More information : TQ 7535 7595: Cooling Castle [G.T] Moat [G.T.] [Twice] (1)
The manor of Coulyng, Cowlinge or Cooling is said to have been
purchased by Sir John de Cobham (died 1252): it remained in the Cobham family until the attainder of the last Lord Cobham in 1603.The capital messuage (manor house) was described as worth 6s. p.a. in 1300(a.) The present castle was built as a result of the French raid which ravaged this part of Kent in 1379; the licence to crenelate is dated 02-FEB-1380-1 and the building was completed by the end of 1385.
Coulyng Castle covers nearly eight acres and consists of two
parallel but unequal wards separated by a moat which surrounds both. These wards are foursided but not rectangular and have a
tower at each angle: the north east and south east towers of the inner ward are round. All the rest are three-quarters round or else horseshoe shaped.
The inner ward measures circa 196 x 170 feet. Its curtain wall still ranges in height from circa 15 to 30 feet. The south-eastern and
north-west tower stands to a height of 34 feet and that at the
south-west to 35 feet but the north east tower has disappeared except for a small fragment of projecting wall which shows that
its basement, at least, formed internally a hexagon. To the north of the centre of the eastern wall is the inner gatehouse, with its towers still standing to 30 feet and at the north end of the western wall, adjoining the north-western tower, is the watergate or postern: nearly opposite to it Mr Murton dug up the remains of a small wooden boat. The north-east corner of the inner ward was occupied by the 'great chamber' of which the undercroft remains but the majority of the buildings were in the south-eastern part and their foundations remain underneath the flower beds. Steps in the south-eastern tower give access to a rectangular vaulted chamber of unknown purpose: it is sometimes called the dungeon but, as its door was fastened from the inside, that could not have been its purpose. It has a window in the outer wall above the moat: this has been partly built over by the corner tower which must therefore be later than the chamber.
The outer ward, to the east of the inner ward measures circa 440 x 290 feet and is occupied by a modern farm and its buildings. The perfectly preserved outer gatehouse stands at its south-western corner. It consists of two heavily machicolated towers (40 feet high and advanced circa 16 feet in front of the face of the south wall) flanking an arched gateway, 9 feet wide and 15 feet high. On the south face of its eastern tower is the following inscription enamelled on copper plates: 'Knoweth that beth and schul be That I am mad in help of the cuntre In knowing of whyche thyng Thys is chartre and wytnessyng'.
The towers remain at the outer three corners as do many portions of the curtain wall. The moat is now dry around all four sides. The most famous owner of the castle was Sir John Oldcastle who was Lord Cobham from some time after 1407 until his execution in 1417. The most remarkable event in its history was its assault and capture by Sir Thomas Wyatt 30-JAN-1554, during his rising against the Queen's marriage to Phillip of Spain. Plans and illust. photographs See AO/58/265/1 & 2. (a)(2)
The defences of Cooling Castle consisted chiefly of stone walls
and water moats, but the extreme east was fortified with a rampart and ditch of some strength. Several enclosures are formed: (1) A
shell keep [inner ward] of masonry, nearly square, defended by a
moat. (2) A large courtyard [outer ward] on the east, apparently
defended by a stone wall with corner towers and outside ditch;
probably once containing water (3) A court on the north-west
defended by water only. (4) Two small spaces on the south-west,
one an island, the other a platform surrounded by a ditch, neither raised artifically above natural level. The water is supplied by springs and perhaps at times the sea washed round the moats'.
Plan photograph See AO/58/265/3. (3)
Details of the capture of Cooling Castle by Sir Thomas Wyatt
30-JAN-1554. (4)
Discussion of authenticity of the copper inscription -plate. Short account. (5-6)
Short history and description. (7)
The gatehouse has tiny ports for hand-guns in its lower storey. (8)
The Inner Ward: the description by authority 2 is generally correct.
The ground level inside the ward averages about 1.8 metres above the outside. The only corner tower still reasonably complete is that to the south east. The outer parts of the north west and south west towers have been reduced to the inner ground level. A small projection is the only surviving trace of the north east tower. Of the undercroft in the north east corner only one bay of vaulting remains intact but the springing of the remainder is still in situ. The vaulted chamber in the south east corner of the ward is roofless.
There are traces of buildings having lined the inside of the south, west and north walls. In the south wall there are holes for timbering, stone corbels, the remains of a chimney, a window
opening and gardrobe chutes. The west wall contains putlog holes, corbels and a small window opening, in addition to the postern or watergate at its north end. Traces of occupation along the north wall are confined to holes for timbering.
The Outer Ward: the description by authority 2 is generally correct. On the west side the internal ground level is the same as the inner ward but rises towards the east. The corner towers are still reasonably intact but the curtain wall survives, with modern patching, only on the west side where it acts as a retaining wall. A small outbuilding on the west side of the modern farmhouse and joining the curtain wall contains much old masonry. Its curved south side may be a surviving fragment of a circular mural tower.
Moats and Ditches: the exact form the water defences took is difficult to determine. The series of ditches around the inner ward are largely ornamental in character but probably represent, in part at any rate, a defensive moat on this west half of the castle. If the water level was higher than at present the inner ward would be
surrounded by a moat over 20 metres wide, the water coming up to the walls on all sides. In addition to the inner ward being totally enclosed the western end of the ditch on the north side of the outer ward would also have been water-filled. The remaining defences enclosing the outer ward consist of a V-section ditch up to 6 metres in depth. This would be a dry ditch, the ground level at the east end of the castle being considerably higher than that around the inner ward. The causeway on the north side divides the wet ditch from the dry and was almost certainly an original feature.
The castle is in generally good condition throughout. Large cracks in the curtain wall of the inner ward appear to be of some age and show no signs of recent development. Ground photograph See AO/59/1, 2 and 3. A 25" Antiquity Model Survey has been made. (9)
No change. (10)
Cooling Castle Gatehouse. Grade I. Embattled gatehouse 1381-85.
Inner ward to Cooling Castle. Grade I. 1381-85, ruined since 1554. (11)
Additional references. (12-16)
Listed by Cathcart King. (17)
Aerial photographs of Cooling Castle held by English Heritage, including photos taken in 2005, were consulted as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project. (18-19) |