Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1912 to 1986. House A Cape Dutch style house constructed in 1912, by Sir Herbert Baker for Sir Philip Sassoon. House, stable block and formal garden. Additions, including doors, east forecourt, and probably south loggias, terrace and hell fountain by Philip Tilden during early 1920s. Further interior decoration by Tilden. Tent room by Rex Whistler 1933-4. Restored from 1973 by J. Aspinall. Buildings and loggias in red brick with plain tile roofs. Terrace and fountain ashlared stone. H-plan house, with double-pile central range lying east-west. North loggia connects with stable block to north side of forecourt.

Monument Types

• HOUSE (HOUSE, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• STATUE (STATUE, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• FORMAL GARDEN (FORMAL GARDEN, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• FOUNTAIN (FOUNTAIN, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• ORNAMENTAL POND (ORNAMENTAL POND, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• PAVILION (PAVILION, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• TERRACE (Ornamental Terrace, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• TREE AVENUE (TREE AVENUE, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• WALL (WALL, Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
• SITE (Modern - 1912 AD to 1986 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TR 13 SW 24 :

(TR 102350) Port Lympne, Lympne, Aldington Road (S side). Port Lympne, House, Stable Block, Forecourt walls to E and Loggia, Patio, Terrace, and Shell Fountain to S. Grade II*. House, stable block and formal garden. House built by about 1912 by Sir Herbert Baker in a Cape Dutch style, for Sir Philip Sassoon. Additions, including doors, E forecourt, and probably S loggias, terrace and shell fountain, by Philip Tilden during early 1920s. Interior frieze by Glyn Philpot before c.1920. Further decoration by Tilden. Tent room by Rex Whistler 1933-4. Restored from 1973 by J. Aspinall. Buildings and loggias red brick with plain tile roofs. Terrace and fountain ashlared stone. H-plan house, with double pile central range lying E-W. Entrance front to E with single-storey loggia running E from each end before curving away from forecourt, solid walls to, and colonnades away from forecourt. Forecourt walls continue E from curve in loggias. N loggia connects with stable block to N side of forecourt. S loggia also frames E side of S terrace. Further, matching, loggia curving to enclose W side of S terrace. Land drops to S of terrace permitting loggia basements which are linked by retaining wall of terrace, with shell fountain below. East Elevation (entrance front): 2 storeys on flush stone plinth. Rusticated quoins suggested by recessed brick bands. Shaped brick-coped gable ends to N and S. Narrow central bay breaks forwards slightly, rising above eavesto form gable with small central rubbed brick niche, flanking inverted brick scrolls and triangular pediment. Two slightly projecting brick stacks, each evenly spaced between central bay and gable ends, with stone shoulders panelled flues and moulded cornices. Shallow round-headed recess to base of each stack. Regular 3-window front of one 4-light wooden casement between each stack and central bay, and one wooden cross-window with moulded brick floating cornice to central bay. 6 wooden cross-windows to ground floor; 2 below each first-floor casement and one within panel to base of each stack. Central rectangular doorway with bolection-moulded stone architrave. Surmounted by stone trophy by Tilden. Studded bronze double doors by Tilden. Doorways and windows to loggia walls. Forecourt walls: brick- coped, with 14 stone terms, brought from Stowe, at intervals against brick pilasters. Stable Block: principal section 2 storeys with hipped roof, central cupola with bell and clock, and 3 hipped eaves dormers. South Elevation: shaped gables to S ends of N-S wings, with intertwined initials PS towards top of each. Brick ridge stack to each end of central section. Regular 5-window front of one cross-window to each gable end with moulded triangular brick pediment, and two 4-light and central 2-light wooden casements to central section. Moulded brick floating cornices to ground floor windows. Central rectangular bolection-moulded