Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Old Walmer Court
Hob Uid: 468402
Location : Kent Dover Walmer
Grid Ref : TR3671050360
Summary : The ruined remains of a moated, semi-fortified manor house adjacent to the parish church (TR 35 SE 18). Pottery discovered during excavation work dates from 1150-75. The upper floor of the former first floor hall house is now fragmentary, but the two undercrofts below survive. The building is roughly square in plan with corner turrets, three of which survive. An external stair led up the west side of the house into a forebuilding at first floor level. The inner hall or chamber is narrower than the outer hall and may have been divided into two rooms, as was the corresponding undercroft below. A moat originally enclosed both the manor house and the nearby church.
More information : [TR 3671 5036] Mansion [NR] (Site of) [NAT] (1) Old Walmer Court, the ruins of a late C13 manor house of flint and ashlar which has been so robbed of its cut stonework that there is now little to go on. There are the remains of a moat just over the churchyard wall, the remainder was filled in when the churchyard was enlarged. (2-6) The remains comprise a roofless rectangular structure, 16.5 m by 15 m standing two storeys to a maximum height of 8 m. The walling of flint rubble is 1.2 - 1.4 m thick. The building is sub-divided into three unequal compartments; the entrance being at the NW corner. There are no surviving architectural features, but the walling is identical to that of the nearby St Mary's church, which has been dated to c1120 with EE additions (see TR 35 SE 18) (see GP AO/64/122/1). No traces of moating were observed. (7) TR 3671 5036 'Old Walmer Court' is listed in the County checklist of moated sites in Kent, December 1979. (8,9) A major programme of conservation began in July 1974, including the removal of tons of rubble and soil, filling in old excavations, clearing dense undergrowth and levelling the site. (10) The Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit recorded the C12 fortified manor house in Church Street. It is a well built structure of flint with Caen stone dressings and consists of two undercrofts with first floor hall and rooms over. Three of the four corner towers survive and an external stair led into a forebuilding at first floor level. Originally a wide ditch surrounded the manor house and the near-by parish church. (11) In the grounds, adjoining the churchyard of the old church, the ruined flint walls of a Norman semi-fortified house. Two roughly square compartments, the S one showing evidence on an upper floor. Few original dressings. Excavation has established that the plan was roughly square, with later turrets at the angles and a forebuilding on the W side. The hall was on the upper floor in the normal C12 manner. (12) Pottery dating from 1150-75 was uncovered at foundation level. (13) Additional bibliographic sources. (14-15)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : OS 25" 1957
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 2
Source :
Source details : The Invaders Shore 58-9 61 (WPD Stebbing)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 11
Source :
Source details : Med Arch 19 1975 251 (LE Webster and J Cherry)
Page(s) : 251
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) : 19

Source Number : 12
Source :
Source details : The Bldgs of Eng NE and E Kent 1983 489 (J Newman)
Page(s) : 489
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 13
Source :
Source details :
Page(s) : 338
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 14
Source :
Source details :
Page(s) : 243
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 15
Source :
Source details :
Page(s) : 215-217
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) : 126

Source Number : 3
Source :
Source details : Hist of Walmer and Walmer Castle 1864 15-16 41 (Rev CR Elvin)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 4
Source :
Source details : Hist of Kent 4 1799 173 (E Hasted)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 5
Source :
Source details : Recs of Walmer 1890 17 (Rev CRS Elvin)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 6
Source :
Source details : VCH Kent 1 1908 435 (Rev EA Downman)
Page(s) : 435
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 7
Source :
Source details : F1 ASP 21-JUL-64
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 8
Source :
Source details : Moated Sites Res Grp 6 1979 48 (CJ Bond Ed)
Page(s) : 48
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) : 6

Source Number : 9
Source :
Source details : Arch Cant 93 1977 222 (T Tatton-Brown)
Page(s) : 222
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) : 93

Source Number : 10
Source :
Source details : KAR 38 1974 226 (E Mynott)
Page(s) : 226
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) : 38

Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Norman
Monument End Date : 1154
Monument Start Date : 1066
Monument Type : Manor House, Fortified Manor House, Undercroft, First Floor Hall House, Moat
Evidence : Ruined Building, Earthwork, Sub Surface Deposit

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : 1150-75
Monument End Date : 1175
Monument Start Date : 1150
Monument Type : Manor House, Fortified Manor House, Undercroft, First Floor Hall House
Evidence : Ruined Building, Find

Components and Objects:

Period : Medieval
Component Monument Type : Manor House, Fortified Manor House, Undercroft, First Floor Hall House
Object Type : VESSEL
Object Material : Pottery

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : TR 35 SE 12
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1964-07-21
End Date : 1964-07-21

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1966-01-01
End Date : 1966-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1974-01-01
End Date : 1974-12-31

Historic England Research Records

Old Walmer Court