Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1680 to 1799. No 50 High St - house

Monument Types

• HOUSE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1680 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
HIGH STREET 1. 1614 (East Side)
No 50 (The Red House) (Including entrance gateway railings and side brick walls to forecourt) TQ 5354/1/14 13.4.51 II* 2. Circa 1700. Symmetrical 1.7.1. facade of 2 storeys. Supporting wings either side recessed. Red brick elevation with flat arches of rubbed red headers over windows. Brick plinth. Moulded stone band above ground floor windows. Heavy projecting moulded modillioned cornice with concealed leaded gutter. Cornice with egg-and-dart moulding and carved and enriched console brackets. Modillioned cornice returned at side of centre feature. Steep, hipped tile roof with 3 flat-roofed leaded dormers containing square-paned casements. Tall end brick stacks with connecting tiled stack ridges. Supporting wings on either side with moulded plain modillioned eaves and gutter and hipped, tiled roof. Moulded stone band above ground floor windows and modillioned eaves at lower level than in centre. Centre C18 panelled door (up 2 steps) with rectangular fanlight over with leaded tracery. Panelled reveals and soffit to doorway. Slender fluted Doric columns on either side of door supporting entablature with flat modillioned cornice. Sash windows with bars intact in moulded exposed frames with ornamental sunblind cases. Small brick moulded dressings around all window openings. Slit sash windows on both floors at either end of centre feature. Windows of centre feature closely spaced. Square, sash windows in painted wooden reveals on first floor of supporting wings. Small quarter basement light to left of centre door with flat segmental brick arch over. Ornamental C18 cast iron railings, on brick plinth bordering the High Street with ornamental carriage entrance gates to right and left. Railings and gates terminated at either end by brick piers surmounted by stone coping and canon balls. Small gravel yard in front of building with returned C18 brick side walls to right with modern flat lintel arched opening. Listing NGR: TQ5312854518 (1)

Description from record TQ 55 SW 12 :
1614 HIGH STREET (East Side) No 50 (The Red House) (Including entrance gateway railings and side brick walls to forecourt) TQ 5354/1/14 13.4.51 II* (TQ 53135451 - O.S. 1:2500 1966) 2. Circa 1700. Symmetrical 1.7.1. facade of 2 storeys. Supporting wings either side recessed. Red brick elevation with flat arches of rubbed red headers over windows. Brick plinth. Moulded stone band above ground floor windows. Heavy projecting moulded modillioned cornice with concealed leaded gutter. Cornice with egg-and-dart moulding and carved and enriched console brackets. Modillioned cornice returned at side of centre feature. Steep, hipped tile roof with 3 flat-roofed leaded dormers containing square-paned casements. Tall end brick stacks with connecting tiled stack ridges. Supporting wings on either side with moulded plain modillioned eaves and gutter and hipped, tiled roof. Moulded stone band above ground floor windows and modillioned eaves at lower level than in centre. Centre C18 panelled door (up 2 steps) with rectangular fanlight over with leaded tracery. Panelled reveals and soffit to doorway. Slender fluted Doric columns on either side of door supporting entablature with flat modillioned cornice. Sash windows with bars intact in moulded exposed frames with ornamental sunblind cases. Small brick moulded dressings around all window openings. Slit sash windows on both floors at either end of centre feature. Window of centre feature closely spaced. Square, sash windows in painted wooden reveals on first floor of supporting wings. Small quarter basement light to left of centre door with flat segmental brick arch over. Ornamental C18 cast iron railings, on brick plinth bordering the High Street with ornamental carriage entrance gates to right and left. Railings and gates terminated at either end by brick piers surmounted by stone coping and canon balls. Small gravel yard in front of building with returned C18 brick side walls to right with modern flat lintel arched opening. (2) The Red House, the finest house on the High Street, built in 1686 for John Couchman of Tooting. It represents the late 17th century ideal. Full architectural description.(3)

In 1994 a survey on cellars in the Sevenoaks area was undertaken. The Red House, 2 cellars. (4)

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

<2> DOE (HHR) Dist. of Sevenoaks UD. Kent. Sept. 1972 17 (OS Card Reference). SKE40449.

<3> Bldgs of Eng W Kent and the Weald 1980 515 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38011.

<4> ?, 1994, Sevenoaks Cellar Survey (Unpublished document). SKE17186.

Sources and further reading