Description

WEST MALLING

TQ6857 SWAN STREET
1156-0/3/155 Gatehouse & Chapel to St Mary's
25/08/59 Abbey
(Formerly Listed as:
SWAN STREET
St Mary's Abbey)

GV I

Gatehouse and chapel. Late C15 or early C16 former prebendary,
almonry and pilgrim's chapel with C16 alterations restored in
C19. Built of stone rubble with tiled roof with stone and
brick chimneystacks. 1 to 2 storeys with irregular
fenestration. Roughly L-shaped. West elevation has a feature
of 3 external chimneystacks of stone but brick above roof
lead. Continuous drip-mould with 2 gargoyles, a shield with
motto now illegible over the arch and probably the Honeywood
family shield to right. Large approximately central stone arch
with dripmould and renewed double doors. To the right is a
smaller 4-centred arch with dripmoulding and carved spandrels.
3 shields, 1 with the instruments of the Passion, 1 with a
pierced heart and 1 with the motif worn away. Double-arched
window above. To the left is a blocked-in squint. Deep plinth.
North elevation has a ground floor of stone rubble, the first
floor timber-framed but refaced in roughcast. 1st floor has
5-light C16 wooden mullioned window. Ground floor has 2 paired
stone mullioned windows. Chapel has blocked doorway. East
elevation has a ground floor of stone rubble and 1st floor
timber-framed and plastered with roll-moulded jetty with
square framing visible in cart entrance. Tiled roof. Central
carriage entrance with 4-centred arch. Moulded wooden pilaster
to left of arch. Also to the left is a ground floor 2-light
splayed mullioned window and a stone doorcase altered into a
window with leaded lights. To right of the entrance is a
6-light wooden mullion with some C19 stained glass in the
upper cames and arched doorcases to right with original
5-plank door. South elevation has stone ground floor, header
bond brickwork above and Flemish bond brickwork to gable. All
windows in this elevation are C20. Attached to the east is the
pilgrim's chapel altered to become a family chapel in the C19.
South front is of ashlar with stone trefoil-headed light with
quatrefoils above. Cambered arched doorcase with panel above
end stoup. C19 east window with reticulated tracery.
Interior of chapel has barrel-vaulted ceiling to eastern half.
To west roll-moulded beam on stone corbels supports an upper
chamber with squints. Joists are exposed with roll-moulded
beam in centre. Former Victorian screen at rear. 2-plank door
in 4-centred arched frame leading to upper floor. Moulded
beams to 2 upper rooms, the chamber next to the arch has a
stone fireplace and an original Perpendicular window surround
with arched head. Jowled posts and Crownpost roof with 2
square crownposts each with 1 headbrace to collar beam. Arched
braces.
(Buildings of England: Newman J: West Kent and the Weald: 576;
Maycock A: A History of St Mary's Abbey, West Malling: 1970-).

Listing NGR: TQ6822557745

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17530264

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)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)