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The Ancient House, and 65 and 67 High Street

65 and 67, High Street

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: I
List Entry Number:: 1292809
Date first listed:: 31-Jul-1952
List Entry Name:: The Ancient House, and 65 and 67 High Street
Statutory Address:: 65 and 67, High Street

User submitted image — Uploaded by Brian Mawdsley This photo may not represent the current condition of the site
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Date:: 2006-07-12
Reference:: IOE01/15683/09
Rights:: © Mr Ron Garvey. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: I
List Entry Number:: 1292809
Date first listed:: 31-Jul-1952
Date of most recent amendment:: 13-Oct-1996
List Entry Name:: The Ancient House, and 65 and 67 High Street
Statutory Address 1:: 65 and 67, High Street
Statutory Address 2:: The Ancient House, High Street

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: 65 and 67, High Street
Statutory Address:: The Ancient House, High Street

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Kent
District:: Tonbridge and Malling (District Authority)
Parish:: West Malling
National Grid Reference:: TQ 68054 57787

Details

TQ 6957 3/16

WEST MALLING HIGH STREET Numbers 65, 67 and The Ancient House

1.8.52 GV I Shops and storeroom, possibly originally priest's house to nunnery, other building in monastic ownership or merchant's house, later inn and jail.

The Ancient House is circa 1160-80, with some possible C14 alterations, reroofed circa 1460 and refenestrated in early C19. Nos 65 and 67 are C15, No 67 rebuilt in the C17 but with link block to the Ancient House probably C16, refenestrated in mid C19.

The Ancient House was originally a chamber block above undercroft with external staircase no longer extant and possibly part of a larger structure. Built of ragstone stone rubble and some tufa blocks with roughly quoined corners. Tiled roof and one C19 brick chimneystack. Two storeys. North front has two C19 inserted casements with brick dressings. Ground floor has C14 or C15 blocked pointed arched doorcase to ground floor left which led to the undercroft and a low positioned medieval blocked rectangular stone window opening. There is also a later doorcase with C20 door and C19 inserted plank door and adjoining casement. East wall has part of a low semicircular tufa arch remaining, indicating external staircase. Lack of evidence for windows on west end wall suggests there may have an earlier hall on the site of current C16 link block.

Interior: first floor chamber contains two windows of c1160-80 with chevron arches and scallop caps to first floor, a C15 stone chimneypiece with wooden bressumer and intact C15 sans-purlin roof with three tall chamfered crownposts with four headbraces. The crownposts are similar in type to Old Gilwyns Chiddingstone, dated to c1460. Evidence from a former inhabitant suggests there may be an undercroft with wooden access trap.

Front part of Nos. 65 and 67 is timber framed, refronted in stucco with old tiled roof with central brick chimneystack. Two storeys and attics.

No. 65 has two casements to first floor and C19 shopfront. No 67 has a second floor mid C19 sash with verticals only, moulded architrave, first floor three-light canted bay on brackets and C20 shopfront. Link block between front of No. 67 and The Ancient House is timber framed, underbuilt in red brick on the ground floor and with tiled roof.

Internally the link block of No. 67 has a C16 chamfered beam and roof of collar rafter type. No. 67 has a C15 stone fireplace to first floor front room with mid C19 cast iron firegrate, exposed C15 or early C16 framing with lambs tongue stops, the top of a medieval doorframe, three plank door and the attic contains C15 octagonal crownpost to front range with moulded top and base and four headbraces to collar beam. Side-purlin roof.

Deeds of 1681 show that at least part of the property was known as "the Angel, formerly the Bull" and an inn called the Bull was mentioned as being well established by 1442. Use as an inn would explain why grand heated chambers were being created in two parts of the property in the mid C15.

Domestic buildings of the C12 are very rare in the south east and rare nationally.

[Royal Commission Report no 91016 by Sarah Pearson 1996.]

Listing NGR: TQ6805957790

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: 392348
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Crozier, P, Survey of Buildings in West Malling
Newman, J, The Buildings of England: West Kent and the Weald, (1980), 578-579
Wood, E , The English Medieval House, (1965), 6 14 32 33

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.