Description

TQ 64 NE CAPEL MAIDSTONE ROAD, WHETSTEAD

2/269 Stone Castle Farmhouse

11.1.90
GV II

Farmhouse. Early C17 (parts, it is claimed, are medieval), modernised and
enlarged in the mid/late C19. Original building was timber-framed. Now
ground floor level is underbuilt with red brick and the front is clad with
stucco and lightly incised as ashlar. The surviving framing above is tile
hung in bands of dark and light red C19 tiles including 3 types of shaped
tile. C19 extension is red brick at ground floor level with a cogged brick
cornice and framing above is tile-hung. Brick stacks and chimneyshafts. Peg-
tile roof with fleur-de-lys shaped crested ridge tiles.

Plan: Farmhouse faces south south east, say south. The main block has a
continuous jetty round 3 sides and a 3-room lobby entrance plan. Axial stack
between left (west) and centre rooms serves back-to-back fireplaces and lobby
entrance in front of the stack. The right (east) end room has a gable end
stack (probably a C19 insertion). A 2-room plan block to rear is parallel
with the main block projecting to right (east) and only overlapping that end
room. It is heated by an axial stack and maybe houses the main stair. Rear
of centre a one-room plan single storey block with a lateral stack projects at
right angles; it is probably a bakehouse.

The main block appears to be an early C17 continuous jetty house but the owner
claims that it incorporates the extensive remains of a medieval hall house.
It is not possible to determine the structural development of the house
without an interior inspection. The rear blocks appear to be wholly C19.

Main block is 2 storeys with attics in the roofspace. C19 2-storey extension,
single storey bakehouse and leant-to outshot rear of the left (west) end.

Exterior: Attractive 3-window front. The left 2-window section is
symmetrical around the central doorway; a Tudor arch containing an old, maybe
C17, studded oak plank door with ornate wrought iron strap hinges behind a C19
gabled porch on plain posts and C19 bargeboards with a fretwork pattern, apex
finial and pendant. Each side are C19 bay windows containing tripartite sash
windows without glazing bars. Their stucco sills supported on shaped
consoles. Third similar tripartite sash window at right end. The timber
mullioned windows on the firt floor are probably C19 replacements but may be
C17. First floor jetty covered by probably C19 moulded timber faschia boards.
Each end corner supported on plain shaped brackets, set diagonally (presumably
under dragon beams). The shaped brackets each side of the front porch are
carved with strapwork designs. The 2 left first floor windows above have
jettied gables over supported on oak brackets carved with foliage and the
bressummers are richly moulded. Main roof is tall and steeply-pitched and is
gable-ended. It has original jettied gables, also with carved brackets and
moulded bressummers. They have plain C19 bargeboards with finials and
pendants. Rear C19 block has a porch in angle with the right end of the main
block; it contains a 6-panel door. To right of the porch another tripartite
sash with no glazing bars and the mullion-and-transom window above has a gable
over with bargeboards cut to a fret design. Roof of this rear block is gable-
ended.

Interior: Not available for inspection at the time of this survey, but the
farmer claims that it contains a great deal of early C17 and, according to
him, medieval carpentry detail. Even if the house is wholly early C17 the
features of that date which show on the outside are enough to show that not
only is the house well-preserved but also that it was a high quality house.

No alterations should be carried out here before the interior has been
professionally inspected lest early C17 or earlier, features are disturbed.

Listing NGR: TQ6581846204

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26552816

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)