Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II listed building. Main construction periods 1467 to 1932 Old Place

Monument Types

• HOUSE (Medieval to Modern - 1467 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 55 41 SPELDHURST SPELDHURST HILL (north side), SPELDHURST 12/542 Old Place
GV II
Former farmhouse. Late medieval, probably late C15, with C16 and C17 improvements; modernised with extensions in the early C20. Timber-framed. Most of the ground floor level is underbuilt with Flemish bond red brick with burnt headers but the north east end is coursed sandstone at ground floor level. Most of the framing is hung with peg-tile but some is exposed and that on the north east end is nogged with old brick (set to various patterns). Brick stacks, the old ones on stone bases, brick chimneyshafts. Peg-tile roof.
Plan and Development: The house faces south east. The main block has a 2- room plan and an axial stack between serves back-to-back fireplaces. 2-room plan crosswing at the right (north east) end projects forward. Both rooms have outer lateral stacks. Early C20 extension to rear of main block contains present stair, kitchen and services with a later flat-roofed extension in the angle of the rear block and crosswing.
The main block is the late medieval section and was built as an open hall house. The larger central room was originally open to the roof and heated by an open hearth fire. The left end was probably floored from the beginning but was extensively rebuilt in the early C20 when, it seems, the floor level was altered and a fireplace built onto the back of the hall stack. It was probably the service end before. Hall stack was inserted in the late C16/early C17 and hall was floored over at the same time. Crosswing is probably early C17. The front room was originally unheated and there was a passage alongside in the main block from the front past the front room to the rear parlour.
House is 2 storeys with attics in the roofspace.
Exterior: Irregular 3:1-window front of C19 casements, mostly without glazing bars. Centre window of the main block (to the former hall) is a C20 bay window. Front end of the crosswing has a C20 doorway behind a contemporary hip-roofed porch. Present main doorway to rear. Roofs of main block, crosswing and rear block are gable-ended. The rear block roof is higher than the main block. Front gable of the crosswing has exposed early C17 close- studded framing and early C20 shaped bargeboards. North east side wall of crosswing (overlooking the churchyard) is also close-studded framing and it returns to the rear. Rear ground floor window an early C17 bay window with moulded oak mullions. Side wall also includes a couple of small windows containing diamond panes of old leaded glass.
Interior: The former hall in the main block is relatively well-preserved. The framed crosswalls each end included moulded and brattished rails, the one above the fireplace is much defaced. Closed trusses above include large curving tension braces. Central open truss has a cambered tie beam but the arch braces have been removed. Crown post above has chamfered corners with pyramid stops, moulded base and cap, and relatively thin up braces. Original common rafters with lap-jointed collars. The section over the hall is smoke- blackened from the original open hearth fire. Late C16/early C17 large brick fireplace with chamfered oak lintel to the hall and contemporary 4-panel intersecting beam ceiling, the beams chamfered with step stops. The end room section of the main block is apparently much altered. Ground floor room has an unusually tall ceiling with a plain chamfered axial beam. C20 fireplace. Roof above includes some clean late medieval timbers but has been much rebuilt.
The early C17 crosswing is largely intact. Here the beams are chamfered with step stops. Rear parlour fireplace is sandstone with Tudor arch head and chamfered surround with pyramid stops. Ground and first floor doorways with moulded surrounds. Crosswall is close-studded at ground floor level and first floor partition has large curving tension braces. Roof of tie beam trusses with clasped side purlins and queen struts.
Old Place is one of agood group of varied listed buildings in the vicinity of the Church of St Mary (q.v.).
Listing NGR: TQ5530941414 (1)

Description from record TQ 54 SE 17 :
Listed building : no additional information available

A formerly open 2-bay hall with both medieval ends or wings rebuilt later. The existing wing at the lower end is of circa 1600. Structure beyond the upper end of hall is 20th century. (2)

Historic Enlgand archive material: BF040364 OLD PLACE, SPELDHURST File of material relating to a site or building. This material has not yet been fully catalogued. Copyright, date, and quantity information for this record may be incomplete or inaccurate. OP29189 View of Old Cottage, Speldhurst, from the north RCH01/048/01/653 Labelled sketch plan of the ground-floor of the Old Place, Speldhurst

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

<2> Pearson, S., Barnwell, P. S. & Adams, A. T., 1994, A Gazetteer of Medieval Houses in Kent (Monograph). SKE8010.

Sources and further reading