Description

TQ 53 NW SPELDHURST FORDCOMBE ROAD, ASHURST PARK

7/478 Langton Park Lodge

II

Estate cottage to Fernchase Manor (q.v.), previously known as Ashurst Park.
Possibley 1864 to the designs of George Devey. Newman refers to 2 Devey
lodges of this date and this is probably one of them. Local sandstone and
timber-framing with some tile-hanging and some weatherboarding; peg-tile roof;
stack with brick shaft. Vernacular Revival style with some picturesque rustic
detail.

Plan: Overall cruciform plan the main block roofed on a north south axis, the
south elevation overlooking Fordcombe Road with an entrance on the south.

Exterior: Well-preserved cottage ornee with elaborate detail. Single storey
and attic with a very deep gabled roof with crested ridge tiles the gables
with pierced, cusped bargeboards. The attic storey framing is partly close-
studded with some curved braces. The ground floor is treated with a mixture
of materials; some weatherboarding, some tile-hanging, some stone; some split
logs. The south elevation to the front at the right, the gable with a
terracotta apex finial and a first floor oriel window. The base of the gable
has a zig-zag frieze and, below it, the front wall is made up of vertical
split logs with horizontal logs above providing ventilation for the storeroom
behind. The split log arrangement continues on the right (east) return wall,
inside the porch. To the right a recessed porch on undressed tree trunk
posts, very twistedrustic branches forming the outer doorway on the south
side, the porch also open on the west side. Plank and cover strip front door.
To the left of the gable the south elevation is tile-hung. The east elevation
has a shallow gabled projection in the centre, local sandstone below timber-
framing in the gable. One ground and one first floor small-pane 2-light
casement window. The east elevation is weatherboarded to the right.
Diagonally-set chimney shaft projects through the roof in front fo the ridge
on the south side.

Interior: Not inspected.

A well-preserved building externally with some extremely attractive detail.
According to local reports some of the lodges to Ashurst Park were originally
thatch-roofed.

Sources J. Newman. West Kent and the Weald Penguin Buildings of England
series (1969), p.138.

Listing NGR: TQ5350139472

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26533403

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

• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
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  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
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  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)