DESCRIPTION

Owner: The National Trust

Site designation(s)
English Heritage Listed Building Grade I
Scheduled Ancient Monument

Principal building:
Moated manor house Created After 1320
Designation status: English Heritage Listed Building Grade I

HISTORY

Site timeline
1985: The site became the property of the National Trust.

People associated with this site
Plant Hunter / Collector: Prideaux John Selby (born 23/07/1788 died 27/03/1867)

Features

kennels
Dog kennels
Designation status: English Heritage Listed Building Designation Grade I

lake

moat

chapel
Tudor chapel with hand painted ceiling.

walk
Lakeside and woodland walks.

courtyard
(1-2)

A desk based assessment of the gardens and wider parkland was carried out in 2007. The house is thought to have been built after a watermill was established in the valley to the south (though could also have preceded it). The water features of the gardens owe their origins to this phase of use, developing as further dams were added and more ponds created. It is thought that the gardens occupied a much larger emparked landscape, of which some earthwork traces remain. This probably dates to the time of construction of the estate buildings and features, in the 14th century. Later changes to the arrangements include the creation of the North Lawn. This may have originally been a pond that was filled in during the 18th century. (3)

In November 2019, An heritage impact assessment was completed for a site that lies immediately to the east and south/south-west of the house and formal gardens of Ightham Mote, where It is proposed to remove the existing parking and redevelop the area for a new carpark and visitors centre. (4)

<1> Kent County Council, 1996, The historic parks and gardens of Kent (Kent Gardens Compendium) (Unpublished document). SKE12972.

<2> Parks and Gardens Data Services Limited (PGDS), 2005, Parks and Gardens UK (www.parksandgardens.org) (Website). SKE16061.

<3> Peter Rumley, 2007, Ightham Mote, Ivy Hatch, Kent: Archaeological Assessment of the Garden (Unpublished document). SKE18278.

<4> Archaeology South - East, 2019, Ightham Mote, Kent, Heritage Impact Assessment (Unpublished document). SKE53582.