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
