Description from record TR 03 NE 2 :
(TR 07523619) Archiepiscopal Palace (NR) (rems. of) (1)

A modern house stands of the site of the Courthouse or Palace of Aldington and only the outlines of three or four Gothic windows remain of the former mansion. The manor of Aldington belonged from early times to the See of Canterbury. The palace was enlarged and renovated by Archbishop Morton (1486-1500) who maintained it and the extensive park attached to it. (See TR 03 NE 29) A Royal Survey of the palace was made in 1608, from which date it seems to have fallen into decay. (2)

The east end of Court Lodge Farmhouse, Aldington, contains remains of the Archbishop's manor house dating from the late 14th c. (3)

The remains of the Archbishop's Palace are incorporated in the 2-storey, stone-built NE wing of Court Lodge Farmhouse. The ground floor is modernised and shows no architectural features, but the upper storey contains C14th windows, (see G.Ps, AO/62/293/5, detail of windows, S side) and a timber-trussed roof. Orientated E-W, it is believed by the present owners to have been a chapel. (4)

No change. (5)

22/2 Grade II. Court Lodge Farmhouse, Aldington. On the Salvage List and the Kent County Planning Officer's List called Aldington Court. The Archbishops of Canterbury had a manor-house here. The east end of the existing farmhouse survives from this building and dates from the late C14th. 2 parallel ranges. 2s. Stone rubble. Tiled roof. The south range has a blocked C14 pointed w. (now filled with red brick,) no other ws., abrick chimney breast and a gable at the eaast end. The north range has 4w. irregularly placed, which are case ws., the blocked head of a pointed w. and an C.18 round-headed doorway kwith simi-circular fan-light. At the north-east angle of this range is a small C.18 addition. The west front, which joins the 2 parallel medieval ranges, is early C.19 and is probably built of medieval stone. Sash ws. with gl. bars intact. Doorway with rectangular fanlight. 2s. 4w. (6)

Court Lodge: Originally a manor house of the Archbishops of Canterbury. A 19th century west front, but behind that the walls of what seems to be a chapel of the late 14th century. Outlines, visible inside, of two north, two south and an east window. (7)

Aldington Court Farmhouse. Short description of Archiepiscopal palace. (8)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TR 03 NE ALDINGTON CHURCH LANE (east side) 4/10 Court Lodge 27.11.57 Farmhouse GV II* Farmhouse incorporating remains of Archiepiscopal hunting lodge. C14, much extended c.1500 and altered early Cl9. Ragstone, with some brick dressings and repairs, with plain tiled roofs. Entrance front: early C19, re-using medieval stone and possibly foundations. Two storeys with brick quoins and corbelled eaves to roof with kneelered parapet gables and stacks to left and to right. Three segmentally headed glazing bar sashes on each floor and ribbed panelled door to centre left. Long 2 storey wing extending to rear, with irregular wooden casements and boarded doors, and Cl4 blocked traceried windows on north and south elevations; and 1 to east elevation; one on south especially revealing tracery pattern (3 daggers over 2 cinquefoiled lights). Hipped extension with weather boarded outshot at north-east end. A second parallel range is adjacent to the south, the west and east ends rebuilt in late C20 brick (old photographs show oast roundels), the other elevation of stone and early C18 brickwork, used as garage/ stabling, with boarded door and ventilation slits, with jambs of blocked medieval window exposed. Interior: the main range to rear with screens- passage (stone jambs to cross-passage doors survive) 3 windows traceable on each long side, and 1 large eastern window and smoke-blackened barrel roof, and is probably the great hall not a chapel as previously maintained. The southern range may wellbe a kitchen block in origin. Cl7 inserted stacks with inglenooks, and beamed ceilings in main range. This was a manor house and hunting lodge of the Archbishops of Canterbury, particularly favoured and improved by Archbishops Morton (1486-1500) and Wareham (1508-1532), both of whom also embellished the adjacent parish Church of St. Martin. The house, park and Chase (some 1000 acres) were bought and extended by Henry VII in 1540, the whole complex said to have 5 kitchens, 6 stables and 8 dovecotes. (See Hasted, VIII, 317-321; Igglesden 13, 1919; Church Guide; B.O.E. Kent I, 127). Listing NGR: TR0752036203 (9)

Additional bibliography (10-12)

<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> JBAA NS vol 10 1904 16 (AD Cheney) (OS Card Reference). SKE45007.

<3> MHLG Prov List E Ashford RD July 1955 3 No 22/2 (OS Card Reference). SKE47150.

<4> F1 ASP 12-DEC-1962 (OS Card Reference). SKE42065.

<5> F2 ASP 01.01.69 (OS Card Reference). SKE43067.

<6> Authority 6 is the full text of Authority 3 (OS Card Reference). SKE37420.

<7> Bldgs of Eng 1980 W Kent of the Weald 127 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37722.

<8> Arch Cant 86 1971 15 (EW Parkin) (OS Card Reference). SKE35838.

<9> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<10> Field report for monument TR 03 NE 2 - January, 1969 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5073.

<11> DETAIL OF WINDOW ON SOUTH SIDE OF ALDINGTON ARCHBISHOP'S PALACE (Photograph). SKE2605.

<12> Field report for monument TR 03 NE 2 - December, 1962 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5072.

<13> Pearson, S., Barnwell, P. S. & Adams, A. T., 1994, A Gazetteer of Medieval Houses in Kent (Monograph). SKE8010.