Abbey Farmhouse

Details

The following building shall be upgraded:-

1. ABBEY FIELDS 1103 TR 0261 8/96 Abbey Farmhouse GV II*

Farmhouse Circa C13 or early C14, later alterations including a remodelling by Sir George Sondes in late C17 or early C18. Flemish bond brick, the south elevation is rendered and lined out as masonry; the timber-framing of the Medieval range survives at least in its north wall. Plain tile roof gable ended main range with catslide at rear and hipped over left-hand west range. Red brick axial and end stacks.

Plan and development: The main east range, which faces approximately south, has a cross-wing at the left west end and an outshut at the back north.

The main east range is all that remains of a larger Medieval building of C13 or early C14 date. It has a scissor-brace roof which is not smoke- blackened. Later in the Middle Ages the roof was reinforced by the insertion of a crown-post and collar-purlin. It is uncertain when the Medieval building was reduced. in size, but it ought to have been as late as the late C17 or early C18 when Sir George Sondes remodelled it. He built the outshut behind (north) and the cross-wing at the left west end which has a parlour at the back and a small room at the front, but the entrance hall and staircase were installed in the left end of the earlier range which on the ground floor became a large kitchen with a gable-end stack, probably also added in the late C17 or early C18.

The original Medieval building was probably associated with the Abbey, the site of which is very close, but its original function is uncertain and not necessarily domestic.

Exterior: 2 storeys and attic. Asymmetrical south front. The old range has C18 and C19 2 and 3-light casements, 2 on the first floor have moulded lintels that to the right is an C18 3-light window with leaded panes and on the ground floor below a 3-light casement with glazing bars. To the left the doorway with a moulded flat canopy, early C18 doorcase and C20 panelled door. The late C17 or early C18 cross-wing projects to the left with an C18 12-pane sash on each floor and a band at first floor level; the right hand return of the wing has a narrow C18 8-pane sash on each floor.

The cross-wing has a hipped roof with a moulded eaves cornice, its symmetrical 4-bay left hand west elevation, the garden front has a brick band at first floor level and C18 12-pane sashes with moulded eaves in segmental-headed openings, the ground and first floor windows to the right of centre are blind and the ground floor window to the left of centre is an C18 garden door, the lower sash a door panelled below the rail.

The rear (north) side has a hipped dormer in the cross-wing and to the left the main roof is carried down as a catslide over the outshut. The east gable end has 2 doorways on the ground floor and a 12-pane sash on the first floor.

Interior: is largely the result of the late C17 or early C18 remodelling The ground floor of the cross-wing has fielded 6-panel doors; the parlour has a panelled dado and panelled cupboard doors but the ceiling and chimney piece have been replaced. A closet off the parlour has a cupboard with shaped shelves. There is a good dog-leg staircase with a moulded string, heavy chamfered hand-rail, turned balusters and turned newels with ball finials. The staircase appears to be late C17 rather than C18. On the first floor there are late C17 or early C18 3-panel doors and a C17 moulded plank door. The kitchen has plastered-over ceiling beams and a large fireplace with a chamfered timber lintel and a large oven with a C19 iron door. The timber framing of the rear wall can be seen from the roof-space of the outshut.

Roof: The main range has a Medieval scissor-braced roof below which a crown post and collar-purlin have been inserted to prevent racking. There is no smoke-blackening of the timbers. The rectangular crown-post has curved braces to the tie-beam and one curved brace to the collar-purlin. The Medieval roof was hipped and the purlin has a curved bracket to the hip rafter, but the roof has been extended to a gable end with common rafters and without a ridgepiece. The roof over the cross-wing has large common rafters which were probably reused from a Medieval roof.

Note: Abbey Farm probably belonged to the Benedictine Abbey of Faversham founded in 1147. After the Dissolution, the Abbey belonged to the Diggs family and later the Sondes who held Abbey Farm until recently when it was sold to Wadham College Oxford. Jacob's History of Faversham, 1774 states that Abbey Farmhouse was built by Sir George Sondes.

Source: Traditional Kent Buildings (1988), No. 6, p.p. 16 to 27.

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ABBEY FIELDS 1. ------------ 1103 Abbey Farmhouse TR 0261 8/96 II

2. L-shaped building, of which the front dates from the C18 and the east wing is probably older but refronted. 2 storeys. 3 windows facing west, 3 windows, facing south. Front red brick, east wing cemented. Moulded wooden eaves cornice. Tiled roof. The front has sash windows, those on the ground floor with cambered head linings and all with glazing bars intact. The east wing has casement windows, 1 with small square leaded panes. Photograph in NMR.

Listing NGR: TR0213661802

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

175814

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Jacob, , History of Faversham, (1774)
Traditional Kent Buildings in Traditional Kent Buildings, Vol. 6, (1988), 16-27

End of official list entry

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