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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 86 SE 170
Type of record:Listed Building
Name:CHANTRY HOUSE

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1372 to 1899. Former secular college founded 1392 and dissolved pre-1542, now a house. The six-bay building is built of knapped flint with red brick dressings and stone quoins, the roof is of plain tiles. The building had become empty by the early 19th century and was converted into four small cottages, the building was restored to one house in 1973.


Grid Reference:TQ 87981 60406
Map Sheet:TQ86SE
Parish:BREDGAR, SWALE, KENT

Monument Types

Protected Status:Listed Building (II*) 1069369: CHANTRY HOUSE

Full description

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Description from record TQ 86 SE 16:
[TQ 8797 6040] Chantry House [NAT] (1) A college for a priest master and two poor clerks studying for the priesthood was founded at Bredgar in 1392 and dissolved prior to 1542 when it (the "chauntery house") was exchanged for other property by George Harper. The building on the opposite side of the road to the church, now four cottages ("Chantry Cottages"), dates from the 15th century but it was refronted in the 18th century. (2-5) Chantry Cottages as described: the property has recently changed hands and is to be converted to a single dwelling. GP/AO/63/122/3. (6) A small chantry college was founded at Bredgar in 1392 by Richard de Bredegare, with the object of educating and preparing clerk-scholars for the priesthood. The Chantry House, a long flint building with thick walls and ashlar dressings, still stands, on the west side of the village street, and retains many original features. The walls, 0.91 metres thick, had dressings of Kentish ragstone and were faced with knapped flints, some of which survive, especially at the north-west corner. The quoins were massive, and the principal windows and doorways moulded in Gothic style. The fine oak roof survives intact. Figure 1 (see Illustration Card) shows a plan of the house as it was originally, with a central hall open to the roof. After the Dissolution, the Chantry House "with sundry premises" (a) was granted to George Harpur who, in 1542, exchanged it with the King for other estates. It seems to have remained with the Crown until Elizabeth I granted it to Archbishop Parker in 1561. By the early 19th century it had become empty and was converted into four small cottages. In 1973 the property, in a very sad state, was purchased by Mr Norman Hepple of London, who restored it to one house, and the fine condition which it is in today. Figure 2 (see Illustration Card) shows a plan of the house as it is at present. The front has the appearance of a late 18th century house, probably due to alterations by Edward Jeffrey, as noted by Hasted (a). (7) See H.H.R. List. (8) The Chantry, of c. 1392, the college of the Holy Trinity - living quarters of a chaplain and two clerk-scholars [see also TQ 86 SE 15]. The rectangular flint building has large quoin-stones, identical to those of the church tower. (9)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 86 SE BREDGAR THE STREET (west side)
5/92 Chantry House (Formerly listed as chantry Cottages) 24.1.67 II*
Chantry college, now house. Circa 1392 altered C19. Flint with red brick dressings stone quoins and plain tiled roof. Two storeys and moulded eaves cornice, with 4 stacks from left to right. Regular fenestration of 4 C19 tripartite sash and central sash on first floor and 4 tripartite sash on ground floor. Original openings since revealed, mullioned light to left on first floor, single openings with stone surrounds on ground floor. Central door of 6 panels with rectangular fan, moulded surrounds and cornice hood, with exposed brick and wood from earlier door opening exposed around it. Right return front: first floor has C14 2 light cusped opening. Interior: much of C14 remaining. 2 vaulted and half-sunk rooms; roof of 5 large moulded crown posts with 2 round flint chimneys; moulded stone doorways originally at either end of passage from central hall to kitchen. Later features include C17 moulded brick fireplace, and panelling, carving and staircase of various dates, C17 - C18 imported from various London buildings in the 1950's. Internal plan reconstructed as having been vaulted storerooms with chaplain's room over; open hall; pantry, buttery and passage with scholars' room over; kitchen open to roof. College was founded 1397 by Robert de Bradegare, the north aisle of the church used as its chapel (the whole church rebuilt at-Same time). (See B.O.E. Kent II 1983 p. 158; Arch. Cant. 1975, E.W. Parkin). Listing NGR: TQ8798560411 (8)

HE archive material: BF097133 CHANTRY HOUSE, THE STREET, BREDGAR


<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> Med Rel Houses of Eng & Wales 1953 326 (Knowles & Hadcock) (OS Card Reference). SKE46804.

<3> VCH Kent 2 1926 230 (RC Fowler) (OS Card Reference). SKE50969.

<4> "Kent" 1935 70 (J Cox) (OS Card Reference). SKE32664.

<5> MHLGP Swale RD Nov 1960 22 38/6 (OS Card Reference). SKE47189.

<6> F1 CFW 01-Jul-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42376.

<7> Field report for monument TQ 86 SE 16 - July, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4599.

<8> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>OS Card Reference: OS 6" 1961.
<2>OS Card Reference: Med Rel Houses of Eng & Wales 1953 326 (Knowles & Hadcock).
<3>OS Card Reference: VCH Kent 2 1926 230 (RC Fowler).
<4>OS Card Reference: "Kent" 1935 70 (J Cox).
<5>OS Card Reference: MHLGP Swale RD Nov 1960 22 38/6.
<6>OS Card Reference: F1 CFW 01-Jul-63.
<7>Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 86 SE 16 - July, 1963.
<8>XYMap: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. [Mapped feature: #33192 Listed Building, ]