Great Brooksend Farmhouse and Attached Stable and Walls, Birchington, Kent

Description

BIRCHINGTON

878/0/10025 Great Brooksend Farmhouse and attached
24-JUL-08 stable and walls

II
Farmhouse. Late C16 or early C17, altered and extended in the C18 with late C18 fenestration, L-wing and stabling added in the late C18 and mid-C19 staircase wing. C20 replacement of roof structure.

MATERIALS: Red brick, including English bond to the north-west side, but the south-eastern front is rendered and the end gables replaced in stock brick. Gabled tiled roof with three rendered chimneystacks; end chimneystack to the north-eastern gable, off central stack and a ridge stack towads the south-western end, originally an external stack. Windows are mainly late C18 12-paned wooden sash windows. The north-western L-wing and staircase block are in stock brick.

PLAN: Originally probably a three bay lobby entrance house with central hall, parlour to south-west and service end to north-east. It was extended to the south-west by one bay in the C18 with the addition of a dairy and rooms over. An L-wing service wing extension was added in the late C18 to the north-west with attached stabling and hayloft. In the early to mid C19 a projecting staircase was added to the north-west adjoining the L-wing.

EXTERIOR: The south-eastern or front elevation is rendered and has five irregularly spaced 12-pane sash windows to the first floor. The ground floor has three 12-pane sash windows, a large five-light canted bay of mid-C20 date and a C20 rendered and glazed porch with hipped tiled roof.
The north-west side is mainly of red brick in English bond brickwork of C18 or earlier date with two cross-shaped iron ties at eaves level but the gable has late C18 or early C19 stock brick. The first floor has a mid-C19 sash with vertical glazing bars only and horns and there is a blocked segmental opening to the ground floor. From the north-east corner a low early C19 yellow brick forecourt wall leads in a south-easterly direcion, continuing in a south-westerly direction with stone coping, incorporating a central semi-circular recessed section with gate (C20) and two brick piers with square stone coping.
The south-west end has C18 or earlier brickwork to eaves level but the gable was rebuilt in the later C20. There is a 9-pane sash to the first floor and a C19 flint and brick shelter with hipped tiled roof is attached on the ground floor. The north-west side of the original range is of two storeys with a semi-basement. Most is of red brick with a brick stringcourse which finishes opposite the south-western chimney. There are two irregularly spaced windows on each floor and partly slatted dairy door with lattice and a small latticed ventilation opening above. The northern end of this front has a C19 staircase addition in yellow brick in stretcher bond with segmental headed sash window with vertical glazing bars. Attached to the south-west corner is a section of C18 or earlier brick wall incorporating a pedestrian entrance and with deep cemented plinth.
The later L-wing is attached to the north-west end and is of one storey and attics in stock brick in Flemish bond with hipped tiled roof and one cemented chimneystack. There are two cross-shaped iron ties. The north-east side has two segmental-headed casements to the ground floor and a large C19 tiled gable with paired sash with vertical glazing bars above. There is a gabled porch supported on wooden piers. The south west-side has a cross-shaped iron tie, a six-pane sash window, a first floor casment and a later C20 large bay window.

A long range of late C18 former stabling with hayloft over extends the L-wing to the north-west, built in stock brick in Flemish bond with modillion cornice and half-hipped tiled roof. This has a series of C20 windows in the north-east side, stable doors in the south-west side and the north-west end retains a hayloft opening although C20 garage doors have been inserted beneath.

INTERIOR: The north-eastern ground floor room to the main range has a wide boxed-in spine beam and an early C20 stone four-centred arched fireplace. The porch opens straight into the central ground floor room which has a late C16 or early C17 ceiling with deep chamfer and similar floor joists. A late C18 six-panelled door in the south-western wall leads to the south-western ground floor room which has a C17 spine beam with two inch chamfer, C18 narrow moulded cornice and a complete late C18 pine panelled room with dado rail, fire surround with shelf and panels above and, adjoining to the west, a round-headed china cupboard with keystone, reeded pilastrers and semi-circular recess with five serpentine shelves. A newspaper of March 1777, found in this room while re-decorating, probably dates the panelling. The eastern china cupboard is a C20 copy. Adjoining this room to the south west is the former dairy which can only be accessed externally through a door in the south-western elevation. In the dairy is a C17 brick chimneystack with deep plinth (clearly once external) a wall of chalk blocks and an C18 timber partition wall. The cellar (not inspected) is reported top contain a brick bread oven. The later service wing to the north-west contains a kitchen on the ground floor with no visible original features. The C19 staircase leads to a first floor corridor in the original part of the house containing three late C16 or early C17 chamfered oak doorways and an C18 two panel and six-panelled door. The north-western bedroom has an axial boxed-in beam. The penultimate bedroom to the south-west has an axial beam and an Edwarian fireplace with reeded pilasters. The roof to the main range was not inspected but was reported to have been replaced in the 1970s. The roof over the later L-wing retains traces of lath and plaster but, where visible, timbers have been replaced. The former stables were not inspected internally but it was reported that no original fittings remained.

HISTORY: Brooksend was a manor, part of the ancient possessions of the Priory of Christchurch at Canterbury. In the tenth year of King Edward II, the Prior obtained a grant of free warren for his demesne lands in this manor, amongst others. Brooksend continued in the ownership of Christchurch Priory until the Priory's suppression in the 31st year of Henry VIII. At that time the manor came into the king's hands, but two years later he settled it on the newly formed Dean and Chapter of Canterbury. In 1800, when Edward Hasted published his tenth volume of "History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent" it remained part of the inheritance of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral but was leased and the occupant at that time was a Mr John Friend, Junior. A large tablet to a John Friend who died in 1792 is in the Parish church of All Saints, Birchington. Brooksend, now called Great Brooksend Farmhouse was still in 2008 in the hands of the Church Commissioners and leased as a farm. The building appears on the 1894 and 1896 Ordnance survey maps to its present extent but without a projecting central porch.

SOURCES:
Edward Hasted "History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent " Vol. X. 1800.
John Newman "Buildings of England. North-east and East Kent. 1983" p.143 for Friend monument.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION:
Great Brooksend Farmhouse is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* As a substantially complete C18 building incorporating late C16 or early C17 features;
* For its good quality C18 brickwork, visible on three sides, brick chimneystack (formerly external) and late C18 sash windows, many retaining original glass;
* The interior retains a good quality chamfered oak ceiling of late C16 or early C17 date, three contemporary chamfered oak doorways to the first floor and a complete pine panelled parlour with built-in china cupboard, dateable by a newspaper concealed at the time of construction to March 1777;
* Brooksend has historical interest as a medieval manor held by the Priory of Christchurch Canterbury until its suppression in the 1540s and still in church ownership.

Reasons for Listing

Great Brooksend Farmhouse is designated for the following principal reasons:

* It is of special architectural interest as a substantially complete C18 building, despite the later C20 replacement of the roof structure, incorporating a late C16 or early C17 core;
* For its good quality C18 brickwork, visible on three sides, brick chimneystack (originally external) and late C18 sash windows, many retaining original glass;
* The interior retains a good quality chamfered oak ceiling of late C16 or early C17 date, three contemporary chamfered doorways to the first floor and a complete pine panelled parlour, with built-in china cupboard, dateable by a newspaper concealed at the time of construction to March 1777.
* Brooksend is of historical interest as a medieval manor held by the Priory of Christchurch Canterbury until the 1540s and still in church ownership.

External Links

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