Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Court Lodge (18th/19th c) incor rems of medieval moated manor house. 18th c Dovecot. The site of Horton Castle lies south of the present house, a largely 18th century building with 19th century additions. The house is two storeyed, faced with rough plaster with a hipped tiled roof. Some medieval masonry, including a doorway and two windows, has been uncovered in the south wall.

Monument Types

• MANOR HOUSE (MANOR HOUSE, Medieval to Modern - 1200 AD to 2050 AD)
• MOAT (MOAT, Medieval - 1200 AD to 1299 AD)
• DOVECOTE (DOVECOTE, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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[TQ 5610 6859] Castle [NR] (Site of) Court Lodge [NAT] (1) The old Castle or Court Lodge, metamorphosed into the present indifferent farmhouse by Mr George Smith, was some 80 feet square and entirely encompassed by a moat connected with the Darenth River. The outer walls were 4 feet thick. The principal rooms towards the river have long been destroyed. The present brick bridge of one arch replaces a drawbridge attached to the gatehouse (a). The plan shows what apears to be a moated manor-house. Main portion, S end C18th, 2 storeys faced with rough plaster, hipped tiled roof. Portion to N of this probably older. C19th addition at N end. To the S of the house is the site of the Castle of which nothing survives above ground, unless any remains are incorporated in the interior of the house [At TQ 5617 6860 - 'A' Dovecot]. Ornamental C18th round building, flint-faced, with buff brick dressings. Nearly conical tiled roof with sqaure wood structure, bird's entrance, with hipped tiled roof. (b) (2) 'Court Lodge', name confirmed, is as described above. The S and E walls of the C18th part of the house, are of exceptional thickness andundoubtedly incorporate remains of the original building. There are stone quoins at the SE corner up to the eaves. Mr W.R.Rogers, the owner, stated that foundations were encountered during the construction of a tennis court on the W side of the house. An old print of the early C19th in his possession shows the gatehouse and brick bridge over a water-filled moat on the E side. Gatehouse and bridge are gone, but the moat can be traced on this side and around the NE corner, but it is not surveyable. The dovecot is as described. The buildings are in good condition. A private residence. See GP AO/60/142/4 (SE corner of house from SE showing stone quoins). (3) No change. (4) Court Lodge, Horton Road (W side), Horton Kirby. Grade II. This was originally Horton Castle and the majority of the site lies to the S ofthe existing house. The main portion of the S end dates from the C18. Two storeys faced with rough plaster. Hipped tiled roof. Three sashes with glazing bars intact. C19 porch. The portion to the N of this, nowthe centre portion is probably older. Two storeys faced with plaster. Tiled roof. Two casement windows. At the N end is a C19 addition of one storey and 2 windows in painted brick with a slate roof and sash windows without glazing bars. The house was considerably altered by Mr George Smith the surveyor who also altered the church tower. (5) Court Lodge, appears to be nothing but a Regency box, yet in the S wall medieval (13th century?) openings have been found, an upper doorway externally rebated, and two small square windows. (6) In September 1977 Court Lodge was visited by a group of KAS members who suggested that despite the drastic alterations in the last century it might still be possible to produce a reconstruction of the medieval arrangement (see illustration card) including visible signs of the moat and some original stonework in the outer walls. (7) Additional bibliography. (8,9)

Additional bibliography. (13)

<1> OS 6" 1936 (OS Card Reference). SKE48337.

<2> Horton Kirby 1857 6-7 plan MS notes (E Cresy) (Copy in Dartford Borough Library) (OS Card Reference). SKE44179.

<3> MHLG Schedule Dartford HLG 3541 1952 (OS Card Reference). SKE47171.

<4> F1 ASP 15-JUL-60 (OS Card Reference). SKE42122.

<5> F2 ASP 28-AUG-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43182.

<6> DOE (HHR) Dist of Sevenoaks Kent Oct 1982 69-71 (OS Card Reference). SKE40324.

<7> The Buildings of England W Kent and the Weald 1980 336 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE50220.

<8> Collectanea historica 1981 163-173 illus (ed A Detsicas) (OS Card Reference). SKE39228.

<9> Antiquary 15 1887 61-2 (J A Sparvel-Bayly) (OS Card Reference). SKE33272.

<10> Dart Dist Antiq Soc 2 1932 17-37 (OS Card Reference). SKE39618.

<11> Field report for monument TQ 56 NE 7 - July, 1960 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2869.

<12> Field report for monument TQ 56 NE 7 - August, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2870.

<13> English Heritage, 1995, Monuments Protection Programme, Step 1 Report - Dovecotes (Unpublished document). SKE16578.

Sources and further reading