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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 85 SW 1
Type of record:Listed Building
Name:Battel Hall, Leeds, nr Maidstone

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1325 to 1966, Hall situated within the grounds of Leeds Castle. Stone built house with a formerly open two-bay hall and most of the upper end. The lower end was demolished. In the 15th century a screen may have been inserted to divide the body of the hall from the passage. Existing services to the north of the hall and the north east wing. Restored in 1954.


Grid Reference:TQ 8276 5330
Map Sheet:TQ85SW
Parish:LEEDS, MAIDSTONE, KENT

Monument Types

  • HOUSE (Medieval to Modern - 1325 AD to 2050 AD)
Protected Status:Listed Building (II*) 1336303: BATTEL HALL

Full description

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[TQ 82765331] Battle Hall [GT] (1) The hall and one wing of Battle Hall date from the 14th c, but they were much altered in the reign of Henry VIII. In the hall is a very fine 14th c carved stone cistern and lavatory. (2) Battle Hall (name confirmed). A private residence, as described above, heavily restored - renewed roof, windows etc. In excellent condition. See GP AO/61/76/6 from SW. (3) Owner wishes original name used .... Battel Hall. (4) Battel Hall Hall. Second quarter 14th c, with 17th c and later alterations, restored mid 20th c. Roughly coursed galletted ragstone with stone quoins and dressings. Left side and front gable end of right wing stuccoed on ground-floor, weatherboarded above. Plain tile roof. Open hall, at right-angles to road, with solar and defensible undercroft to left (towards road) from which garderobe wing projects to front. 17th c wing with 14th c core projecting to front at right end. 2 storeys with hipped roofs. Main range has 3 brick stacks; one ridge stack towards left end, another towards centre, and one in front slope of roof at junction with right wing. Left wing has brick ridge stack at top of hip, right wing has stack in right slope of roof. Irregular fenestration of one 19th c Gothic window with brick voussoirs to left end of left wing, two 12-pane sashes in open side of left wing. Main range has 2 full-height 15th c hall windows with moulded stone jambs and square-topped hoodmoulds with plain label-stops. Central portion of these now blocked; first floor of each has a 2-light wood casement and ground floor retains restored 15th c cinquefoiled lights, all with leaded panes. Right wing has two 16-pane glazing bar sashes, one to left side elevation and one to gable end. 2-centred arched moulded stone doorway to right end of main range. Left side elevation: (to road) has 3 Medieval stone windows to first floor; one rectangular, with slightly coved architrave, partially blocked, one round-headed with hollow spandrels in rectangular opening and one probably restored narrow rectangular light. Three-centred arched doorway with hollow chamfer and broach stops to wing, towards junction with main range. Rear elevation: doorway with portcullis groove and smaller door to right side of it, said to have been associated with stair turret linking solar and undercroft. Variety of Medieval and 19th c windows. Interior: large laver with cusped, crocketted ogee arch with heads to label stops, slender shafts and battlemented double-barrelled cistern with Lion's head spouts. "Nothing like it survives anywhere else in England" (J Newman, West Kent and the Weald 1980)(6). Stone-seated windows. Early 14th c Dominican reredos panel, possibly from Dartford. Interior only partly inspected. Hall probably connected neither with Priory nor with Castle. (S Rigold, Arch J vol 126 for 1969 pates 255 and 256).

