Description

ROCHESTER THE PRECINCT TQ 7468 NW and TQ 7468 SW 7/199; 9/199 College Green and Southgate and Garden Wall to front. (formerly listed as House adjacent to Prior ' s Gate House) 24.10.50 II* GV Two houses, formerly the hall range of the palace of the medieval bishops of Rochester. Late medieval (see below), re-ordered in the C18 and C19. Principal range of exposed ragstone and clunch rubble, much patched, with brick parapet; timber-framed wing with some brick cladding, extended in brick, and rendered throughout. Kent tile gable-end roofs. Date: by 1412 the buildings on this site were known collectively as the palace. In 1459 Bishop Lowe signed a document at his 'new palace at Rochester'. Although some of the fabric probably pre-dates (and the roof probably post-dates) 1459, much of the present building doubtless dates from Lowe's rebuilding. Cardinal Fisher's inventory of 1534 indicates a complex building which included a hall range that incorporated a chapel amongst other rooms. The view in Harris' History of Kent (1719) shows a long range with end (not cross) wings. That to the E has gone; the W wing survives. The interior has been radically re-modelled, and both main elevations refenestrated. Plan: the following points also indicate the main surviving medieval features. (1) the main 2½ storeyed range, aligned NW/SE (here called E/W) contained the hall and a fully storeyed end in series to the E (the services with solar or chapel above); the hall may have contained 3 bays, or 2 bays with a higher-end in series. The W wall is original, so if there was a higher-end here it would have been a very short one. In either case the plan as a whole suggests that Bishop Lowe was adapting an older structure. (2) There is a later timber-framed wing to the S of the end bay. Judging by the quality of an in situ wooden door head (depressed arch with decorated spandrels), the wing contained high-status chambers, and is probably C16. (3) The hall was raised over a low basement (the blocked doorway of which is visible to S), and was lit on the S side by 2 large windows, now blocked (the jambs and sills survive), which straddle the line of the inserted floor. (4) The position of the cross-passage is marked by a strainer arch in the S wall. All the above features are contained within Southgate. (5) One blocked lancet set high on the S side may have lit a solar or chapel. (6) The roof (possibly C16) survives intact. Closely related roof types over the higher end and hall (butt purlins, coupled common rafters, 2 large ties and principals with queen struts) and the lower end (common rafters with queen posts to all couples), with a continuous moulded wall plate to both sides extending the entire length of the building. Front (N): Georgianised 6 window range; brick parapet with moulded cornice band and stone coping; 2 large brick ridge stacks above the front doors (that to the right breaks through the truss of the former hall); small 4-light sashes to each floor in line with stacks and doors; otherwise hornless sash windows throughout (8 pane and 12 pane to 2nd floor College Green and Southgate respectively), 16 panes elsewhere, all with exposed frames. Left-hand doorway (College Green) with moulded canopy on brackets, panelled door with top lights; right-hand doorway (Southgate) with pediment and shouldered architrave, panelled door with top lights. Cast-iron rainwater goods, where visible. Wing: tall brick stack at junction with main range. 16-pane sash window to 1st floor. Lean-to side extensions to ground floor, that to the right, with hipped slate roof; 2 tall 15-pane sash windows and a projecting triangular bay, also with sashes, all facing N. Right-hand end (W) with lancet (blocked) to gable wall. Rear elevation (S): scattered fenestration with some sash windows and some small casements. Much of the evidence for the medieval building is contained within the fabric of this elevation. Later brick single-storeyed extension with tall ridge stack and tiled roof. Interior: for medieval features, see above (plan). Some C18 features including a little wall panelling, door furniture, panelled internal shutters, a fireplace with wooden surround, and a wooden arch with side niches. The front garden wall, continuous with that to Prior's Gate House (qv for description), is included in this listing. (Reference 7,9/200).

Listing NGR: TQ7420368497

External Links

• Wikidata Q17551301

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