stone doorway with festooned swan-neck stone pediment. Glass double doors with filigree iron-work designed by Tilden, and older lunette. Patio of patterned tiles between wings in front of central section, with 3 oval steps down to terrace. Terrace: S wall capped with open-work stone frieze of variously combined initials PS. Flights of stone steps lead down to flank oval fountain pool running back into shell-shaped ashlared recess under terrace. Concave flight of stone steps descends from pool to lawn. West Elevation: Similar to E elevation but without central gable and break, and with 3-bay loggia. (For full description see list). (2) Port Lympne. Large red-brick house in a fine position on the escarpment above Romney Marsh, built by Sir Herbert Baker in his Cape Dutch manner c.1912 for Sir Philip Sassoon. It lacked verve, but what it was given after the First World War was an overdose of magnificence, by Philip Tilden, with a Moorish patio, colonnaded quadrant wings, a flight of marble steps down the hill, and a swimming pool as the centre-piece of the Neo Roman garden layout. (3) Port Lympne. Grade II*. Early C20 formal gardens designed by Sir Philip Sassoon, laid out by Philip Tilden, with adjacent zoo and woodland of 104ha. Port Lympne built 1911-12 for Sir Philip Sassoon by Sir Herbert Baker. Stables adjoining to N, co...
(truncated sentence in the new SMR text) Sand café c.1975. NE Lodges by Baker, 250m NE of house. Nursery and greenhouses to W of Lodges. The estate at Port Lympe is on ground falling to the S, with the house and gardens situated just below the escarpment on steeply sloping terrain. Many fine southerly views. Gardens designed mainly by Tilden, with guidance and participation of Sir Philip Sassoon. Octagonal forecourt to E of house, enclosed by clipped yew hedges with alcoves for thirteen statues, acquired from Stowe, Buckinghamshire, 1921. Central fountain. "Windows" through hedges for southern views. Main terraces extend southwards from the S front of house for 150m with a total breadth of 250m top terrace paved with twin inset box beds, balustrade and double flight of steps down to main terrace enclosed at sides by massive clipped yew hedges, shaped with bastions. Quarter-domed foundation in upper terrace wall. Columnar cypresses. Lawn with central pool and fountain simplified c. 1975 from 1922 three-pool scheme, and 1922 raised outer viewing-platform also removed c.1975. To left and right at this level two areas of formal bedding enclosed by yew - to W, a chess-board pattern, to E bedding in stripes. Third terrace bisected by central yew-hedged axis, with multi-terraced vineyard beyond to W, fig orchard to E. Lowest formal area overlooked by central balustraded platform with double steps down and arched recesses below. Central yew-hedged lawn beyond, with square enclosed garden to E, having sundial at centre and varied bedding in geometrical scheme. Woodland to S an E used for animal enclosures. To E of forecourt and sloping southwards, steps and chestnut avenue with walled, terraced scheme (1937) further E. Orchard above, terraces mainly lawn with fruit trees against walls. W of the main terraces are the cypressus-hedged double herbaceous borders, extending southwards for 130m, replanted with advice from Russell Page c.1974. Further W and bounded to the N by the Lower Magnolia Walk, are the descending West Terraces, flanked by steps, and enclosed by Cypressus hedges. This area rstored 1984-85. Hedged grassy picnic area below. On main E-W axis of house, and aligned with fountain in E forecourt a square paved garden with four flowering malus trees and central pool and fountain extends to W of house, and is prolonged 150m W by the main Magnolia Walk, terminated by C18 statue of George II. Aligned on the paved garden, and extending N for 100m up the escarpment is the Trojan Stairway, flanked by massive ramparts of clipped Leyland Cypress (originally macrocarpa). Flanking pavilions at the top by Baker removed c1925, but paved viewing platforms remain. Stairway leads to avenue flanked by hydrangea, and with urn on plinth at northern end. Conifer woodland to E and W with areas for zoo animals. Estate acquired 1973 for use as a zoo, and estate, house and gardens open to the public since 1976. Restoration of gardens c.1992, condition in progress, with advice in 1974 from Russel Page.

