a description of the remains. [See AO/59/83/5-7] (5)

Description, well-illustrated, of remains with a plan showing relative positions of alsmshouse, college ruins, church [TQ 66 NE 12] and "Old College or Stone House" (6)

The group of buildings known as Cobham College is the work of two distinct periods. The first, the original 14th c. foundation as a College, the second the 16th c. rebuilding and adaption of the buildings as almshouses. These almshouses exist for aged and poor men and women of Cobham and neighbouring parishes and had until 1956, when water, drainage, electricity etc. was laid on, remained in their original state. They are administered by trustees of the founder, Sir. Wm. Brooke, Lord Cobham, known as Presidents. (7)

The Almshouses are in excellent conditions and occupied. Their name 'Cobhm College' is confirmed. The 14th c. College remains (Refectory) are fairly substantial and in good condition. At the E. end wall they attain a height of 4.5 m. and at the E. end of the S. wall they are 4.0m. High. Elsewhere they do not exceed 1.0 m. (8)

Other bibliography (9-16)

Archaeological watching brief and building recording (2002) during the refurbishment of the roofs of three of the ranges. Evidence of the medieval roof covering over the earlier ranges were revealed against the outer face of the hall's gables.(17)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 66 NE COBHAM THE STREET
(South side)
10/5/17
Cobham Cottage
28.08.1952 I
Founded in 1362 by Sir John de Cobham as a chantry for 5 priests. Surrendered to the Crown in 1539. Refounded as almshouses by the will of a later Lord Cobham and completed in 1598. The original building may have been designed by Henry Yvele. Now contains the almshouses and forms a quadrang of 2 storeys with a hall occupying the south side. The remaining sides are of coursed stone on inner and outer faces, but the Hall is faced in flint. The chimneys are of brick, 2 being modern. The roofs are tiled and gabled. The hall has 3 windows facing the quadrangle the other sides have 5 each. Windows are casements with stone mullions. The Hall has 2 outer windows in Perpendicular style. Door openings are arched on the doors in stone with brass plates naming the parish electing each pensioner. A timber porch with a now slanting tiled roof gives access to east end of the Hall from the south and to the undercroft. The Hall internally has a hooded stone fireplace of 1598 and a fine C14 timber roof. In stone the undercroft is a square pillar supporting the original central hearth. The College is separated from the parish church by an open processional passageway with ruined arch at each end and the college buildings were once connected with the chancel. To the south are the remains of a building believed to have been a kitchen. In the centre of the south side of the quadrangle is a pump beneath a tablet recording its installation by the Countess of Darnley in 1824. A round-headed stone archway in the ruined building to the south has a tablet above it recording the refounding of the college as almshouses in the late C16.
Listing NGR: TQ6700468398 (18)

Archive material (19)

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

<2> Biblio Topo Brit vol 1 No VI pt 1 1780-90 3-11 (OS Card Reference). SKE37651.

<3> VCH Kent Vol 2 1926 231 (OS Card Reference). SKE51207.

<4> Md Rel Houses Eng & Wales 328 (Knowles & Hadcock) (OS Card Reference). SKE46687.

<5> Arch Cant vol 27 1905 64-109 Illust (OS Card Reference). SKE36389.

<6> Country Life vol 95 Jan-Apl 1944 244-7 (C Hussey) (OS Card Reference). SKE39471.

<7> F1 CFW 07.07.59 (OS Card Reference). SKE42458.

<8> The New College of Cobham in the Co of Kent (pamphlet) June 1958 (OS Card Reference). SKE50445.

<9> F2 CFW 31.08.59 (OS Card Reference). SKE43293.

<10> Arch Cant 79 1964 109-20 plan plates (PJ Tester) (OS Card Reference). SKE35655.

<11> DOE(HHR)Dist of Strood RD Kent May 1960 6 (OS Card Reference). SKE41358.

<12> DOE(HHR)Bor of Gravesham 1983 8 9 (OS Card Reference). SKE41224.

<13> Med Arch 8 1964 242 (DM Wilson and DG Hurst) (OS Card Reference). SKE46770.

<14> Field report for monument TQ 66 NE 6 - July, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3495.

<15> Field report for monument TQ 66 NE 6 - August, 1959 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3496.

<16> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1992, Cobham College Gardens, Stonehouse Yard, Cobham (Unpublished document). SKE6752.

<17> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2002, An Historical Building Record of the Roofs Covering the North, South and West Ranges of New College (Unpublished document). SKE8249.

<18> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<19> Historic England, Archive material associated with Cobham College Listed building (Archive). SKE53866.

Sources and further reading

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