Details
TQ 85 SW
9/189
THURNHAM
ASHFORD ROAD (south side)
Milgate House, Tudor Milgate and Brewers House.
(formerly listed as Milgate Park)
26.4.68
GV
I
House. Front range early C18 with mid C18 addition, rear courtyard wings mid-to-late C16 with late C17 or early C18 alterations which are possibly of two periods. Front range (north): reddish-grey brick in Flemish bond with red brick dressings; chequered red and grey brick to return elevations. Plain tile roof.
Two storeys and attics on short stone plinth. Wood modillion eaves cornice. Grey brick parapet with recessed red brick panels over windows. Hipped roof returning along side elevations, four panelled rear brick stacks. Two dormers with segmental pediments. Slight central projection with triangular pediment over containing red brick-dressed keyed oeil-de-boeuf. Regular seven-window front of tall glazing-bar sashes, central three in projection. Central first-floor window set in broad red brick panel and has segmental head. All windows have gauged red brick voussoirs with triple keyblocks and recessed panels below. Panels of first floor windows have very thin moulded red brick cills. Red brick chainage between ground and first-floor windows and red brick dressings to corners of building. Central wooden doorcase with fluted Corinthian pilasters carrying entablature with foliated frieze bearing intertwined initials WC. Flat corniced hood on scrolled brackets over.
Left return elevation:regular four-window front in chequered red and grey brick in same style as front elevation. Mid C18 canted bay added to right gable end, Straight front elevation in red brick, canted end in chequered red and grey brick. Two storeys on low stone plinth with wood modillion eaves cornice matching rest of front elevation, and parapet with hint of castellation at corners.Windows in canted end only, as those of early C18 but without keystones and chainage. First floor windows have blind cases.
Rear right-hand wing (west): recessed from original gable end of front block. Originally possibly partly timber-framed; ground floor red brick in English bond with traces of diapering, first floor probably late C17, lightly chequered red and grey brick in Flemish bond. Plain tile roof. Two2 lower storeys and attics on higher stone plinth with brick coping. Plat band and scrolled wood modillion eaves cornice. Ridge stack towards centre. Very large projecting stack towards right end, on stone plinth, brick above in English bond with diapering, corniced towards top with four flues with flat and diamond fillets and circular brick posts. Two hipped dormers. Regular six window front of glazing bar sashes with rubbed brick voussoirs and blind cases. French windows to ground floor.
Rear left-hand wing (east): recessed from and lower than front range of Milgate House. Has partly timber-framed core of mid-to-late C16 with late C17 or very early C18 facade of chequered red and grey brick with plain tile roof. Two storeys and attics on plinth with moulded stone coping. Plat band. Wood modillion eaves cornice projecting over first floor windows, with small scrolled modillions grouped in threes in gaps between windows. Regular six window front of glazing bar sashes with thick glazing bars and rubbed brick heads. Two hipped dormers towards centre. Thin brick ridge stack towards left end. Large stack at right end shared with front range. Single storey C19 pentice projecting from front at left end.
Rear range of courtyard (south elevation): possibly has partly timber-framed mid-to-late C16 core, largely re-faced in two periods in late C17 or very early C18. Left one third in similar materials to west elevation, right two thirds in similar materials to east elevation, with straight joint between the two. Cornice of east elevation continued across whole of south elevation. Two storeys and attics. Roof hipped both ends to continue along side elevations. Stack in front slope of roof to right of centre. Rectangular wooden louvre on ridge to left of centre. Three hipped dormers. Regular seven window front of four C19 sashes without glazing bars, and three glazing bar sashes, one beneath stack very narrow.
Ground floor of left one third has two four-light ovolo-moulded mullion windows with continuous hood-mould over. Right end of elevation has two eight-light mullioned and transomed windows, mullions with plain chamfers to outside and mixture of plain and ovolo to interior. C20 panelled door to right of straight joint and heavy panelled possibly C18 door now in C19 single storey pentice rebuilt in C20 at right gable end.
Interior: front range has tall entrance hall with fielded panelling. Well staircase with fielded panelling, ramped with fluted Corinthian pilasters against wall. Small finely-carved open string balusters, three to tread, twisted fluted, straight fluted and corkscrew in sequence, with moulded hand rail and scrolled cheeks. Marketry to half-landings. Ceiling and part of walls of stairwell painted with mythological scenes, attributed to Lanscroon.
Ground floor room to right of hall has fielded panelling, moulded cornice, and finely-carved fireplace surround. Ground floor room to left of hall retains deep early C18 cornice, fielded panelling with bolection moulded surrounds and fireplace flanked from floor to ceiling by fluted Corinthian pilasters with moulded abaci. Room behind this has similar panelling and cornice, and fireplace flanked by equally imposing fluted pilasters with capitals in a Doric style. First floor rooms have plain fielded panelling and moulded cornices.
West wing and west end of south range: has massive fireplace in south west ground floor room. Moulded beam.Door into same room with moulded jambs and vase stops. Raised and fielded panelling and moulded dado rails in first floor rooms. Rooms to north have assortment of C17 panelling. First floor corridor in west wing, next to courtyard, has internal studded wall, possibly of late C16. Staggered butt purlin roof.
East wing and east two thirds of south range. Wall-post in west wall of east wing on first floor. Moulded beams to ground floor and door similar to that in west wing. First floor rooms have moulded cornices, raised and fielded panelling and moulded dado rail, some replaced. Staggered butt purlin roof.
Late C16 house probably largely the work of Sir Thomas Fludd, d. 1607. Front range built for William Cage, Sheriff of Kent, 1695, M.P. for Rochester 1702, 1710 and 1713. Brickwork of similar character to that of Larkfield at Bradbourne (1713-1715) Late C17 and early C18 refacing probably also for William Cage. Extension to right probably for Lewis Cage c. 1760.
(Royal Commission on Historical Monuments report, unpublished, April 1977. J. Newman, West Kent and the Weald 1980 edition).
Listing NGR: TQ8091654940
