Listed Building record TQ 77 NE 1000 - Cooling Castle Gatehouse, Cooling
Summary
Location
Grid reference | TQ 75387 75892 (point) Surveyed |
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Map sheet | TQ77NE |
Civil Parish | COOLING, MEDWAY, KENT |
Map
Type and Period (3)
Full Description
By Thomas Crump, possibly to the designs of Henry Yevele for Sir John de Cobham. Coursed ragstone with some knapped flint. 2 semi-circular towers with boldly projecting rings of machicolations and crenellations. Four centred arch between with crenellations above and moulded round-arched gateway below and behind. Single loopholes on front faces of towers at half height. The gatehouse is open on the inside and originally admitted the extreme south-west corner of the outer ward. Cooling Castle is Scheduled as an Ancient Monument. BOE, Kent, I, 239. (1)
The perfectly preserved outer gatehouse stands at its south-western corner. It consists of two heavily machicolated towers (40' high and advanced c.16' in front of the face of the south wall) flanking an arched gateway, 9' wide and 15' high. On the south face of its eastern tower is the following inscription enamelled on copper plates: 'Knoweth that beth and schul be That I am mad in help of the cuntre In knowing of whyche thyng Thys is chartre and wytnessyng' The towers remain at the outer three corners as do many portions of the curtain wall. Coastal defence was advanced as the reason for licence to crenellate:
For site in context with other Thames fortifications see (2).
Description from record TQ 77 NE 1080:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
COOLING CP TQ 77 NE 2/9 21.11.66 Cooling Castle Gatehouse.
GV I
Embattled gatehouse. 1381-85. By Thomas Crump, possibly to the designs of Henry Yevele for Sir John de Cobham. Coursed ragstone with some knapped flint. 2 semi-circular towers with boldly projecting rings of machicolations and crenellations. Four-centred arch between with crenellations above and moulded round-arched gateway below and behind. Single loopholes on front faces of towers at half height. The gatehouse is open on the inside and originally admitted to the extreme south-west corner of the outer ward. Cooling Castle is Scheduled as an Ancient Monument. BOE, Kent, I, 239
Listing NGR: TQ7540175958
<1> Department of the Environment, KCC Greenback Index (Index). SWX9400.
<2> Saunders, Andrew, 1995, Thames fortifications during the 16th to 19th centuries (Article in monograph). SWX9358.
Sources/Archives (2)
Finds (0)
Protected Status/Designation
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Aug 31 2010 2:48PM