Acrise Place is a beautiful, elegant, compact country house (1660 to 1794) of mainly 18th century appearance, standing in romantic, wooded, but sadly neglected grounds, these being only a small part of a once large estate.
The landscape around it is the largely unspoilt, dry valley, wooded, chalk country that characterises so much of this Downland region of east Kent. Much of the former parkland and fine trees that once belonged to Acrise Place still exists, with a surprisingly large number of the mature trees also.
The house has two essential parts. The north elevation is of brick and stone with mullioned windows and a Tudor arched porch once leading to the church on the main front of the building. It was built by the first Papillon family in the 1660s. The old Norman church lies due east.
In 1791-4 Thomas Papillon added a beautiful Georgian section to the south, with elegant bow windows to the south-east, a pillared porch and stone windows, from a deep red brick and pale stone. An extensive brick range of stables and outbuildings was crowned with a slim clock tower and cupola, all late-18th century. No more ‘tamperings' or alterations have really been made to the house. Charming water colours and engravings in Mrs Papillon's possession show that in the 18th and 19th centuries the house stood in very open parkland, with groups of trees and avenues and an open drive to the house. Some of these trees - beeches, especially cedars, limes and sycamore, still exist. In 1850 the Papillon family sold Acrise to the McKinnens who probably planted some of the American conifers.
In 1908 the Walney family bought the property and remained here in wealthy luxury until 1936. They restored some of the house and in 1911 asked a Mr Slide to design more formal enclosed gardens around the house. He planted yew hedges extensively, shrubberies, trees and created a sunken garden to the east to reflect the 16th and 17th century part. After 1911 a large rose garden to the north west was created, now restored.
The house stood empty but was occupied by the Army during the war period, until it was repurchased by Mr and Mrs Papillon in 1946. They maintained some of the grounds but the once extensive kitchen gardens beyond the church became woodyards.
The Folkestone Building Company purchased Acrise Place in 1986 on the death of Mrs Papillon. A major programme of restoration and improvement to the main house was begun in 1987, with the conversion of the 18th century stable blocks and ancillary buildings to exclusive residential units. This conversion was done with reasonable sensitivity.
The October storm caused loss or damage to many trees. The grounds have been extensively altered and ‘restored', with a new access drive from the south-west. In August 1988 the whole complex was on the market again.
Site timeline
1660 to 1669: The first house was built by the Papillon family.
1791 to 1794: A new section of the building was created at the south.
1850: In 1850 the Papillon family sold Acrise to the McKinnens.
1908: The house was bought by the Walney family.
1939 to 1945: The house stood empty but was occupied by the Army during the war period.
1946: The house was repurchased by Mr and Mrs Papillon in 1946.
1986: The Folkestone Building Company purchased Acrise Place in 1986.