St Augustines Priory (Medieval Buildings)
ST AUGUSTINES PRIORY (MEDIEVAL BUILDINGS), PRIORY 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:
- 1362769
- Date first listed:
- 13-Oct-1952
- List Entry Name:
- St Augustines Priory (Medieval Buildings)
- Statutory Address:
- ST AUGUSTINES PRIORY (MEDIEVAL BUILDINGS), PRIORY ROAD
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2005-09-21
- Reference:
- IOE01/13151/15
- Rights:
- © Mr Derrick Chiverrell. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1362769
- Date first listed:
- 13-Oct-1952
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 10-Aug-1988
- List Entry Name:
- St Augustines Priory (Medieval Buildings)
- Statutory Address 1:
- ST AUGUSTINES PRIORY (MEDIEVAL BUILDINGS), PRIORY 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:
- ST AUGUSTINES PRIORY (MEDIEVAL BUILDINGS), PRIORY ROAD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Kent
- District:
- Ashford (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Bilsington
- National Grid Reference:
- TR 04341 35525
Details
TR 03 NW BILSINGTON PRIORY ROAD (east side) 3/75 St. Augustine's Priory (Medieval buildings) (formerly 13.10.52 listed as The Priory) I Monastic remains, sometime house. Founded 1253, restored 1906 by J.T. Micklethwaite, Architect, for R.H. Balston. Ragstone with plain tiled roof. First floor hall connected by 3 storey tower to 3 storeyed cross-wing. The hall range with corner buttresses and string course and C20 plate traceried windows with 1 (genuine?) lancet in gable end. The north elevation with cill cornice to 1st floor, raised to centre, with blocked doorways to left and to right (with four centred arch) and corbel heads. The foundations of cloisters projecting from this elevation have been traced. Tower in 2 stages externally with small corner buttresses with restored square headed doorway and shouldered lights. Shallow south eastern angle vice. Hipped roof with gablets and stack. Three storey cross-wing, with low angle buttress, and hipped roof with gablets. Small squared lights. Entry by depressed arched and chamfered doorway to undercroft of main hall in wooden porch. Interior: plain undercroft, C20 wooden turned baluster stair to main hall, the internal reveals of the windows brought down as seats, only the western window possibly original. Blocked chamfered arched door- ways on northern face and to right of western window on west wall. Remains embedded at south end of moulded main beams of screens passage/ gallery. Restored roof of 3 crown posts on moulded tie beams and wall plate. Spiral staircase full height in tower block with chamfered arched doorways to hall and each floor of chamber block. Tower chamber with simple chamfered fireplaces and moulded cross-beamed roof. Chamber cross-wing with short moulded crown post to upper room, possibly originally a double height chamber with inserted 1st floor ceiling. Tower roof with 3 massively braced tie beams and scissor-braced rafters. The function of the surviving buildings has never been fully established, probably the Infirmary hall, possibly the Refectory with Prior's Lodgings attached. The Priory, of Augustinian Canons was founded 1253 by Sir John Mansell (Lord Chief Justics, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, etc.). Dissolved 1536, and used as a Farmhouse, becoming progressively more ruinous until restoration 1906. Foundations and remains of cloisters to north, the church (of St. Mary the Virgin and St. Nicholas) beyond that and further still the Gate House and Holy Well, as well as 3 fishponds (1 a moat to the south-west). The plan has affinities with the premonstratensian priory at East Langdon, Kent. Used as a storage base by smuggling gangs, particularly the Ransley gang e.C19. (See printed Guide; B.O.E. Kent I, 171-2; Arch. Cant. XXVII; Igglesden, VII, 1906).
Listing NGR: TR0434135525
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 181660
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
St Augustine's Priory Guide, ()
Newman, J, The Buildings of England: West Kent and the Weald, (1980), 171-2
Igglesden, C, Saunter through Kent with pen and pencil, (1906)
Archaeologia Cantiana in Archaeologia Cantiana, Vol. 27, ()
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 14-Jun-2026 at 13:56:03.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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