Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1567 to 1999. Timber framed house, court and offices, late 16th century. New Hall, to the south of the church contains the Court Room of the Lords of the Level. Dymchurch was the centre of Romney Marsh administration. The court room has simple C18 seating and Royal Arms of 1739. The building was newly erected in (the late 16th century), but nothing earlier than the 18th century can now be seen.

Monument Types

• HOUSE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1567 AD to 2050 AD)
• COURT ROOM (Post Medieval - 1580 AD? to 1900 AD?)
• PRISON (Gaol, Post Medieval - 1580 AD? to 1866 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TR 12 NW 7 :
(TR 10282970) New Hall (NAT) (TR 10282970) The Expenditor's House (NAT) (1)

TR 103 297 DYMCHURCH HIGH STREET (west side) No. 129 (New Hall, The Expenditors House and New Hall Cottage). 4/60 9.6.59 GV II* House and Court Room, now house, Court Room and offices. Late 16th century, altered in 19th century. Timber framed. North elevation (to New Hall Close) : ground floor clad in the 19th century in chequered red and grey brick, first floor in alternate bands of plain and fishscale tiles. First floor of right end bay rebuilt in brick. Plain tile roof. 2 storeys. Central section recessed. Left projection formerly jettied to north and east, right probably formerly jettied to north. Hipped roof; right hip returns with lower ridge, left hip with higher ridge. Small brick ridge stack towards right end of recess and later gable end stack to right. Irregular fenestration of 4 windows; 2 broadly-spaced 2-light fixed lights with glazing bars to Court Room in broader left projection, large tripartite sash to centre of recess, 12-pane glazing bar sash to right projection. Recess has 2 ground-floor windows in open boxes; one narrow, adjoining front door to left and one 16-pane glazing bar sash with rendered voussoirs to right. Door of 6 fielded panels towards left end of recess, with fluted Doric pilasters and broad hood with moulded triangular pediment. 2-storey house adjoining to right but set back. Probably early 19th century. Rendered,right end tile-hung. Plain tile roof. 2 storeys. Stack towards right. One 12-pane glazing bar sash in open box. Panelled door in single-storey brick extension to front at right end. Single-storey 20th century brick addition to left bay not included. Elevation to High Street: clad in red brick with occasional grey headers. Dentilled brick eaves cornice. Rendered quoins to left. Steeply-pitched hipped roof, left hip returning with lower ridge. Central brick ridge stack. Irregular fenestration of three 12-pane glazing bar sashes in open boxes to right of stack (to Court Room) and, to left of stack, one sash either side of short 19th century two-storey brick wing. All windows have segmental heads. Left return wing rendered with 4 glazing bar sashes. Interior: first-floor Court Room in north-east corner, of 2 timber- framed bays running north-south, with staggered butt-side purlins and jowled posts with moulded brackets. Court Room benches and tables, some fixed. Room beneath Court Room has moulded beams and dragon beam; access to it through chamfered doorway from timber- framed passage leading via moulded doorway from entrance hall. Interior only partly inspected. Built on site of a building burnt circa 1580. Centre of Romney Marsh administration until Corporation divested of powers during late 19th century and early 20th century. Part used as gaol until 1866. (2)

New Hall, to the south of the church contains the Court Room of the Lords of the Level. Dymchurch was the centre of Romney Marsh administration. The court room has simple C18 seating and Royal Arms of 1739. The building was newly erected in (the late 16th century), but nothing earlier than the 18th century can now be seen. (3)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TR 103 297 DYMCHURCH HIGH STREET (west side)
4/60 No. 129 (New Hall, The Expenditors House 9.6.59 and New Hall Cottage).
GV II*
House and Court Room, now house, Court Room and offices. Late C16, altered in C19. Timber framed. North elevation (to New Hall Close) : ground floor clad in C19 in chequered red and grey brick, first floor in alternate bands of plain and fishscale tiles. First floor of right end bay rebuilt in brick. Plain tile roof. 2 storeys. Central section recessed. Left projection formerly jettied to north and east, right probably formerly jettied to north. Hipped roof; right hip returns with lower ridge, left hip with higher ridge. Small brick ridge stack towards right end of recess and later gable end stack to right. Irregular fenestration of 4 windows; 2 broadly-spaced 2-light fixed lights with glazing bars to Court Room in broader left projection, large tripartite sash to centre of recess, 12-pane glazing bar sash to right projection. Recess has 2 ground-floor windows in open boxes; one narrow, adjoining front door to left and one 16-pane glazing bar sash with rendered voussoirs to right. Door of 6 fielded panels towards left end of recess, with fluted Doric pilasters and broad hood with moulded triangular pediment. 2-storey house adjoining to right but set back. Probably early C19. Rendered,right end tile-hung. Plain tile roof. 2 storeys. Stack towards right. One 12-pane glazing bar sash in open box. Panelled door in single-storey brick extension to front at right end. C20 single-storey brick addition to left bay not included. Elevation to High Street: clad in red brick with occasional grey headers. Dentilled brick eaves cornice. Rendered quoins to left. Steeply-pitched hipped roof, left hip returning with lower ridge. Central brick ridge stack. Irregular fenestration of three 12-pane glazing bar sashes in open boxes to right of stack (to Court Room) and, to left of stack, one sash either side of short C19 two-storey brick wing. All windows have segmental heads. Left return wing rendered with 4 glazing bar sashes. Interior: first-floor Court Room in north-east corner, of 2 timber-framed bays running north-south, with staggered butt-side purlins and scowled posts with moulded brackets. Court Room benches and tables, some fixed. Room beneath Court Room has moulded beams and dragon beam; access to it through chamfered doorway from timber-framed passage leading via moulded doorway from entrance hall. Interior only partly inspected. Built on site of a building burnt circa 1580. Centre of Romney Marsh administration until Corporation divested of powers during late C19 and early C20. Part used as gaol until 1866. Listing NGR: TR1028829702 (5)

<1> OS 1:2500 1976. (OS Card Reference). SKE48219.

<2> DOE(HHR) Dist of Shepway Kent, April 1985, 28. (OS Card Reference). SKE41066.

<3> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 263 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37860.

<4> Newman, J., 1980, Buildings of England: West Kent and the Weald, Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 263 (J Newman) (Monograph). SKE7817.

<5> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading