Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. 18th century dower house (incorporating remains of 14th century rectory with chapel)

Monument Types

• CHAPEL (CHAPEL, Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• SITE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1699 AD)
• VICARAGE (RECTORY, Medieval to Modern - 1066 AD? to 2050 AD)
• DOWER HOUSE (DOWER HOUSE, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5280 WESTERHAM WESTERHAM Lodge Lane
Squerryes Lodge TQ 4453 36/1415 10.9.54.
II*
2. C13 stone building probably of monastic origin with considerable later additions, mostly of late C17, largely concealing the original building from outside. Entrance front. Main block late C17, 2 storeys and attic, 4 windows, irregular. Very high pitched hipped tiled roof with 3 hipped, gabled dormers, some with old iron lattice casements. Deep, moulded and dentilled eaves cornice. Rendered front. Some old stonework visible on left return and blocked C13 window with plate tracery. Wood mullioned and transomed windows on front, with modern casements. Modern entrance. 2 storey, 1-window right wing has hipped tiled roof of moderate pitch with eaves soffit. Stucco, brick plinth. Early C19 sash windows in box frames. Set back mediaeval left wing of 2 storeys and attic, irregular with very high pitched tiled roof, sweeping low at left. Windows mostly C19 or modern casements, but 2 old iron ones at right. Similar rear elevation with simpler cornice to main block, replaced windows; and mediaeval part projecting. Inside 3 C13 stone arches with plate tracery; and 2 of C15 appearance with 4-centred heads. In upstairs room large single rafter roof with big collars and arch braces at each rafter. In later part of house early C19 fluted and reeded door frames with lion masks at angles. Imported C17 wainscotting in hall.Listing NGR: TQ4459853890 (1)

Description from record TQ 45 SW 35 :
[TQ 4460 5389] Squerryes Lodge (NAT) (2) Squerries Lodge, originally the Dower house to Squerries Court [TQ 45 SW 34] 18 c. rendered elevations of 2 storeys. Hip tile roof and dormers. N. elevation is mostly modern. Whole structure thoroughly repaired as result of bomb damage. W. and S. elevations are 18c. of varying dates. The building incorporates portions of a 12 c. structure, which was some kind of monastic establishment. There are bricked-up Norman arches with walls about 3 feet thick forming part of the kitchen wing. Also remains of a chapel now used as store room. (3) c. 1327, Hamo, Bishop of Rochester, endowed a perpetual vicarage in Westerham church, and decreed that a competant house be built. The rectory and advowson remained with the prior and convent of Christ Church, Canterbury until the Suppression. (4) Squerryes Lodge, as described by the Min. of Housing, except that the E. wing incorporates the remains of a 14th c. building as evidenced by the roofing trusses and a number of blocked windows (see GP/AO/62/296/2). This building, the upper part of which is said to have been a chapel and to contain a 'priests hole', was probably the old parsonage described by Hasted but the owner of Squerryes Lodge could offer no further information. (5) 1. 5280 WESTERHAM WESTERHAM Lodge Lane Squerryes Lodge TQ 4453 36/1415 10.9.54. II* 2. C13 stone building probably of monastic origin with considerable later additions, mostly of late C17, largely concealing the original building from outside. Entrance front. Main block late C17, 2 storeys and attic, 4 windows, irregular. Very high pitched hipped tiled roof with 3 hipped, gabled dormers, some with old iron lattice casements. Deep, mould and dentilled eaves cornice. Rendered front. Some old stonework visible on left return and blocked C13 window with plate tracery. Wood mullioned and transomed windows on front, with modern casements. Modern entrance. 2 storey, 1-window right wing has hipped tiled roof of moderate pitch with eaves soffit. Stucco, brick plinth. East C19 sash windows in box frames. Set back medieval left wing of 2 storeys and attic, irregular with very high pitched tiled roof, sweeping low at left. Windows mostly C19 or modern casements, but 2 old iron ones at right. Similar rear elevation with simpler cornice to main block, replaced windows; and medieval part projecting. Inside 3 C13 stone arches with plate tracery; and 2 of C15 appearance with 4-centred heads. In upstairs room large single rafter roof with big collars and arch braces at each rafter. In later part of house early C19 fluted and reeded door frames with lion masks at angles. Imported C17 wainscotting in hall. (6-9)

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

<2> OS 6" 1936-47 (OS Card Reference). SKE48342.

<3> Min T. and C.P. Prov List Sevenoaks R.D. 2360/11/A 1949 (OS Card Reference). SKE47206.

<4> Hist of Kent 3 1797 pp 175-178 (E Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE43925.

<5> F1 AC 04-MAR-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE41760.

<6> DOE(HHR) Dist of Sevenoaks Kent RD of Sevenoaks Jan 1975 371 (OS Card Reference). SKE41006.

<7> Bldgs of Eng W Kent and the Weald 1969 571 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37966.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 45 SW 35 - March, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2691.

<9> 14TH CENTURY WINDOW AT SQUERRYES LODGE AT WESTERHAM FROM NORTH (Photograph). SKE2579.

Sources and further reading