Description from record TR 25 SE 18:
The manor of Easole or Eswalle, first mentioned in 824 when possessed of Minster Abbey in Thanet, was given to St. Albans Abbey, Herts, by Nigel de Albineo c. 1100-1121. The grant was confirmed in 1141 and the manor-house was known as St. Albans Court. At the dissolution it came into the Hammond family and in 1556 it was re-built by Thomas Hammond. The present remains, incorporated into the buildings of Nonington College, consist of a two storeyed brick building with mullioned and transomed windows, crow stepped gables and a bell tower at the SE end, at TR 26325251. A tablet bearing the date 1556 in a wall at TR 26335252 is not in situ. (See GPs Ao/64/137/3 and 4) At the end of the 17th c., William Hammond built a new manor house on the higher ground to the east of St. Albans Court which in 1716 was referred to as the "New Buildings", and in the 1800's was pulled down and the present mansion, now Nonington College, erected. (1)

St. Albans Court, Nonington. Grade II* Dated 1556 and extended c. 1876. (2)

A short distance south of the house are the ruins of the chapel, built for those who looked after this property of that Abbey, which on 8 May 1538 was sold to Sir Christopher Halis, then being occupied by John Hammond. William de Albini, Earl of Albermark, gave the manor of Eswelle to the Abbey of St. Albans in Herts, and from there gained the name of St. Albans. (3)

In 1985 KCC closed the teacher training college at St. Albans Court and the estate broken up and sold on. The extant house consists of a two storeyed brick-built mansion with mullioned and transomed windows, crow stepped gables and mid sixteenth century stone fire-places. A small crenellated stair tower lies on the north-west side. From the the evidence of a re-set date stone, the present bulding was probably first constructed in 1556 and this has been recorded as such since the 18th century. The ground-plan of the surviving structure is in the form of a "z" with the principal axis being north-west by south-east. The outline of the structural history of the building was possible through archaeological excavation and documentary evidence with almost continual alterations and additions to the original structure until the later 19th century with major programmes of work in 1665 and 1790. Evidence of an earlier structure was revealed from excavations below the floors. These were of a series of mortared flint foundations, areas of clay and rammed chalk flooring and a stone lined gardergobe shaft, all unrelated to the standing house. Precise dating is difficult but it is suggested that the earlier building was no earlier than the late medieval period and established on a virgin site. It is probable that the flint foundations of the early house only ever supported dwarf walls. This building appears to have been aligned north-east by south-west and faced south-east. It most probably consisted of a Wealden Hall type house of the period 1350 - 1500AD. At a later date a projecting north-west wing had been added at the south-west end of the original building creating an L-shaped structure. This contained the stone-lined garderobe at the far end. A large brick chimney was also added about the same time.

During the sixteenth century the timber house was largely rebuilt in brick a major new range was added later in the seventeenth century to create a new front to the house. Between 1876 and 1878 major alterations occured. The seventeenth century range, with the main living rooms, was demolished and replaced by a grand new mansion built to the north (TR 25 SE 33) by the Victorian architect George Devey. The early parts of the earlier building were retained to provide a romantic vista from the new house. It seems to have been relegated to use as serveants quarters and a laundry.

Recent excavations have produced significant quanities of post-medieval pottery including three substantially complete imported 16th century stoneware mugs found in a brick lined tank just to the east of the early house. Quantitites of glass and building material were also found. Medieval finds were scares and there is no evidence that the Norman manor house ever stood on this site. (7)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
NONINGTON ST.ALBANS COURT TR 25 SE 3/160 Old St.Albans Court and wall 11.6.86
GV II* House. Dated 1556, and extended c.1876 by George Devey. Red brick in English bond with timber framing, exposed with plaster infill with plain tiled roof. South front of 1 and 2 storeys with crow stepped gable to left and stacks projecting at left to centre and to right. Two storey canted bay window with C19 timbered and jettied range to right and returned to rear. Rib and stud door and four centred archway to right. Central battlemented tower. Jettied range to rear right with offset stack and with rib and stud door and projecting first floor outshot on posts. Mid C19 brick extensions to right. Built for the Hammond family in both 1556 and 1876. Datestone reset in wall to rear. Projecting wall to left connecting with stable courtyard. C16 and repaired mid C19. About12 feet high with plinth and coping and four centred archway to right.
Listing NGR: TR2631552528 (8)
Formerly TR 25 SE 18

Howard Austin Jones, 2018, Old St Alban's Court, Nonington: An architectural survey (Article in serial). SKE51641.

<1> WPD Stebbing MS Notes for a History of Nonington (unpubl) Deal Library (OS Card Reference). SKE51402.

<2> Hist of Kent 3 1790 708-9 (Hasted) (OS Card Reference). SKE43962.

<3> F1 FGA 06.JUL.64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42893.

<4> DOE (HHR) Dist of Dover 1986 65 (OS Card Reference). SKE40248.

<5> Arch Cant 29 1911 249 (OS Card Reference). SKE34955.

<6> Field report for monument TR 25 SE 18 - July, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5767.

<7> Parfitt, K. Jones, H. & Hobbs, P., 2001, Investigations at Old St. Albans Court, Nonington, KAS 146 132 - 135 (Article in serial). SKE8180.

<8> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.