Listed Building: GORE COURT (1250699)

Grade II*
Authority
Volume/Map/Item 1804, 3, 216
Date assigned 25 July 1952
Date last amended

Description

CHURCH ROAD TQ 75 SE OTHAM (East Side) 3/216 Gore Court 25.7.52 II* House, formerly school, now house. Late C15 or early C16, with late C16, (possibly C17) and late C18 alterations and additions. Late C14 or early C15 cellar, probably associated with a preceding building. Timber framed, rendered, with plain tile roof. Open hall, with 2 integral cross-wings projecting slightly to rear. Hall of 2 equal-length timber-framed bays, un-subdivided on ground floor, possibly jettied to front (west) and possibly with stair turret to rear of hall. Right (south) cross-wing formerly jettied to front, extending slightly further to rear than north wing and comprising one relatively small room to front and a larger room to rear with passage between the 2 rooms leading south from the hall to former gable end of house. 2-storey structure of 2 or possibly 3 timber-framed bays set east- west about 6 metres-south of former gable end of house, extending about 2 metres further west, and possibly a kitchen. Structure jettied to its north side only (towards house). Gap between house and "kitchen" infilled in late C16 or early C17, jetty of south cross-wing underbuilt, right cross- wing provided with 2½ storey rectangular bay to front (dated T.H. 1577) and gap between cross-wings to rear of hall infilled with 2-storey section (possibly because hall not floored). Most of windows and first floor ceilings altered in late 1780s or in 1790s, and further bay added to south side of "kitchen". Later service wing running east from east gable end of "kitchen"; 2 storeys and cellars, on chamfered rendered plinth. 2½-storey rectangular late C16 bay to front of north cross-wing, jettied to first floor and gable, with plaster moulding and coving under jetties, and gable raised above eaves of wing with pierced and carved bargeboards and moulded pendant. 2-storey rectangular bay to north timber-framed bay of hall, possibly with C15 or C16 origins, with restored close-studded gable above eaves of hall. Shallow 2-storey late C16 or later rectangular bay to front of south cross-wing, with eaves gable over. Narrow 2-storey rectangular bay with similar gable, in angle between "infill" section and front gable end of "kitchen". Pair of eaves gables with plain bargeboards pendants and finials, to "kitchen" and south end bay. Eaves of north cross-wing higher than hall eaves (possibly raised in 1577), and roof hipped to front. South cross-wing with similar eaves-line to hall and roof hipped to front, hip returning to right (south) along "infill" section. West gable end of "kitchen" projects slightly but with same eaves line, and with roof hipped to front; hip returns to south along added south end bay, which is gabled to south and has lower ridge. Central rear stack to hall with 2 corbelled and filleted brick flues joined across top and set on moulded plinth. 4 further stacks; to south side of each room of south cross-wing, to later rear service wing, and to south side of "kitchen". Irregular fenestration of 11 windows all but two late C18. Four tripartite sashes; one to jettied first-floor "bay" of north wing, one to projecting "bay" of south wing, one to "infill" section and one to "kitchen". Four narrow 2-storey Gothick lights; one pair set between panelled pilasters, to projecting "bay" to north timber-framed bay of hall, and two widely- spaced to south timber-framed bay of hall. One 10-light mullioned and transomed window to porch, one cross-window to projection of south end of "infill" section, and one 12-pane sash to south end bay. 2-storey jettied, close-studded porch to south end of hall, rebuilt in late C19 or early C20. Panelled door. Rear elevation: four late C16 or early C17 jettied gables, one to rear of each cross-wing and two to rear of hall, the latter two on scrolled brackets. Canted weatherboarded bay with tall Gothick light under gable of south wing. Rear service wing with bell cupola. Interior: hall without inserted floor but with rendered walls. 3 service doors to centre of south end wall, all hollow-chamfered, 4-centred arched with hollow spandrels. Similar front and rear doorways. Walls of central service passage within south wing. Broad joists to front service room. Hollow- chamfered cross-beam and broad joists to ground floor of north wing, with evidence for front and rear walls. Exposed framing and jetty to "kitchen". Blocked late C16 three-light ogee-moulded mullioned frieze windows, and part of similar side-lights of rectangular bay window to front of north wing. Exposed late C16 or early C17 framing with evidence for deep central window with frieze windows, to front of south wing and "infill" section, and joists of same period to "infill". Moulded rectangular late C16 or early C17 doorway beyond rear doorway of hall, probably within concealed outer wall of "infill" behind hall. 4 late C16 four-centred arched moulded stone fireplaces with hollow spandrels; one to rear of hall with wooden overmantel, one to rear service room,one, possibly moved, to first floor over front service room, and one to first floor of "kitchen". Rebated central crown-post to hall on hollow-chamfered tie-beam with short solid- spandrel braces. Late C18 geometrical staircase to rear of "infill" section. Most of first floor plastered. At least 4 first-floor rooms with late C18 or early C19 plaster ceilings domed in a variety of shapes. Broad flight of stone steps to cellar under north wing, with hollow-chamfered, broach- stopped jamb of stone doorway to bottom. Base of a tight, narrow stone newel staircase leading out of north-east corner of cellar, with bevelled pointed-arched stone doorway and tooled stone jambs. House described by Hasted in 1798 as "modernized". A building of unusual plan and dimensions for this area . Listing NGR: TQ7906253261

External Links (0)

Sources (1)

  • Map: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.

Map

Location

Grid reference TQ 7906 5326 (point)
Map sheet TQ75SE
Civil Parish OTHAM, MAIDSTONE, KENT

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Record last edited

Nov 16 2006 1:22PM