Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 03/04/2018

TQ 63 NW
2/128

LAMBERHURST
BAYHAM ABBEY
Bayham Abbey and garden terraces

20.10.54

GV

II
House and terraces, subdivided into residential units in 1976. 1870-72 for the Marquess Camden by David Brandon, architect. Coursed hammer-dressed ragstone with green slate roofs. Jacobean style.

Entrance (north) front: three-storey main block with plinth, string course and modillion eaves cornice to balustraded roof with three irregularly sized and slightly projecting shaped gables to left and (paired) to centre, and stacks ranged from left to right and to right front. Ten variously sized stone mullioned and transomed windows on each floor, with 15-light stair window to centre right on first floor and central porte-cochère, with coupled columns, keyed and banded arches and pierced parapet.

Lower three-storey service wing to left also with shaped gable and with bell tower, and projecting two-storey and single-storey service buildings, enclosing a courtyard at end left. Garden elevation symmetrical and on smaller frontage, with similar detailing as to entrance front and with two shaped gabled wings projecting at left and right, with two-storey bays, that to right canted, and central two storey bow window. Five bays in all. Two-storey wing to right, with shaped gabled projecting centrepiece, and two bay arcaded porch linking to main block. Single-storey pilastered garden room attached to left and, with octagonal stair vice, filling in re-entrant to return elevation of entrance front, with shaped gable and two storey canted bay.

The house stands on a terraced platform projecting from the western elevation of the house and connected to it by a stone wall with wrought iron gate. The terrace is rectangular in plan with a bowed section to the south of the house, and has a pierced parapetted wall around it with occasional low piers, with an opening into the gardens to the west. The lowest levels are reached on the west side by a single flight of steps, and to the south by three flights of steps, all with low sidewalls and piers bearing urns. Overlooks a fine, probably largely earlier, landscaped park with the ruins of Bayham Abbey, and Brandon's church and various other features (Humphry Repton was consulted c.1800).

INTERIOR: despite conversion to a number of units, the principal interiors survive, including Doric screened entrance hall leading to grand staircase (not seen); ballroom, with modillion cornice to panelled ceiling, and enriched marble fireplace and bow window shutters operated by patent mechanical system set within the window piers; dining room richly panelled in carved Italian walnut, and with swagged segmentally headed fireplace (the chimney pieces supplied by Earp, Kennington Road, London), and panelled ceiling.

Listing NGR: TQ6629036831

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26415067

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)