TQ 6957 WEST MALLING HIGH STREET 3/16 Numbers 65, 67 and The Ancient House 1.8.52 GV I Shops and storeroom, possibly originally priest's house to nunnery, other building in monastic ownership or merchant's house, later inn and jail. The Ancient House is circa 1160-80, with some possible C14 alterations, reroofed circa 1460 and refenestrated in early C19. Nos 65 and 67 are C15, no 67 rebuilt in the C17 but with link block to the Ancient House probably C16, refenestrated in mid C19. The Ancient House was originally a chamber block above undercroft with external staircase no longer extant and possibly part of a larger structure. Built of ragstone stone rubble and some tufa blocks with roughly quoined corners. Tiled roof and one C19 brick chimneystack. Two storeys. North front has 2 C19 inserted casements with brick dressings. Ground floor has C14 or C15 blocked pointed arched doorcase to ground floor left which led to the undercroft and a low positioned medieval blocked rectangular stone window opening. There is also a later doorcase with C20 door and C19 inserted plank door and adjoining casement. East wall has part of a low semicircular tufa arch remaining, indicating external staircase. Lack of evidence for windows on west end wall suggests there may have an earlier hall on the site of current C16 link block. Interior first floor chamber contains two windows of c1160-80 with chevron arches and scallop caps to first floor, a C15 stone chimneypiece with wooden bressumer and intact C15 sans-purlin roof with 3 tall chamfered crownposts with four headbraces. The crownposts are similar in type to Old Gilwyns Chiddingstone, dated to c1460. Evidence from a former inhabitant suggests there may be an undercroft with wooden access trap. Front part of nos 65 and 67 is timberframed, refronted in stucco with old tiled roof with central brick chimneystack. Two storeys and attics. No 65 has 2 casements to first floor and C19 shopfront. No 67 has a second floor mid C19 sash with verticals only, moulded architrave, first floor 3-light canted bay on brackets and C20 shopfront. Link block between front of no 67 and The Ancient House is timberframed, underbuilt in red brick on the ground floor and with tiled roof. Internally the link block of no 67 has a C16 chamfered beam and roof of collar rafter type. No 67 has a C15 stone fireplace to first floor front room with mid C19 cast iron firegrate, exposed C15 or early C16 framing with lambs tongue stops, the top of a medieval doorframe, 3 plank door and the attic contains C15 octagonal crownpost to front range with moulded top and base and 4 headbraces to collar beam. Side-purlin roof. Deeds of 1681 show that at least part of the property was known as "the Angel, formerly the Bull" and an inn called the Bull was mentioned as being well established by 1442. Use as an inn would explain why grand heated chambers were being created in two parts of the property in the mid C15. Domestic buildings of the C12 are very rare in the south east and rare nationally. [See Buildings of England; Newman J: West Kent and the Weald: 578-9; Cozier P: Survey of buildings in West Malling; ITEMS 9, 10, 11.; Margaret Wood: The English Medieval House 1965 p6, 14, 32 and 33 and Royal Commission Report no 91016 by Sarah Pearson 1996.] Listing NGR: TQ6805957790