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Tonford Manor, Thanington Without
In the civil parish of Thanington Without.
In the historic county of Kent (Modern Authority of Kent, 1974 county of Kent).
The remains of a fortified Cl5 house which bad 4 round towers built by Sir Thomas Browne Controller and treasurer to King Henry VI. The licence to crenellate was granted in 1449. This now has later timber-framed and C18 additions. The oldest portion of the exterior is the north front. Two storeys, built of stone rubble, flints and red brick. Hipped tiled roof. Casement windows. One window of 3 cinquefoil-headed lights with stone mullions now restored and having 6 mullions and one similar window of 2 lights with the mullions missing. At the north-west angle is a semi-circular baston, probably one of the 4 round towers, with a red brick stringcourse and a diaper pattern of brick. At the north-east angle are the remains of a similar bastion. Garderobes in these towers. The original building extended further west and there are remains of the continuation of the north wall with part of 2 similar bastions to the west with diaper patterned brickwork. Three double mullioned windows. Behind the north front the house is timber-framed but its west and south fronts have been refaced with red brick in the C18. Two storeys and attic. Hipped tiled roof with 2 dormers facing south and one dormer facing west. Stringcourse. Six sashes 2 dormers facing south 5 sashes with glazing bars intact and one dormer facing west. Modern gabled porch. The interior contains a roof of chestnut with 3 harmerbeam trusses and moulded purlins and some Tudor brick and stone fireplaces. Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon once spent 3 days here. The south-west side has a C15 gatehouse built of flint with a stone arch.
This site has been described as a;
Fortified Manor House.
The confidence
that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Masonry ruins/remnants remains.
A Royal licence
to crenellate was
granted in 1448 Dec 10.
This site is a
Grade 2* listed
building protected by law*. (Images
of England number 171476)
The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TR12485704
PastScape number;
464714
Books
- Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p413-4, 440
Salter, Mike, 2000, The Castles of Kent (Malvern) p79
Guy, John, 1980, Kent Castles (Meresborough Books)
Page, Wm (ed), 1908, VCH Kent Vol1 p428
Journal Articles
- Tatton Brown, T., 1977, ‘Investigations and Excavations during the Year', Archaeologia Cantiana Vol93 p222
Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents
- This section is far from complete and the secondary
sources should be consulted for full references.)
- Calendar of Charter Rolls Vol6 p102
Most of the sites or buildings
recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission
to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant |
The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English
Heritage and other individuals and organisations. |
It is an offence to disturb a
Scheduled Monument without consent. It is a destruction of
everyone's heritage to remove archaeological evidence from any site
without proper recording and reporting. Don't use metal detectors on historic sites without authorisation. |
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useful a resource as possible by contacting
me if you see errors
or if you can add information.
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*The listed building
may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site
of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.
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