Description from record TQ 85 SW 196:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
LEEDS BURBERRY LANE TQ 8253 (west side) 8/79 Battel Hall 20.10.52. GV II* Hall. Second quarter C14, with C17 and later alterations, restored mid C20. Roughly coursed galletted ragstone with stone quoins and dressings. Left side and front gable end of right wing stuccoed on ground-floor, weatherboarded above. Plain tile roof. Open hall, at right-angles to road, with solar and defensible undercroft to left (towards road) from which garderobe wing projects to front. C17 wing with C14 core projecting to front at right end. 2 storeys with hipped roofs. Main range has 3 brick stacks; one ridge stack towards left end, another towards centre, and one in front slope of roof at junction with right wing. Left wing has brick ridge stack at top of hip, right wing has stack in right slope of roof. Irregular fenestration of one C19 Gothik window with brick voussoirs to left end of left wing, two 12-pane sashes in open boxes to right side of left wing. Main range has 2 full-height C15 hall windows with moulded stone jambs and square- topped hoodmoulds with plain label-stops. Central portion of these now blocked; first floor of each has a 2-light wood casement and ground floor retains restored C15 cinquefoiled lights, all with leaded panes. Right wing has two 16-pane glazing bar sashes, one to left side elevation and one to gable end. 2-centred arched moulded stone doorway to right end of main range. Left side elevation: (to road) has 3 Medieval stone windows to first floor; one rectangular, with slightly coved architrave, partially blocked, one round-headed with hollow spandrels in rectangular opening and one probably restored narrow rectangular light. Three-centred arched doorway with hollow chamfer and broach stops to wing, towards junction with main range. Rear elevation: doorway with portcullis groove and smaller door to right side of it, said to have been associated with stair turret linking solar and undercroft. Variety of Medieval and C19 windows Interior: large laver with cusped, crocketted ogee arch with heads to label stops, slender shafts and battlemented double-barrelled cistern with Lion's head spouts. "Nothing like it survives anywhere else in England" (J. Newman, West Kent and the Weald, 1980). Stone-seated windows. Early C14 Dominican reredos panel, possibly from Dartford. Interior only partly inspected. Hall probably connected neither with Priory nor with Castle. (S. Rigold, The Archaelogical Journal Vol. 126, for 1969 pp. 255 and 256). Listing NGR: TQ8276953308 (13)

Archive material (14)

Photographs (15-16)


<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> Arch J 82 1929 260 (I C Hannah) (OS Card Reference). SKE36692.

<3> F1 ASP 24-Nov-61 (OS Card Reference). SKE42267.

<4> J D Money Agent to Lady Bailie Owner (OS Card Reference). SKE44802.

<5> LS 25" (E A Bridgman CS SG 44 20.3.1967) (OS Card Reference). SKE46195.

<6> DOE (HHR) Boro of Maidstone Kent 14 Dec 1984 40 (OS Card Reference). SKE39863.

<7> Bldgs of Eng-West Kent & the Weald 1980 373-374 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38150.

<8> Arch J 126 1969 255-6 (S Rigold) (OS Card Reference). SKE36561.

<9> F2 MJF 13-Feb-86 (OS Card Reference). SKE43343.

<10> Domestic Architecture Eng Edward I to Richard II 1853 285-286 (T H Turner) (OS Card Reference). SKE41483.

<11> Field report for monument TQ 85 SW 1 - February, 1986 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4473.

<12> Field report for monument TQ 85 SW 1 - November, 1986 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4474.

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

<14> Historic England, Archive material associated with Battel Hall, Leeds, Listed Building (Archive). SKE54225.

<15> BATTEL HALL AT LEEDS FROM SW. (Photograph). SKE1461.

<16> BATTEL HALL AT LEEDS FROM SW. (Photograph). SKE1461.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>OS Card Reference: OS 6" 1961.
<2>OS Card Reference: Arch J 82 1929 260 (I C Hannah).
<3>OS Card Reference: F1 ASP 24-Nov-61.
<4>OS Card Reference: J D Money Agent to Lady Bailie Owner.
<5>OS Card Reference: LS 25" (E A Bridgman CS SG 44 20.3.1967).
<6>OS Card Reference: DOE (HHR) Boro of Maidstone Kent 14 Dec 1984 40.
<7>OS Card Reference: Bldgs of Eng-West Kent & the Weald 1980 373-374 (J Newman).
<8>OS Card Reference: Arch J 126 1969 255-6 (S Rigold).
<9>OS Card Reference: F2 MJF 13-Feb-86.
<10>OS Card Reference: Domestic Architecture Eng Edward I to Richard II 1853 285-286 (T H Turner).
<11>Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 85 SW 1 - February, 1986.
<12>Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 85 SW 1 - November, 1986.
<13>XYMap: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. [Mapped feature: #28880 Listed building, ]
<14>Archive: Historic England. Archive material associated with Battel Hall, Leeds, Listed Building.
<15>Photograph: BATTEL HALL AT LEEDS FROM SW.. OS61/F76/6. Black and White. Negative.
<16>Photograph: BATTEL HALL AT LEEDS FROM SW.. OS61/F76/6. Black and White. Negative.