Details
HORSMONDEN RECTORY PARK ROAD
TQ 73 NW
(north side)
4/92 Rectory Park
(formerly listed as The
20.10.54 Old Rectory)
GV II*
House. C15 extended C16 and altered mid C18 and mid C19. Timber framed and
rendered, part tile hung, and clad and extended with red brick. Plain tiled roof.
Hall house plan with cross wing comprising first floor hall, possibly the earliest
phase. Entrance elevation of 3 storeys on plinth with projecting jettied wing to
left and projecting gable to right with stone plat band, both wings with mid C19
moulded bargeboards with pendants and finials, the main range with battlemented mid
C19 parapet in white stock brick. Stacks to left and to rear right. Irregular
fenestration of 2 glazing bar sashes on second floor of main block, 5 on first floor
and 4 on ground floor, with central gabled porch with glazed outer doors, raised and
fielded panelled inner door and short flight of steps and relief of Smith-Marriot
arms over door with a suitable welcoming and homely inscription. Right band wing
originally mid C18 in character, altered aid C19 with 2 glazing bar sashes on first
floor and 2 blocked central openings above and below, suggesting an originally 3
storeyed building truncated on the application of the bargeboarded gable. Projecting
from ground floor a single storey bargeboarded gabled extension with a Gothic
arched sash. Right return showing the original form of the whole wing with 2
storeys on plinth with stone plat band, parapet and two 2 storey canted bays with
glazing bar sashes. Left hand timber framed wing with lattice pattern leaded 3 light
casement in garret and tripartite glazing bar sash on first floor. Ground floor with
underbuilt jetty with tripled attached moulded colonettes at the corners and pentice
with red brick side walls. Left return with jetty with moulded bresummer on dragon
posts and with thin moulded colonettes attached to upper floor supporting brackets
to the eaves. Jetty underbuilt at end left. Projecting stone stack to right, gabled
dormer to centre and C19 bell turret to centre left. Irregular wooden casements on
each floor and boarded door. Single storey service wings projecting at left and at
right to form open ended courtyard. Rear elevation with 3 tile hung gables and
irregularly projecting additions of 1 and 2 storeys, all battlemented with glazing
bar sashes and casements to kitchen block to right, with arched French doors to
left to drawing room and arched half-glazed door to centre. Interior: the jettied
left hand block is a remarkable first floor hall with heavily moulded wall plate,
the moulded colonettes of the exterior repeated on the inner walls and with moulded
arch braced trussed roof with heavily curved windbraces. The roof is probably
c.1400 and of a type rare in Kent (see B.O.E.Kent I, p.334), the inserted first floor
ceiling has heavily moulded beams, probably early C16. Stone fireplace to externally
projecting stack. Main range with central hall with 4 centrally placed inserted
wooden columns, leading off it is the main stair, C18 dog leg plan with turned
baluster and ramped moulded handrail, the back stairs also with turned balusters.
Principal ground floor rooms and porch with much panelling, C17 panelled overmantel
and wainscotting with lozenge enrichment, some C16 or earlier plank and muntin
panelling with wave moulded enrichment, some 'proto-linenfold' and some fully
developed linenfold. Much has clearly been introduced and cut to fit, probably in
the mid C19, but much may be original to the house. Unusual mid C19 cast iron
ceiling roses, other good C19 features such as moulded curtain pelmets and marble
fireplaces. The C18 alterations were made for William Hassel, rector 1724-l785. The
house later became the seat of the Smith-Marriot family, principal landowners, lords
of the manor and rectors of Horsmonden, the C19 alterations done for the Rev.
William Marriot Smith-Marriot, Bart., rector 1825 to 1864 (see A.Cronk,St.Margarets
Church Horsmonden, 1967, passim).
Listing NGR: TQ7032038807
