Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Foundations of a flint wall alongside the ancient footpath, and beneath the Howletts boundary fence at right angles to this along Bekesbourne Lane, close to the "building remains" marked on the 4th edition OS 25" map. Along both sections of the wall are what seem to be pieces of medieval peg tile and, in front of the flint wall remains along Bekesbourne Lane, medieval pot sherds and oyster shells. Possible remains of the manor of Lukedale/Luckingdale/Lackenden

Monument Types

• BUILDING (BUILDING, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Associated Finds

• ROOF TILE (Undated)

Full description

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[TR 20045682] Building [NR] (Remains of). (1) Remains of Medieval building. (2) The remains comprise a single stretch of flint rubble walling, 11.5m in length with a short break due to collapse, standing to a maximum height of 1.0m and about 0.8m in thickness. There is no dateable features, and no documentary evidence relating to this structure has been found. (3)

This piece of land was formerly Lackenden Wood and it may be that the remains are of the manor called Lukedale/Luckingdale/Lackenden, which had owners of considerable significance in the medieval period: these included Reginald de Cornhill, Sheriff of Kent and close adviser to King John. He was apparently involved in the murder of Arthur of Brittany in 1203, then on King John's orders forcibly ejected the monks from the cathedral priory in 1207 after the appointment of Archbishop Stephen Langton. Reginald de Cornhill had previously gained permission from St Augustine's Abbey to build a chantry chapel at Lukedale in the 1180s. The location of this is currently unknown.

Other significant owners of Lukedale were Richard de Clare, 5th Earl of Gloucester and 6th Earl of Hertford, who purchased Lukedale in c1260, and William de Braose/Briouze (who owned Lukedale in 1274-5): he was grandson of Maud de Clare, daughter of Richard de Clare, 3rd Earl of Hertford of Tonbridge Castle, who was present at the coronations of King Richard I at Westminster, 3 September 1189, and King John on 27 May 1199. This William was also descended from William de Briouze, 4th Lord of Bramber, court favourite of King John who, like Lukedale's previous owner Reginald de Cornhill, was present when Arthur of Brittany was killed.

In 2017 a local researcher visited the site and noted that there appears to be evidence of foundations of a flint wall alongside the ancient footpath, and beneath the Howletts boundary fence at right angles to this along Bekesbourne Lane, close to the "building remains" marked on the 1929-52 map. Along both sections of the wall are what seem to be pieces of medieval peg tile and, in front of the flint wall remains along Bekesbourne Lane, medieval pot sherds and oyster shells. (5)

<1> OS 25" 1956 (OS Card Reference). SKE48271.

<2> Rec 6" (OGS Crawford undated) (OS Card Reference). SKE49061.

<3> F1 ASP 06.JUL.64 (OS Card Reference). SKE41955.

<4> Field report for monument TR 25 NW 4 - July, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5726.

<5> Tracey Dessoy, 2017, Verbal communication from local researcher (Tracey Dessoy) (Verbal communication). SKE32144.

Sources and further reading