| Summary : Missenden Abbey had a grange at Kimble from the 12th-16th centuries, built on the site of a farm called Herdwic which was extant in the 10th century. The Grange Farmhouse, now the Old Grange, built in the 15th century, may have been built on the site of the monastic grange. The present building is a timber-framed house of the 15th century, 2-storeyed and of 4 bays. It was refaced in brick in the 18th century. |
More information : (SP 820 057) Old Grange (NAT)
A: (SP 82000572) Moat (NR)
B: (SP 82050585) Moat (NR) (1)
Only fragments remain of the moat at Grange Farm, a house dating from the early 16th century with additions and restoration in the 18th and 19th (2) or 17th to 18th centuries (3). To the north east of the farm is a 16th-17th century barn, said to have been built on the site of an ancient farm called Herdwic of the 10th century (3).
Missenden Abbey held land in Great Kimble from the 12th century until the Dissolution (4) and this may have been its grange. Described as a 'Grange House' in 1580 by EPNs (5). (2-5)
Remains of a partly water-filled sub-square homestead moat, centred at SP 82030580, measures overall 130.0 to 140.0 m across. Of the S arm and southern half of the E arm no trace remains, the site of the former being occupied by outbuildings and gardens and the latter having been recently filled in.
At the SW corner of the moat is a spring, and the much greater width of the W arm, some 26.0m compared with 8.0 to 10.0m elsewhere, suggests it to have been used for a fishpond. The resultant stream flowing to the NE has been utilised for the N arm and it escapes from the NE corner. Only part of the W arm remains waterfilled. Grange Farmhouse at SP 82050577 is a fine timber house of E.16th century date but has an external appearance of the 18th century having been refaced with brick, and is consequently not outstanding. Published 1:2500 survey revised. See G.P. (6) |