Mereworth Castle (Main Block)
MEREWORTH CASTLE (MAIN BLOCK), MAIDSTONE ROAD
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1070675
- Date first listed:
- 01-Aug-1952
- List Entry Name:
- Mereworth Castle (Main Block)
- Statutory Address:
- MEREWORTH CASTLE (MAIN BLOCK), MAIDSTONE ROAD
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Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2004-03-11
- Reference:
- IOE01/11805/05
- Rights:
- © Mr Gordon Richards. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1070675
- Date first listed:
- 01-Aug-1952
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 04-Jul-1986
- List Entry Name:
- Mereworth Castle (Main Block)
- Statutory Address 1:
- MEREWORTH CASTLE (MAIN BLOCK), MAIDSTONE ROAD
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- MEREWORTH CASTLE (MAIN BLOCK), MAIDSTONE ROAD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Kent
- District:
- Tonbridge and Malling (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Mereworth
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 66895 53230
Details
In entry for:
TQ 65 SE MEREWORTH MAIDSTONE ROAD (south side)
2/43 Mereworth Castle 1.8.52 (main block) with GV moat walls to north
the moat walls shall be omitted to read:
Mereworth Castle (main block)
------------------------------------
TQ 65 SE MEREWORTH MAIDSTONE ROAD (south side)
2/43 Mereworth Castle (main block) with 1.8.52 moat walls to north
GV I
House. Roofed 1723. Designed by Colin Campbell for John Fane, 1736 to become the Earl of Westmorland. Interior plasterwork by Francesco Bagutti and Fresco painting by Francesco Sleter. Based on Palladio's Villa Capra near Vicenza stuccoed in C18 'stone colour' with Portland stone porticos, entablatures and window surrounds. Leaded ribbed dome. Large square block with 4 identical fronts, excepting the lack of portico steps to east and west. String-course above basement, cornice-band at portico entablature level. Hipped slate roof carrying heavily banded almost hemispherical dome with blind lantern surrounded by high half-columns. Single pedimented and balconied 1st floor windows each side of Hexastyle Ionic porticos. Flight of steps up to north and south porticos. The block was originally moated, parts still visible to north. Garden balustrades to north, connecting with side walls and abutments of portico steps. Interior: Extremely important and an almost complete survival. Entrance Hall: Barrel-vaulted with plaster busts in shells over side doors and pair of female allegorical figures over arched doorway into central rotunda. Rotunda: 2 storeys and dome with plaster copping. Four major axial and four minor diagonal doorways on both floors, the upper to deep balustraded gallery on carved volute brackets. Cornice under gallery. Sumptuous plasterwork with pairs of female figures, putti and busts in shells over doorways, and rectangular relief panels, portrait busts and foliage drops arrayed on the walls. Axial doors with Ionic fluted doorcases in deep recesses with arched heads containing, east and west eagles with cartouches and wreaths, south, the Fane crest, and north, a bull's head in a coronet. Subsidiary doors below and axial doors above with triangular pediments. Library: Coved vault with central rectangular plaster compartments. Main doorcase with Corinthian half-columns and pediment, subsidiary doors with flat hoods. Shelves standing proud of the walls. West Bed-Chamber: Corner fireplace, compartmented painted and plastered ceiling with allegorical and antique scenes. Modillion cornice work pulvinated freize. West Dressing Room: 2 storey fireplace with 4 corner volutes supporting mantel. Compartmented painted and plastered ceiling with allegorical and Antique scenes. Modillion (cont'd ) cornice with pulvinated frieze. Long Gallery: Deep cove painted illusionis- tically in the early C18 Venetian style by Francesco Sleter, dated 1732. Central plaster compartments with 5 'quadro riportati' allegorical scenes by Sleter. Modillion cornice with frieze-decoration of masks and wreaths. 3 doorways, with Corinthian half-columned and triangular pedimented surrounds. 2 pedimented chimney-pieces. East Dressing Room: Central rectangular panel to ceiling with allegorical scene and painted decoration in ceiling corners. 2-storey pedimented chimney-piece. Apple floor in geometrical patterns. Modillion cornice with acanthus frieze. East Bedroom: Compartmented painted and plastered ceiling with allegorical and Antique scenes. Corner fireplace. Modillion cornice, scroll and putti relief frieze. Dining Room: Coved ceiling with scrolled plaster supports in corners. 3 compartment plaster ceiling in rectangular surround. Mid C18 rococo fireplace with volute supports. See Howard Stutchbury, the Architecture of Colin Campbell, Manchester, 1967, 54-58. Also John Harris, The Palladians, London, 1981, 66-67: Country Life, XLVII, 808,876,912; XCV, 242; CIV,728; CXVI, 209.
Listing NGR: TQ6686353282
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 178867
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Stutchbury, H E, The Architecture of Colen Campbell, (1967), 54-58
Harris, J, The Palladians, (1981), 66-67
Country Life in Country Life, Vol. 116, (), 209
Country Life in Country Life, Vol. 116, (), 808 876
Country Life in Country Life, Vol. 116, (), 912
Country Life in Country Life, Vol. 116, (), 242
Country Life in Country Life, Vol. 116, (), 728
Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 24 Kent,
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 05-Jun-2026 at 19:50:12.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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