Archbishop's Palace, Maidstone
Encyclopedia
The Archbishop's Palace is an historic 14th-century and 16th-century building on the east bank of the River Medway
in Maidstone
, Kent
. Originally a home from home for travelling Archbishops from Canterbury, the building is today principally used as a venue for wedding
services. The former tithe barn
for the palace (today severed from the palace by the A229
), now serves as the Tyrwhitt-Drake Museum of Carriages
.
of Maidstone was probably given to the Archbishops of Canterbury
as a royal gift during the 7th or 8th centuries. A house on the site of the palace was given to Archbishop Langton
by Rector
William de Cornhill
in 1207 to be used as a resting-place for Archbishops travelling between London
and Canterbury
and is linked to palaces at Charing
, Otford
and Croydon
. Cornhill's house was demolished by Archbishop Ufford
.
The first work on the current building was ordered by Archbishop Ufford in 1348 and was continued by Archbishop Islip
between 1349 and 1366, partly with materials from a palace at Wrotham
. At the end of the 14th century Archbishop Courtenay
expanded the establishment in Maidstone when he founded the neighbouring College
and Church of All Saints
. The palace was enlarged and improved by Archbishop Morton in 1486, but it and the College were given to Henry VIII
by Archbishop Cranmer
in exchange for property elsewhere.
Henry VIII granted the palace to Sir Thomas Wyatt
, but the estate was forfeited to the Crown in 1554 following the rebellion
led by his son, Thomas Wyatt the younger
, against Mary I
. It was later given by Elizabeth I
to Sir John Astley, son of John Astley
, Master of the Jewel Office
.
Astley extended the palace, building much of the existing structure. On his death there in 1639, he bequeathed the manor to Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading
. Lord Astley died at the palace in 1652 and it passed to his son and grandson, the second and third barons. On the death of the third baron
in 1688, the barony became extinct and the palace passed to his cousin Sir Jacob Astley
. In 1720, Sir Jacob sold the palace to Robert Marsham, 1st Baron Romney
who lived at nearby Mote House
.
The palace was subsequently sold by the Marsham family. At the beginning of the 20th century it was used as a Territorial Army
medical school.
and primarily used as a register office
. It is only open to the public on regular "Heritage Days". The Kent Garden's Trust tends the Apothecary's
Garden which is open to the public between May and August on Wednesday afternoons only.
The E-shaped palace building is located on the east bank of the River Medway close to its meeting with the River Len. The two-storey central section is constructed of ashlar
stonework with a main entrance through a central projecting porch in the north-east façade. Timber framed wings are at each side. The roof is clay tiled and two projecting stone-built dormer
windows at attic
level on the entrance façade are capped with finials. The south-west façade has windows in a variety of sizes, many stone-framed, and includes a large corbel
led and three-tiered and oriel window
.
Close to the palace on the south side is the dungeon, a 14th century stone building with small windows and an early Norman undercroft. To the north-east of the palace, adjacent to Mill Street and the River Len is the 13th and 14th century gatehouse, a two-storey building constructed of roughly-coursed rubble
and timber framing on the east end. The roof is tiled and a garderobe
projects on the north side.
The palace is a Grade I listed building, the dungeon is listed Grade II*, and the gatehouse is listed Grade II. The buildings are surrounded by walls which are Grade II listed.
River Medway
The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters the Thames Estuary....
in Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. Originally a home from home for travelling Archbishops from Canterbury, the building is today principally used as a venue for wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
services. The former tithe barn
Tithe barn
A tithe barn was a type of barn used in much of northern Europe in the Middle Ages for storing the tithes - a tenth of the farm's produce which had to be given to the church....
for the palace (today severed from the palace by the A229
A229 road
The A229 is a major road running north-south through Kent.The road begins in the Medway town of Rochester at the foot of Star Hill forming a junction with the A2 road. It then climbs up through the built-up area of Chatham, passing Troy Town and Rochester Airport before descending the slope of the...
), now serves as the Tyrwhitt-Drake Museum of Carriages
Tithe Barn, Maidstone
The Tithe Barn in Maidstone, Kent is a large two-storey stone building on the east side of Mill Street. It was constructed in the 14th century as a tithe barn for the nearby Archbishop's Palace and was later used as the palace's stables. The barn is a Grade I listed building and a scheduled monument...
.
