More information : [TQ 61275917] The Palace [NR] (Remains of) (1)
The Palace at Wrotham adjoined the east side of the churchyard.
There are hardly any remains of the house itself though there
is a large stone building once part of the Palace offices
probably used by the Byng family as a house. A gateway has
their arms upon it and in the field adjoining the ruins are
traces of garden-walks, a bowling green and the terrace round
it.
[Authy. quotes a 1719 account which describes the Palace as
having been used by the Archbishops of Canterbury until 1350
when it was partly demolished to build the Palace at Maidstone. The
account gives a description of the death of Archbishop Richard
shortly after sleeping at Wrotham in 1184.] (2)
Remains of the Palace buildings consist of the external wall of
a part of a range of buildings running east-west and at the
east end the commencement of a north-south building. This
latter part is still an open shell. The south side has been
built up into a private residence in the 16c. or 17c. Mullioned
windows of moulded narrow brick have been inserted into the
thick stone rubble walls. The chimneys are decorative features
in brick. The gabled roofs are covered with red tiles. Within
the house are the original oak floors and roof timbers. Beyond
a lean-to shed at the west end of the house, the south wall
continues as a low garden wall as far as the drive. The owner,
Mrs. Garner, who confirmed the name, said that foundations of a
wall east of and parallel to the east wall of the ruinous
building had been recently encountered in the flower beds. She
believed them to be of the Palace itself, which, she stated,
stood on this side. The gateway (mentioned by Authority 2) was
demolished by the Nettlefold family before the war, she added.
Published Antiquity model survey found to be correct.
GP/AO/59/188/5 from SW : 188/6 from NE. (3)
Checked and correct. (4)
TQ 6059-6159 WROTHAM C.P. BULL LANE The Old Palace (formerly Listed as Remains of Archbishop's
Palace)
GRADE II*
House, possibly the former kitchen wing of the long-demolished
Archbishop's Palace. C16, incorporating parts of pre-1340 date.
Coursed ragstone on wide ragstone plinth. Some windows with
early C16 red brick dressings, some replaced by stone dressings.
Plain tiled roof with return gable off-centre to left. End
stack at right, off-ridge stack behind gable with coupled
octagonal stacks, probably C16, and slope stack at left end. 2
storeys and attics; irregular fenestration. 1 window on each
floor under gable, 2 windows on both floors to left, 1 window
on both floors at extreme right-hand end. Square-headed
doorway, with doubled glazed doors, on ground-floor to right of
gable. at right-hand end is a 2-storey ruin with 1 blocked
window on each floor facing south, the whole obviously
originally taller. Blocked window of early C13 character behind.
The Palace was used by the Archbishops of Canterbury as a
resting-place on the way to London, but it was demolished and
used as a granary in the building of Maidstone Palace. Ruins
restored as a manor house by the Byng family during the C16.
See J Newman, The Buildings of England: West Kent and the
Weald, 1969, p.592. (5)
Archbishop's Palace, Wrotham. Remains east of the church. The
palace was said to have been largely pulled down in the 14th
century to build the new palace at Maidstone. The present
building, of ragstone blocks has no original feature. The
ruined extension at the east end ran further north than the
main part. (6)
Additional bibliography (not consulted). (7)
The house was a farm leased by Isaac Crowhurst when in 1895 George Crowhurst was born. He continued to live there until 1925 after his mother passed away. (8)
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