(TQ 70365790) Bradbourne (NAT). (1) Bradbourne. Grade I. 'Fore more than three centuries Bradbourne has been the home of the Twisdens, one of the oldest Kent families, who take their name from Twysden, near Goudhurst, where they were established at least as early as Edward I's reign. The house is a particularly fine example of early 18th century brickwork. It was built, or rebuilt round an earlier courtyard house, by the third Baronet Sir Thomas Twisden, between 1713 and 1715 (for full description see list). (2) Bradbourne House. Grade I. Country house, in landscaped park. 1713-1715, on site of Tudor house, retaining some parts of this building in kitchen area and west wing of C17, refaced. Some work also of 1748 and also, especially internally, of c.1774. Main work of 1713-15 for Sir Thomas Twysden. Restored c.1950 (for full description see list). (3) Bradbourne completed in 1713-15. (Full architectural description). Is Bradbourne a pre-18th century house recased? The interior answers that it must be. The north doorway leads into a small vestibule into which is crammed a most sumptuous staircase. Three twisted balusters to the tread, the tread ends carved, and their scrolly profile continued across the underside of the free-flying upper flight. Yet it leads only to three bedrooms. The original entrance in the west front gave into a two-storeyed hall, with a coved ceiling, simple panelling, but no decoration to match its scale. The main living rooms are on the south side. In the bow room and the room north of it marble fireplaces and simple plaster ceilings of c.1774, in the Adam manner, then the latest fashion. The stone flagged hall on the east side of the house and its staircase are the heart of circulation in the house. Such a maladroit plan can only have resulting if old walls were kept. (4) Bradbourne. Covenants over the house and 30 acres given in 1941 by the East Malling Horticultural Research Station. (5)

Description from record TQ 75 NW 326:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
EAST MALLING AND LARKFIELD CP NEW ROAD TQ 75 NW (east side) 8/181 Bradbourne House 1.8.52
GV I
Country house, in landscaped park. 1713-1715, on site of Tudor house, retaining some parts of this building in kitchen area and west wing of C17, refaced. Some work also of 1748 and also, especially internally, of c.1774. Main work of 1713-15 for Sir Thomas Twysden. Restored c.1950. West front: wing of C17 refaced in 1713-15. Brick, Brown with red dressing in outer bays, pinky-buff and vermilion in centre on red and blue brick plinth. Coupled brick pilasters at ends and flanking central projection. Modillion eaves cornice and tall central pediment with keyed oculus to panelled parapet and slate roof with 4 triangular pediment dormers and panelled end stacks with cornice mouldings. 2 storeys and attics. 3-3-3 window rhythm the central bays space width and the entrance bay wider than all others. lst floor windows shallower than very tall ground floor windows. Each window bay framed by chainage, with gauging over each window, those on ground floor over windows in 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th bays without decorated soffits. Single keystones in moulded brick on lst floor, triple keystones below. Sunk panels below each window except those flanking central entrance and the round-arched window in segment-headed brick sunk and with impost mouldings over entrance. Central Corinthian pilastered entrance surround with broken bracketted modillion cornice hood moulding above. Double three-quarter glazed doors with large c.1760 wreathed and radiating fanlight over. Convex quadrant walls flanking perron with end piers and globes flanking. South front: 9 bay, 1 storey and attic wing, possibly of 1748 with central 3-bay bow of c.1774 flanked by the ends of 2 wings both of 1713-15. Red, brown, blue, vermilion, orange and buff brick centre. Centre 9 bays with tall windows with gauged and keyed heads flanking central bow with similar though shallower windows. Modillion cornice, panelled parapet with 2 urns over bow and plain tiled roof with 3 dormers, the central with segmental pediment, the outer pair with triangular pediments. Wing of 2 storeys framed by giant pilasters in brick with modillion cornice panelled parapet and central panelled stack resting on parapet. 3 bays with chainage, that in centre bay projecting. Blocked panels in centre bay that on ground floor containing fictive niche in brick tiling. Outer ground floor bays panelled and broken by keyed oculi. Glazing bar sashes above. All windows and panels with gauged heads, and single brick keystones above, triple keystones below. Single blocked panelled windows on both floors in re-entrant angles. Lead down-pipes with Loppars dated 1748. North front: Red brick with orange dressings. 2 storeys; central 7-bay recess and 2-bay wings that to right with modillion cornice and panelled parapet and therefore higher. Tall panelled stacks on wings, centrally on parapet to left, over left-hand bay to right. Blocked windows to wings, and in re-entrant angles (only 1 in left angle, 2 to right), and blocked windows on both floors in 2nd and 6th bays of recess. Sunken panels below 1st floor windows throughout, and over 1st floor windows in right- hand wing. Gauged heads, brick keystarts and chainage throughout, decorated soffits to gauged heads only over 1st floor windows of right-hand wing. Central panelled door with radiating fanlight of c.1840. Pedimented porch projecting 5 yards on thin columns, and wooden railings closing recess to either side. Kitchen wing, 2 storeys, red brick set back to left. Interior: staircase, 2-flight return stair in wood with Salamonic balustrade, covered tread ends and underside to risens Hall. Fielded panelling, 1713-15. Telephone room fielded panelling, 1713-15. Green room, fielded panelling, 1713-15. Great Hall, fielded panelling with eff and dark surrounds, probably 1713-15, dentilled cornice. Central egg and dark ceiling panel. Bolection mould fireplace surround. Break- fast room. Fielded panelling. Drawing room. Bow end. Adamesgne decoration to plaster ceiling, cornice, window surrounds, shutters and Dado rail. Ionic columned grey/green marble fire surround with central and undermantel panel of Diana. Printing room. Papier mache late rococo ceiling, c.1750. Ionic columned fine surround in white/grey marble. Walnut staircase. 3-flight rectangular staircase with 2 chain-leg balusters pin tread. Kitchen. Large chamfered wooden bressumer, perhaps remaining from original house. Large bread over and C19 hand pump, 1st floor. Doors off walnut staircase all of walnut. Bedroom 1. Marble fireplace with mantel on grey marble volute brackets overmantel surmounted by broken pediment containing eagle. Egg and dark surround fielded panelling. Passage on 1st floor contains same small square panelling possibly remaining from original house, circa 1580 in date. Bedroom 2. Fielded panelling, barrel- vaulted ceiling and Adamiesque fire surround. Bedroom 3. Fielded panelling and fire surround of circa 1713-15. See Country Life, 24th August 1918 and Country Life, 6th April, 13th April and 20th April 1967. Listing NGR: TQ7034957919 (6)

<1> O.S. 1:10000 1974 (OS Card Reference). SKE47790.

<2> DOE (HHR) Dist. of Malling R.D. Kent May 1950 24 (OS Card Reference). SKE40439.

<3> DOE (HHR) Dist of Tonbridge & Malling 1987 66-67 (OS Card Reference). SKE40375.

<4> Bldgs of Eng W Kent & the Weald 1980 36708 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37877.

<5> Properties of the Nat Trust 1978 100 (National Trust) (OS Card Reference). SKE48741.

<6> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.