Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Country house constructed during the second quarter of the 17th century with early and late 18th century alterations. A restoration programme was carried out during the 1970s to return the house back to its original 17th appearance.

Monument Types

• SITE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1625 AD to 1979 AD)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
In the following items:
CHEVENING
41/91 Chevening House
the sentence at the top of page 31
'House now undergoing thorough restoration, chiefly removal of mathematical tiles and refacing in brick, removal of attic storey and replacement of pitched roof. When completed, appearance will be as follows'.
shall be amended to read:
'This attic storey and facing of mathematical tiles was removed in the 1970s'.
1. 5280 CHEVENING CHEVENING Chevening House TQ 45 NE 41/91 10.9.54.
I
2. Original house built in second quarter of C17, design influenced by Inigo Jones. Considerable later alterations. lst house square, with 7-bay fronts north and south. In 1717 house bought by General Stanhope, later the lst Earl. During next few years pedimented side projections, quadrant links and 2 new wings flanking entrance court were added, and croisee windows altered to sashes. A wrought iron screen, with double gates to enclose entrance court-was projected. New spiral cantilevered staircase replaced old square stair. Late in Cl8 an attic storey was added and whole building and links faced in mathematical tiles. 4 giant ionic pilasters, supporting entablature, added back and front. House now undergoing thorough restoration, chiefly removal of mathematical tiles and refacing in brick, removal of attic storey and replacement of pitched roof. When completed, appearance will be as follows: 3 storeys and basement, 7 windows. High pitched, hipped, swept tiled roof with modillioned eaves cornice. Central pediment with round window, 1 segment headed dormer either side. Walls of red brick with blue headers, red brick window dressings. Rusticated stone quoins. Centre section defined by 4 giant Ionic pilasters supporting enriched entablature and pediment and resting on arcaded rusticated stone ground floor. Entablature with plain frieze at sides. Sash windows with glazing bars under gauged brick arches. Garden front similar except that 5 segment-headed dormers will replace pediment and flanking dormers of entrance front. Flight of stone steps to central terrace. Return elevations show 3 storey and basement, 3 window pedimented projections, with round windows in tympana. 5-bay ends of separate service and stable wings appear set back at either side. From entrance courtyard arcaded quadrant links to these wings of 2 storeys, 9 windows. Red brick, hipped slate roof. Centre 3 bays project under pediment crowned by cupola. Sundial in pediment of east wing, clock in west. Flanking pairs of circular dormers. 1st floor band resting on keystones of arcaded ground floor. Inside main building: Spiral cantilevered staircase by Nicholas Dubois, circa 1720. Cut string, slim turned balusters varying from 2 to 4 to the tread, ramped handrail with spiral ends, fluted Composite column newels. Dining room has panelling of second quarter of C17. Walls arcaded above dado, upper panels divided by fluted Cornithian pilasters with gilt lead capitals. 2 marble and 2 stone fireplaces of early C18 in various rooms. Bedroom with Chinese wall paper, patterns of flowers, trees birds and rocks, colours very fresh. Interior also to undergo restoration.
Listing NGR: TQ4871757714