The following text is from the original listed building designation:

TR 13 NW & SW LYMPNE ALDINGTON ROAD (South side)
3 & 6/8 Port Lympne, House, Stable Block, Forecourt walls to 29.12.66 east, and Loggia, Patio, Terrace and Shell Fountain to south.
GV II*
House, stable block and formal garden. House built by about 1912 by Sir Herbert Baker in a Cape Dutch style, for Sir Philip Sassoon. Additions, including doors, east forecourt, and probably south loggias, terrace and hell fountain ,by Philip Tilden during early 1920s. Interior frieze by Glyn Philpot before c. 1920. Further decoration by Tilden. Tent room by Rex Whistler 1933-4. Restored from 1973 by J. Aspinall. Buildings and loggias red brick with plain tile roofs. Terrace and fountain ashlared stone. H-plan house, with double-pile central range lying east-west. Entrance front to east with single-storey loggia running east from each end before curving away from forecourt; solid walls to, and colonnades away from forecourt. Forecourt walls continue east from curve in loggias. North loggia connects with stable block to north side of forecourt. South loggia also frames east side of south terrace. Further, matching, loggia curving to enclose west side of south terrace. Land drops to south of terrace, permitting loggia basements which are linked by retaining wall of terrace, with shell fountain below. East elevation (entrance front): 2 storeys on flush stone plinth. Rusticated quoins suggested by recessed brick bands. Shaped brick-coped gable ends to north and south. Narrow central bay breaks forwards slightly, rising above eaves to form gable with small central rubbed brick niche, flanking inverted brick scrolls and triangular pediment. Two slightly projecting brick stacks, each evenly spaced between central bay and gable ends, with stone shoulders panelled flues and moulded cornices. Shallow round-headed recess to base of each stack. Regular 3-window front of one 4-light wooden casement between each stack and central bay, and one wooden cross-window with moulded brick float- ing cornice to central bay. 6 wooden cross-windows to groundfloor ; 2 below each first-floor casement and one within panel to base of each stack. Central rectangular doorway with bolection-moulded stone architrave, surmounted by stone trophy by Tilden. Studded bronze double doors by Tilden. Doorways and windows to loggia walls. Forecourt walls: brick-coped, with 14 stone terms, brought from Stowe, at intervals against brick pilasters. Stable block: principal section 2 storeys with hipped roof, central cupola with bell and clock, and 3 hipped eaves dormers. South elevation: shaped gables to south ends of north-south wings, with intertwined initials PS towards top of each. Brick ridge stack to each end of central section. Regular 5-window front of one cross-window to each gable end with moulded triangular brick pediment, and two 4-light and central 2-light wooden casements to central section. Moulded brick floating cornices to ground- floor windows. Central rectangular bolection-moulded stone doorway with festooned swan-neck stone pediment. Glass double doors with filigree iron- work designed by Tilden, and older lunette. Patio of patterned tiles between wings in front of central section, with 3 oval steps down to terrace. Terrace: south wall capped with open-work stone frieze of variously combined initials PS. Flights of stone steps lead down to flank oval fountain pool running back into shell-shaped ashlared recess under terrace. Concave flight of stone steps descends from pool to lawn. West elevation: Similar to east elevation but without central gable and break, and with 3-bay loggia. Interior: only partly inspected. Patterned black-and- white marble floor to passage between east and west doors on ground floor. Staircase flanked by blue marble columns to ground floor and pink marble columns to first floor. Iron balustrade to stairs copied from Caroline Park, Scotland. Moorish patio by Tilden leading off staircase to north. Egyptian frieze by Philpot to south-west room of west wing, formerly in south-west room of central section. Tent room by Whistler to north-east side of passage, said to be one of the finest examples of his work. Octagonal library behind north-east loggia. Grounds and fittings inspired by Roman associations of site. Venue for Peace Conferences 1920-21. See also items 3 & 6/9 , 6/10 , 3/6 and 7. (P. Tilden, True Remembrances: The Memoirs of an Architect, 1954. Country Life Vol. LIII. 1923; LXXI, 1932; LXXII,1932; LXXIII, 1933; LXXIX,1936 and XCVI, 1944.)
Listing NGR: TR1061035269 (5)

<1> OS 1:10000 1973 (OS Card Reference). SKE48158.

<2> DOE(HHR)Dist of Shepway Kent 15 May 1986 (OS Card Reference). SKE41357.

<3> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 395 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37887.

<4> Register of Parks & Gardens of Special Hist Interest in Eng HBMC May 1987 (OS Card Reference). SKE49134.

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

Sources and further reading