Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Early medieval church incorporating the remains of a Romano-British Villa. Believed to be the remains of the "lost" church of St. John, Lullingstone. By the mid 18th century it was in a ruinous state. No features are visible above ground.

Monument Types

• CHURCH (Abandoned, Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Post Medieval - 410 AD? to 1800 AD? (at some time))

Full description

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[TQ 5305 6511] Church [NR] (Site of) [NAT] (1) The Church of St John the Baptist, Lullingstone, situated outside the north gate of Lullingstone Park, was united with Lullingstone Church in 1412 and was in ruins in Hasted's time. (2-4) The flint rubble footings of this church were discovered during the excavation on the RB temple-mausoleum at TQ 5298 6509 (see Lullingstone Roman Villa TQ 56 NW 7). It was a single cell, measuring some 32 feet by 16 feet externally, and orientated to take advantage of the cellar or cult chamber walls of the temple as foundations. About a dozen probably Md burials were found to the S of it with a few others elsewhere. The remains were exposed until quite recently (surveyed on OS 1:2500, 1963) but in company with the temple remains have now been covered over. (5) Lullingstone Chapel is first mentioned in the Chrism Rent Roll of the diocese of Rochester in AD 1115, which may be an adaption of an existing Roll. An account of the chapel was published in 1788 by John Thorpe in his book Custumale Roffense (b). He suggested that the church already in a ruinous state, was of Saxon date. The Domesday Survey of 1086 records three land holdings in the area under the name of Lolingeton(e), but does not record the chapel at Lullingstone. A small village, now deserted, straddled the Roman villa site. (6-8)

Early medieval single celled church incorporating the remains of a mausoleum associated with the nearby Romano-British Lullingstone villa. Believed to be the remains of the “lost” church of St. John.

Additional bibliography (9-11)

Scheduling record (12)

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

<2> Hist of Kent 1 1778 314 (E Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE43931.

<3> Arch Cant 29 1911 244 (A Hussey) (OS Card Reference). SKE34950.

<4> Arch Cant 16 1886 112 (Canon Scott Robertson) (OS Card Reference). SKE34747.

<5> Oral Col G W Meates Hon Corr (OS Card Reference). SKE47910.

<6> F1 CFW 05-OCT-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42442.

<7> KAR 78 illus 1984 178-180 (B Philp) (OS Card Reference). SKE45431.

<8> Arch Cant LXXXVII 1972 40 (S E Rigold) (OS Card Reference). SKE36365.

<9> Custumale Roffense 1788 128 (J Thorpe) (OS Card Reference). SKE39531.

<10> The Lullingstone Roman Vill vol 1 1979 19 123 (OS Card Reference). SKE50404.

<11> Field report for monument TQ 56 NW 8 - October, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2902.

<12> English Heritage, 1994, Lullingstone Roman Villa and Saxon Church (Scheduling record). SKE12257.

Sources and further reading