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Monument details

HER Number:TR 15 NW 1243
Type of record:Listed Building
Name:TONFORD MANOR

Summary

Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1400 to 1799. Moated manor house, granted a licence to crenellate in 1449 and later altered and extended. The 15th century manor forms the north front of the present house. Parts of two of the four towers once attached to the house survive. To the rear are later timber framed additions, the framing on the west and south fronts faced with brick in the 18th century. The south west front has a 15th century gatehouse.


Grid Reference:TR 1249 5704
Map Sheet:TR15NW
Parish:THANINGTON WITHOUT, CANTERBURY, KENT

Monument Types

  • MANOR HOUSE (Medieval to Modern - 1449 AD to 2050 AD)
Protected Status:Listed Building (II*) 1045882: TONFORD MANOR

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5273 THANINGTON WITHOUT TONFORD LANE
Tonford Manor TR 15 NW 8/608 29.9.52
II*
2. The remains of a fortified C15 house which had 4 round towers built by Sir Thomas Browne Controller and treasurer to King Henry VI. The licence to crenellate was granted in 1449. This now has later timber-framed and C18 additions. The oldest portion of the exterior is the north front. Two storeys, built of stone rubble, flints and red brick. Hipped tiled roof. Casement windows. One window of 3 cinquefoil-headed lights with stone mullions now restored and having 6 mullions and one similar window of 2 lights with the mullions missing. At the north-west angle is a semi-circular baston, probably one of the 4 round towers, with a red brick stringcourse and a diaper pattern of brick. At the north-east angle are the remains of a similar bastion. Garderobes in these towers. The original building extended further west and there are remains of the continuation of the north wall with part of 2 similar bastions to the west with diaper patterned brickwork. Three double mullioned windows. Behind the north front the house is timber-framed but its west and south fronts have been refaced with red brick in the C18. Two storeys and attic. Hipped tiled roof with 2 dormers facing south and one dormer facing west. Stringcourse. Six sashes 2 dormers facing south 5 sashes with glazing bars intact and one dormer facing west. Modern gabled porch. The interior contains a roof of chestnut with 3 harmerbeam trusses and moulded purlins and some Tudor brick and stone fireplaces. Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon once spent 3 days here. The south-west side has a C15 gatehouse built of flint with a stone arch.
Listing NGR: TR1249057040 (7)


<1> OS 6" 1962 (OS Card Reference). SKE48371.

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

<3> F1 ASP 09.02.65 (OS Card Reference). SKE42007.

<4> DOE (HHR) City of Canterbury Dist of Bridge-Blean 1980 210-11 (OS Card Reference). SKE39969.

<5> Moated Sites Res Grp 6 1979 48 (CJ Bond) (OS Card Reference). SKE47286.

<6> Arch Cant 93 1977 222 (T Tatton Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE36150.

<7> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>OS Card Reference: OS 6" 1962.
<2>OS Card Reference: VCH Kent 1 1908 428 (IC Gould).
<3>OS Card Reference: F1 ASP 09.02.65.
<4>OS Card Reference: DOE (HHR) City of Canterbury Dist of Bridge-Blean 1980 210-11.
<5>OS Card Reference: Moated Sites Res Grp 6 1979 48 (CJ Bond).
<6>OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 93 1977 222 (T Tatton Brown).
<7>XYMap: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. [Mapped feature: #62302 Listed building, ]

Related records

TR 15 NW 37Parent of: Tonford Manor moat (Monument)