Description from record TQ 45 NE 12 :
5280 BRASTED BRASTED High Street (South Side) Brasted Place and Saxon Cross TQ 4755 2/47 TQ 45 SE 45/47 10.9.54. I (TQ 47655499 - sited from HHR map) 2. Circa 1784. Designed by Robert Adam for John Turton, physician to George III. Later additions. 5-bay Palladian villa of 2 storeys and basement. Slightly projecting centre section under pediment with dentilled cornice and round window. Ashlar sandstone masonry with patterned frieze to main entablature, double guilloche first floor band and freestone basement plinth. 9 steps to tetrastyle porch now glazed. Windows modern wood mullioned casements. 3-bay left return has C19 1-storey canted extension and balustraded terrace. Rear elevation has coupled corner Ionic pilasters and full height Ionic tetrastyle portico, opening to terrace. Inside some original plaster reliefs remains in hall and drawing room; and some ceiling and window enrichment. In situ 2 panels of Chinese wallpaper depicting scenes of everyday life, the gift of George III who received it from the Emporor of China. (Some removed to Kent Museum). In 1871 roof of house raised to mansard form and round dormer windows inserted. Also Western additions made, probably by Alfred Waterhouse, in French Renaissance style. A 3-window link of 2 storeys, attic and basement, but at different levels from main house, to taller, 1-window pavilion. Slated mansard roofs, coursed rubble masonry. Dormers round in link and pedimented in pavilion. Sash and casement windows 3-light pavilion. Western extremity of 1871 wing now concealed by plain, projecting modern extension; but on right return appears a tower of coursed rubble masonry with ashlar dressings. 3 storeys and arched basement with entrance one window. Tall roof of reversed ogee shape, with fishscale slates octagonal drum, open wood arcade and slated spirelet with vane. 2 high chimneys, linked by stone arch, on roof of building behind. Date stone, with initials WT at 2nd floor level. New chapel building extends behind. In the wall is mounted a Saxon cross, formerly set upon the rustic bridge to south-east. (Included in Sundridge parish). (See TQ 45 SE 4) (1-2). (TQ 47655499) Brasted Place College (NAT) (3) Brasted Place (Ian Ramsey College). Built for Dr Turton in 1784-5 by Robert Adam. A villa, of beautiful Tunbridge Wells sandstone ashlar, grey streaked with yellow and brown. On this scale Adam's exquisitely refined detail shows to its very best advantage. Full architectural description. (4) Old moated site where former manor house stood. Brasted Place Park and Gardens, William Tipping introduced the formal landscaped garden, of which traces remain today. PM features still visible: terracotta urn of 1863, Victorian bowl ornament and statuette, LC19/EC20 flowerpot holders, C18 stone urns, rose garden and flight of steps. Features noted in the plantations include an icehouse (TQ 45 SE 23). (5) (TQ 48705767) Chevening House (NAT) (1) 5280 CHEVENING CHEVENING Chevening House TQ 45 NE 41/91 10.9.54 2. Original house built in second quarter of C17, design influenced by Inigo Jones. Considerable later alterations. 1st house square, with 7-bay fronts north and south. In 1717 house bought by General Stanhope, later the 1st Earl. During next few years pedimented side projections, quadrant links and 2 new wings flanki entrance court were added, and croisee windows altered to sashes. A wrought iron screen, with double gates to enclose entrance court was projected. New spiral cantilevered staircase replaces old square stair. Late in C.18 an attic storey was added and whole building and links faced in mathematical tiles. 4 giant ionic pilasters, supporting entablature, added back and front. House now undergoing thorough restoration, chiefly removal of mathematical tiles and refacing in brick, removal of attic storey and replacement of pitched roof. When completed, appearance will be as follows: 3 storeys and basememt, 7 windows. High pitched, hipped, swept tiled roof with modillioned eaves cornice. Central pediment with round window, 1 segment headed dormer either side. Walls of red brick with blue headers, red brick window dressings. Rusticated stone quoins. Centre section defined by 4 giant Ionic pilasters supporting enriched entablature and pediment and resting on arcaded rusticated stone ground floor. Entablature with plain frieze at side. Sash windows with glazing bars under gauged brick arches. Garden front similar except that 5 segment-headed dormers will replace pediment and flanking dormers of entrance front. Flight of stone steps to central terrace. Return elevations show 3 storey and basememt, 3 window pedimented projections, with round windows in tympana. 5-bay ends of separate service and stable wings appear set back at either side. From entrance courtyard arcaded quadrant links to these wings under pediment crowned by cupola. Sundial in pediment of east wing, clock in west. Flanking pairs of circular dormers. 1st floor band resting on keystones of arcaded ground floor. Inside main building: Spiral cantilevered staircase by Nicholas Dubois, circa 1720. Cut string, slim turned balusters varying from 2 to 4 to the tread, ramped handrail with spiral ends, fluted Composite column newels. Dining room has panelling of second quarter of C17. Walls arcaded above dado, upper panels divided by fluted Cornithian pilasters with gilt lead capitals. 2 marble and 2 stone fireplaces of early C18 in various rooms. Bedroom with Chinese wall paper, patterns of flowes, trees birds and rocks, colours very fresh. Interior also to undergo restoration.(2) Chevening Park since 1969, in accordance with the will of the last Earl of Stanhope, Donald Insall and partners have done their best to return the house to its 17th century appearance - an impossible task. The mid 17th century house was of a familiar type, a tall rectangular block with a hipped roof and a balustraded flat in the centre. From an estate map dated 1679 we know that there were raised alternating quoins, and a block cornice, and that the windows on both main storeys were classically proportioned and crowned by classical raised architraves. Chevenings importance is attached to its supposed date. Family tradition in the mid

<1> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<2> OS 1:10000 1983 (OS Card Reference). SKE48169.

<3> DOE(HHR) Dist of Sevenoaks RD Kent Jan 1975 30 (OS Card Reference). SKE41034.

<4> Bldgs of Eng W Kent and the Weald 1980 210-13 pls 56 and 57 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37973.

<5> Arch Cant 16 1886 127-33 (W A Scott Robertson) (OS Card Reference). SKE34749.

<6> Chevening House 1885 (Robertson William Archibald Scott) (OS Card Reference). SKE38954.

Sources and further reading

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