Details
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
