Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Bekesbourne Palace
Hob Uid: 464372
Location : Kent Canterbury Bekesbourne-with-Patrixbourne
Grid Ref : TR1935055530
Summary : Site of an archiepiscopal palace, built in circa 1552 for Cranmer using buildings belonging to Christchurch, Canterbury and destroyed in the Civil War; only the gatehouse, now a cottage survives. Excavations uncovered Roman settlement debris. The present house is late 18th to 19th century in date. Scheduled.
More information : [TR 19355553] Old Palace on site of Archiepiscopal Palace [NR] (1) A cottage and barn in the grounds of The Old Palace, Bekesbourne, was the gatehouse of Archbishop Cranmer's place, built in 1552, enlarged by Archbishop Parker in the later 16th c., and demolished in the Civil War. The present house is late 18th/19th c. (2) The cottage carries a tablet with Cranmer's initials and the date 1552. Cottage and barn, entred at TR 19375551, much restored, are in good condition. See GPs: AO/65/59/1-2. The gardener reported many shallow-buried wall foundations immediately to the SW of the present house, which itself contains some short stretches of thick walling, possibly incorporated remains of the palace. (3) Rescue excavations took place in 1976. During cutting of a drainage trench several wall foundations and a 16th century brick-built sewer were found. Further excavation uncovered Medieval and post Medieval walls and some stratified pottery groups. Excavations continued in 1977 and revealed remains of a substantial 13th-14th century L-shaped building, underlying the 16th century palace. Much Roman occupation debris was found below the Medieval levels including wheel-made and coarse hand-mand (?early Anglo-Saxon) pottery. (4-6) TR 194556. Archbishop's Palace, Bekesbourne. Scheduled monument 366.The prior's apartment and adjoining chapel, the hall and the prior's dormitory and everything else except a lodge and two barns, were built during the reign of Henry 7th by Prior Thomas Goldston of Christchurch, Canterbury. At the dissolution the estate passed to Thomas Colepeper and then to Thomas Cranmer who made the buildings into the Archbishop's Palace and built the gateway in 1552. The remains of the palace are in the gardens around the house. (7) The Old Palace, Old Palace Road, Bekesbourne. The house itself was built by Robert Packham in the late C18. At the east end of the south front is a C19 addition forming an L-wing. Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1533-1554, built a Palace here in 1552, which was enlarged by Archbishop Matthew Parker later in the C16. This was demolished during the Civil War and only the Grade II, 16th c. gatehouse remains which is now a Cottage adjoining on the south-east of the house known as the Old Palace. In the west wall is a four centred stone doorway with a stone over it inscribed "T C (Thomas Cramner) 1552". To the east of the cottage is a red brick barn with a tiled roof with gable ends, hipped waggon entrance and casement windows. (8) [For full description see list]. Additional bibliography. (9-11)

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Source Number : 1a
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Source details : OS 6" 1962
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : MHLG (1953/11/A) December 1960 11
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Source Number : 11
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Source details : AP CUCAP B2R 87-8 12.07.76
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : F1 ASP 05-FEB-65
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Source Number : 4
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Source details :
Page(s) : 240-1
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Vol(s) : 92 - 1976

Source Number : 5
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Source details : (T T Brown)
Page(s) : 216
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Vol(s) : 93 - 1977

Source Number : 6
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Source details :
Page(s) : 468
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Vol(s) : Sep-78

Source Number : 7
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Source details : DOE(IAM) Rec Form 19.10.78
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Source Number : 8
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Source details : DOE Listed Buildings District of City of Canterbury 1980 pp31-32
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Source Number : 9
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Source details : Post Medieval Architecture 12 1978 p109 (J Cherry)
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Source Number : 10
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Source details :
Page(s) : 55-6
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Vol(s) : 1977

Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Roman
Display Date : Roman
Monument End Date : 410
Monument Start Date : 43
Monument Type : Settlement
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Medieval
Monument End Date : 1540
Monument Start Date : 1066
Monument Type : Great Hall, Chapel, Dormitory
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Extant 1552-1644
Monument End Date : 1644
Monument Start Date : 1552
Monument Type : Archbishops Palace, Gatehouse
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit, Building

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date :
Monument End Date : 1899
Monument Start Date : 1767
Monument Type : House
Evidence : Building

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : KE 366
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : TR 15 NE 30
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1965-02-05
End Date : 1965-02-05

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1976-01-01
End Date : 1977-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1990-01-01
End Date : 1990-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : WATCHING BRIEF
Start Date : 1997-01-01
End Date : 1997-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EVALUATION
Start Date : 2000-01-01
End Date : 2000-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : WATCHING BRIEF
Start Date : 2009-01-01
End Date : 2009-12-31

Historic England Research Records

Bekesbourne Palace