Monks Horton Priory

Details

TR 13 NW MONKS HORTON

3/30 Monks Horton Priory 29.12.66 I

Fragment of Cluniac priory, now house. Foundation confirmed by Papal Bull 1144. Church ruins late C12 (c.1175?). West range earlier C12, re- modelled in C14. C16 addition. Restoration and additions 1912-14 by G. Hornblower. Ragstone with ashlar dressings. C16 addition with flint ground-floor and close-studded first floor to north. Plain tile roof. Lower sections of south part of west doorway and portal porch of church. West end of south aisle. West range of cloisters adjoining south-west corner of aisle, width of range projecting west of church. C16 single- bay addition in re-entrant angle between west range and former portal porch. Early C20 additions to east. West elevation of west range: 2 storeys and attic. No plinth. Chamfered stone string-course passing over buttresses below first floor windows. Nicked and chamfered string- course interrupted by buttresses half way up first floor. 5 pilaster buttresses with possibly renewed or extended heads shouldered at top. Further, broader, buttress to junction of west range and C16 addition, and C20 buttress towards south end. South gable end rebuilt 1912-14 with stone-coped gable and finial. C16 north addition gabled at right- angles to west range, with much lower eaves to north. Slightly projecting corbelled brick stack with stone dressings to first floor of gable end of C16 section. Rear stack towards north end of west range. Stone ridge stack to right of centre with octagonal flues; at least partly early C20. Various stone stacks to early C20 additions. 2 gabled C20 dormers. Irregular fenestration of 7 stone first-floor windows, alternating with buttresses; lower lights of truncated 4-light C15 mullioned and transomed window, with cinquefoil-headed lights to gable end of C16 addition; one 2-light mullioned window with rounded hollow-chamfered lights and squared hoodmould to north end room of west range; five cusped 4-light mullioned and transomed windows with squared heads and hoodmoulds, four C14, and one to south of ridge stack C20, replacing blocked round-headed opening. Early C20 ground-floor windows in a similar style. Narrow blocked round-headed opening, possibly for garderobe or external staircase, towards base of first floor, breaking lower string-course, and with blocked medieval opening, possibly a doorway, on ground floor below (visible from inside). Blocked ground- floor doorway, now window, immediately north of ridge stack. North Elevation: C16 section: jettied, with 3-light leaded casement to first floor. Formerly without door, now with early C20 four-centred arched stone doorway with squared hoodmould and boarded door. West end of Church: south side of triple-shafted west doorway with foliated capitals and moulded abaci. Base of arch with doubly zig-zagged inner orders and palmettes in semicircles to outer order. Bases of shafts to south side of west window above. Canted wall with blank torus-moulded arch leading to outer shaft of south side of portal porch with scrolled foliated capital and moulded abacus. Abacus continued as string, linking with abaci of inner doorway. Above outer shaft, springing of outer archway of west window. Substantial remains of south-west corner of nave, with angle shaft towards portal and blank arcading to west face. West end of aisle, level with inner west doorway of nave, visible from within C16 addition. Interior: West end of church: moulded blank arcading to west face and south return face of nave, and to west face of south aisle. Foliated capitals to shafts. Linked moulded abaci. Angle shaft to south-west corner of nave. 2 remaining upper tiers of arcading less ornate. Tall round-headed west window to south aisle. North face of west range has chamfered plinth lower than that of nave. Round-headed ground-floor door of 2 orders set towards west side, with (restored?) outer frieze of lozenges. Attached shaft to each side with bell base and broad leaves to capitals. Interior of church: spiral stone staircase within south- west end of nave, entered from south aisle. Small scalloped capital (shaft head?) with nicked string running from base, to fragment of wall between nave and south aisle. Interior of west range: round-headed ground-floor doorway at north end of east wal1 with 2 shallow orders and outer cable moulding, springing from chamfered imposts (restored). Plain- chamfered stone door head (possibly C14) to south wall of same north end room. First-floor room above has 2 blocked doorways to north wall, one pointed-arched and moulded, both probably associated with C16 addition, and low pointed-arched hollow-chamfered doorway with broach stops, to west well (also visible externally). Next room to south on first floor has blocked hollow-chamfered pointed-arched stone doorway to north and to south; stone seats to 2 west windows; C15 shafted stone fireplace to east wall with moulded segmental arch, squared head with panelled and quatrefoiled spandrels, brattished cornice, stone curb and tapering stone flue; moulded stud walls to north and south and moulded wooden cornice and beams. Moulded joists to ground-floor north room. Blocked east window to each of these 2 rooms on first floor. Roof of plain crown- posts with sous-laces and ashlar-pieces. C20 ground-floor fireplace beneath medieval one, incorporating re-used C17 term and overmantel panel. Moulded axial beam and joists and C20 plaster frieze to same room. South end room on ground floor panelled 1912-14 with C17 panelling from demolished house in vicinity. C20 stone doorways in a medieval style. Founded as cell of Priory of St. Pancras, Lewes, Sussex and dedicated to St. John the Evangelist. Dissolved 1536. (Charles Baily, Monks Horton Priory, Archaeologia Cantiana Vol. X, 1876. J. Newman, B.O.E. Series, North East and East Kent, 1983).

Listing NGR: TR1062639304

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

175606

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Newman, J, The Buildings of England: North East and East Kent, (1983)
Archaeologia Cantiana in Archaeologia Cantiana, Vol. 10, (1876)

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