Description

ROCHESTER THE PRECINCT
TQ 7468 NW and TQ 7468 SW
7/199; 9/199 College Green and
Southgate and
Garden Wall to
front. (formerly
listed as House
adjacent to
Prior ' s Gate
House)
24.10.50 II*
GV
Two houses, formerly the hall range of the palace of the medieval
bishops of Rochester. Late medieval (see below), re-ordered in
the C18 and C19. Principal range of exposed ragstone and clunch
rubble, much patched, with brick parapet; timber-framed wing with
some brick cladding, extended in brick, and rendered throughout.
Kent tile gable-end roofs. Date: by 1412 the buildings on this
site were known collectively as the palace. In 1459 Bishop Lowe
signed a document at his 'new palace at Rochester'. Although
some of the fabric probably pre-dates (and the roof probably
post-dates) 1459, much of the present building doubtless dates
from Lowe's rebuilding. Cardinal Fisher's inventory of 1534
indicates a complex building which included a hall range that
incorporated a chapel amongst other rooms. The view in Harris'
History of Kent (1719) shows a long range with end (not cross)
wings. That to the E has gone; the W wing survives. The
interior has been radically re-modelled, and both main elevations
refenestrated. Plan: the following points also indicate the main
surviving medieval features. (1) the main 2½ storeyed range,
aligned NW/SE (here called E/W) contained the hall and a fully
storeyed end in series to the E (the services with solar or
chapel above); the hall may have contained 3 bays, or 2 bays with
a higher-end in series. The W wall is original, so if there was
a higher-end here it would have been a very short one. In either
case the plan as a whole suggests that Bishop Lowe was adapting
an older structure. (2) There is a later timber-framed wing to
the S of the end bay. Judging by the quality of an in situ
wooden door head (depressed arch with decorated spandrels), the
wing contained high-status chambers, and is probably C16. (3)
The hall was raised over a low basement (the blocked doorway of
which is visible to S), and was lit on the S side by 2 large
windows, now blocked (the jambs and sills survive), which
straddle the line of the inserted floor. (4) The position of
the cross-passage is marked by a strainer arch in the S wall.
All the above features are contained within Southgate. (5) One
blocked lancet set high on the S side may have lit a solar or
chapel. (6) The roof (possibly C16) survives intact. Closely
related roof types over the higher end and hall (butt purlins,
coupled common rafters, 2 large ties and principals with queen
struts) and the lower end (common rafters with queen posts to all
couples), with a continuous moulded wall plate to both sides
extending the entire length of the building. Front (N):
Georgianised 6 window range; brick parapet with moulded cornice
band and stone coping; 2 large brick ridge stacks above the front
doors (that to the right breaks through the truss of the former
hall); small 4-light sashes to each floor in line with stacks and
doors; otherwise hornless sash windows throughout (8 pane and 12
pane to 2nd floor College Green and Southgate respectively), 16
panes elsewhere, all with exposed frames. Left-hand doorway
(College Green) with moulded canopy on brackets, panelled door
with top lights; right-hand doorway (Southgate) with pediment and
shouldered architrave, panelled door with top lights. Cast-iron
rainwater goods, where visible. Wing: tall brick stack at
junction with main range. 16-pane sash window to 1st floor.
Lean-to side extensions to ground floor, that to the right, with
hipped slate roof; 2 tall 15-pane sash windows and a projecting
triangular bay, also with sashes, all facing N. Right-hand end
(W) with lancet (blocked) to gable wall. Rear elevation (S):
scattered fenestration with some sash windows and some small
casements. Much of the evidence for the medieval building is
contained within the fabric of this elevation. Later brick
single-storeyed extension with tall ridge stack and tiled roof.
Interior: for medieval features, see above (plan). Some C18
features including a little wall panelling, door furniture,
panelled internal shutters, a fireplace with wooden surround, and
a wooden arch with side niches. The front garden wall,
continuous with that to Prior's Gate House (qv for description),
is included in this listing. (Reference 7,9/200).

Listing NGR: TQ7420368497

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17551301

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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