BENENDEN TQ83SW CRANBROOK ROAD 1350-0/3/18 Hemsted House Benenden School 28/11/86 including attached Terrace Wall GV II Benenden School main building, formerly large gentleman's residence. Built 1859-62 by David Brandon for Gathorne Hardy, later Earl of Cranbrook, in Elizabethan style. Substantially altered by the additions of crenellated battlements, the removal of the original spire to tower, addition of oriel windows and rear loggia by Lord Rothermore c.1912. Built of red brick in Flemish bond with some black brick diaperwork and stone dressings. Tiled roof with clustered brick chimneystacks. Roughly rectangular main house with projecting entrance porch and tower of 3 storeys and attics with attached rectangular service wing of 2 storeys. Front elevation of house has 2 gables with square bays through 3 storeys having 6-light mullions and transomed windows, insertions by Lord Rothermore cutting across earlier diaperwork. Projecting off central entrance porch of 3 storeys with 2 storey oriel window having stone panels with shields between storeys and Tudor arched doorway below with fabulous beasts in spandrels and studded door. To left of this is tall 6 light staircase window. On right hand side is 4 storey square tower with crenellated parapet. 1,2 & 3 light mullioned windows with hood moulding and smaller arched doorcase with hood moulding and fabulous beasts in spandrels below. The whole has crenellated parapet and there are 3 groups of 6 Tudor style chimneystacks. Decorative lead rainwater heads. Attached 2 storey service wing has mullioned and transomed casements with leaded lights and clock face. Garden front to main house is symmetrical of 3 storeys and attics with 5 windows. End gables with 3 storey 6-light canted bays crenellated above. Centre has crenellated parapet, moulded stone cornice and 3 mullioned and transomed windows, the centre one with 4 lights the end ones with 3. Centre ground floor has recessed loggia in lighter coloured stone with strapwork motif cornice, supported on 4 Tuscan columns and 2 pilasters with strapwork design to base, probably one of Lord Rothermore's alterations since David Brandon's original plan shows a loggia with 6 columns and 2 pilasters, square on plan. To left of this is the 4 storey tower with crenellated parapet and one 3 light mullioned and transomed casement. Ground floor has 4 centred arch with shield above, formerly the luggage entrance. 2 ranges of Tudor style brick chimneystacks. Attached to left is 2 storey service wing of 6 bays. End gables with 7 light canted bays, crenellated above, and centre section-with crenellated parapet and four 3 light mullioned and transomed windows. Clustered chimneystacks and lead rainwater heads. Further 2 storey portion to left, probably a Rothermore alteration in similar style, followed by a Neo-Georgian extension of 1961-5 by T.E. Heysham. Attached to the garden front a terraced wall of 1862. Battered brick base of 7 courses with stone wall of interlocking circles with square piers decorated with diamond motifs at regular intervals. Opposite the centre of the garden front are 2 large square piers with diamond motifs supporting eleborate stone urns with floral swags. Interior: Porch has late C19 wide linenfold panelling and chamfered spine beam with lamb's tongue stops. Staircase hall has fine well staircase, probably by David Brandon, with curved shields and other emblems of battle. Plaster ceiling of square panels. Armorial glass to staircase window, some of which is German or Flemish. Large stone armorial fireplace with motto BENE QUI SEPULO. Under the staircase is a late C19 inserted cloakroom with tesselated tiling. Library which was extended in 1920 and has a fine plastered ceiling with strapwork design and deep plastered cornice with stags, cornucopiae and doves. Stone fireplace with blank shields in the spandrels and Tudor rose and diamond frieze. Wooden arched and pilastered overmantel above. Former Drawing Room (now Girls' Common Room) is decorated in Edwardian Queen Anne style. It has deep oak panelling, 2 panelled doors and carved pedimented doorcase with swags. Plaster ceiling with deeply carved plaster floral wreath. Marble fire place. Above this are 2 deeply carved swags with cherubs which could be early C18. Girls' study, formerly Saloon is also decorated in early C20 Queen Anne style. Deep eaves cornice with floral wreath. 8 panelled doors with bolection moulding and elaborate eared architraves, dado panelling. Marble fireplace. Some carving above it could be C18. Hemstead House Study, formerly Dining Room has some genuine early C17 plank and muntin panelling copied to panel entire room. Fluted composite pilasters and panels of strapwork decoration. Elaborate pictorial plastered and coloured frieze with pastoral scenes; boar hunting, herding sheep, resting in the meadows and hawking. Early C20 stone fireplace with elaborate carved spandrels and overmantel with 2 atlantes and 2 caryatids, a shield and strapwork pilasters. Billiard Room has fine stone 4 centred fireplace with blank shields in the spandrels, frieze with swags, cherubs and strapwork and floral design. Carved overmantel has 2 atlantes, 2 caryatids, strapwork motif and lions heads. Very fine early C20 panelling with arches, pilasters, strapwork and marquetry inlay. Fine plastered cornice with griffins and grotesque masks. Cloakroom to east retains early C20 green and blue tesselated walls. Former Business Room now office has a wooden Jacobean style fireplace with elaborate Ionic pilaster. First floor has bedroom in north west side with 4 centred stone fireplace with plasterwork above. Walls are panelled to lower half with early C20 plank and muntin panelling and above plastered with moulded boars, lions and pelicans. Lord Rothermoore's Bedroom (now dormitory) has a large stone chimney-piece with doves and griffins. Early C20 plank and muntin panelling and C17 cast iron fireback with fluted pilasters. Bathroom of green marble walls and original Boulton fittings. Lady Rothermore's Room (now dormitory) is panelled throughout with some strapwork pilasters. Stone fireplace with human mask, griffins, dogs and stags. C17 cast iron fireback with fleur de lys. Overmantel has marquetry inlay architectural perspective. Another dormitory has a stone fireplace with lions' masks and mermaids. The Headmistress's Room has late C19 linenfold panelling and plastered cornice. Kitchens retain slate shelves. There was an Elizabethan Hemstead Hall which was pulled down when the present building was erected near the original site. (B.of E. 'West Kent and the Weald': Pevsner: P.152). Listing NGR: TQ8024633803