Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A complete moat remains around the site of an old manor house about half a mile north east of Kingsnorth Church. The moat which surrounds the site is in excellent condition and water-filled and it is probable that the site is medieval in origin. The site of Kingsnorth Manor House is occupied by two modern farm cottages and no trace of it remains above ground. Foundations are encountered from time to time in the cottage gardens and much old rubble masonry is incorporated into farm buildings.

Summary from record TR 02 NW 48:

The site of the medieval Kingsnorth Manor. The manor site is surrounded by a moat, either for defensive purposes or for the drainage of the clay ground that the manor was built upon. The only observed remains of any possible medieval structure was some ragstone walling, however there was some terracing which appears to be medieval.

Monument Types

• MANOR HOUSE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• TERRACED GROUND (Medieval - 1200 AD? (at some time) to 1200 AD (at some time))
• WALL (Medieval - 1200 AD? (at some time) to 1200 AD (at some time))

Full description

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[TR 01173954] MANOR HOUSE [NR] (site of) (1) A complete moat remains around the site of the old manor house about half a mile north-east of Kingsnorth Church. (2) The site of Kingsnorth Manor House is occupied by two modern farm cottages and no trace of it remains above ground. Foundations are encountered from time to time in the cottage gardens and much old rubble masonry is incorporated into farm buildings, etc. The moat which surrounds the site is in excellent condition and water-filled. Published survey 25" revised. (3) TR 012396. Manor House, Knigsnorth. Listed in the country checklist of moated sites in Kent - December 1979. (4) Watching brief in 1995 noted in situ ragsrone walling on the terraced area on the S side of the platform, an open rectangle c1.5m square of uncertain purpose but suggested not to be a revettment or defensive wall. Interpreted as medieval in origin. The causeway at the NW corner was interpreted as a modern addition and it was noted that the moat had been recut as recently as C19 (5-6)

Description from record TR 02 NW 48:
The site of the medieval Kingsnorth Manor. The manor site is surrounded by a moat, either for defensive purposes or for the drainage of the clay ground that the manor was built upon. The only observed remains of any possible medieval structure was some ragstone walling, also there was some terracing which appears to be medieval.(7)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1995, A Watching Brief at Park Farm Moated Site, Kingsnorth, Nr Ashford (Unpublished document). SKE8336.

<2> VCH Kent 1 1908 428 (IC Gould) (OS Card Reference). SKE50904.

<3> F1 ASP 27-NOV-62 (OS Card Reference). SKE42320.

<4> Moated Sites Res Gp Rep 6 1979 47 (OS Card Reference). SKE47267.

<5> Field report for monument TR 03 NW 4 - November, 1962 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5101.

<6> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1995, A Watching Brief at Park Farm Moated Site, Kingsnorth, Nr. Ashford (Unpublished document). SKE7082.

<7> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

Sources and further reading