History
The ManorManor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
of Maidstone was probably given to the Archbishops of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
as a royal gift during the 7th or 8th centuries. A house on the site of the palace was given to Archbishop Langton
Stephen Langton
Stephen Langton was Archbishop of Canterbury between 1207 and his death in 1228 and was a central figure in the dispute between King John of England and Pope Innocent III, which ultimately led to the issuing of Magna Carta in 1215...
by Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
William de Cornhill
William de Cornhill
William de Cornhill was a medieval Bishop of Coventry.Some sources say William was the son of Henry de Cornhill, who was sheriff of London from 1187 to 1189 and was a brother to Reginald de Cornhill, one of John's chief administrators. Other sources say that William was either Reginald's son or...
in 1207 to be used as a resting-place for Archbishops travelling between London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
and is linked to palaces at Charing
Archbishop's Palace, Charing
Archbishop's Palace, Charing an important heritage site first mentioned in the Domesday Book as land held by the Archbishop of Canterbury at 'Meddestane', was redeveloped as a palace in 1348...
, Otford
Otford Palace
The Archbishop's Palace is in Otford, a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent. The village is located on the River Darent, flowing north down its valley from its source on the North Downs...
and Croydon
Croydon Palace
Croydon Palace, in Croydon, now part of south London, was the summer residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury for over 500 years. Regular visitors included Henry III and Queen Elizabeth I...
. Cornhill's house was demolished by Archbishop Ufford
John de Ufford
John de Ufford, sometimes John de Offord or John Offord was chancellor and head of the royal administration to Edward III as well as being appointed to the Archbishopric of Canterbury.-Early life:...
.
The first work on the current building was ordered by Archbishop Ufford in 1348 and was continued by Archbishop Islip
Simon Islip
Simon Islip was an English prelate. He served as Archbishop of Canterbury between 1349 and 1366.-Lord Privy Seal:In 1347, possibly in September, Simon was appointed keeper of the Privy Seal. Previously he had held the seal of Lionel, who was the regent in England...
between 1349 and 1366, partly with materials from a palace at Wrotham
Wrotham
Wrotham is a village situated on the Pilgrims' Way in Kent, at the foot of the North Downs. It is located one mile north of Borough Green and approximately five miles east of Sevenoaks. It is within the junction of the M20 and M26 motorways....
. At the end of the 14th century Archbishop Courtenay
William Courtenay
William Courtenay , English prelate, was Archbishop of Canterbury, having previously been Bishop of Hereford and Bishop of London.-Life:...
expanded the establishment in Maidstone when he founded the neighbouring College
College of All Saints, Maidstone
The College of All Saints was an ecclesiastical college in Maidstone, Kent founded in 1395 by Archbishop Courtenay. It was part of the establishment of the nearby Archbishop's Palace, but was closed in 1546. The College church was the neighbouring Church of All Saints...
and Church of All Saints
All Saints Church, Maidstone
All Saints is a parish church in Maidstone, Kent. It is a Grade I listed building, and is described as the grandest Perpendicular style church in Kent.-Establishment and dissolution:...
. The palace was enlarged and improved by Archbishop Morton in 1486, but it and the College were given to Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
by Archbishop Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and, for a short time, Mary I. He helped build a favourable case for Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon which resulted in the separation of the English Church from...
in exchange for property elsewhere.
Henry VIII granted the palace to Sir Thomas Wyatt
Thomas Wyatt (poet)
Sir Thomas Wyatt was a 16th-century English lyrical poet credited with introducing the sonnet into English. He was born at Allington Castle, near Maidstone in Kent – though his family was originally from Yorkshire...
, but the estate was forfeited to the Crown in 1554 following the rebellion
Wyatt's rebellion
Wyatt's Rebellion was a popular uprising in England in 1554, named after Thomas Wyatt the younger, one of its leaders. The rebellion arose out of concern over Queen Mary I's determination to marry Philip II of Spain, which was an unpopular policy with the English...
led by his son, Thomas Wyatt the younger
Thomas Wyatt the younger
Sir Thomas Wyatt the younger was a rebel leader during the reign of Queen Mary I of England; his rising is traditionally called "Wyatt's rebellion".-Birth and career:...
, against Mary I
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
. It was later given by Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
to Sir John Astley, son of John Astley
John Astley (courtier)
John Astley was an English courtier, Marian exile, and Master of the Jewel House. He was a Member of Parliament on many occasions.-Life:...
, Master of the Jewel Office
Master of the Jewel Office
The Master of the Jewel Office is a position in the British Royal Household. The holders are responsible for running the Jewel Office, which holds the Sovereign's jewellry.-Masters of the Jewel Office:*1445–1448: John Merston*1465–1483: Thomas Vaughan...
.
Astley extended the palace, building much of the existing structure. On his death there in 1639, he bequeathed the manor to Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading
Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading
Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading was a Royalist commander in the English Civil War.-Life:He came from an established Norfolk family, and was born at Melton Constable. His first experiences of war were at the age of 18 when he joined the Islands Voyage expedition in 1597 under the Earl of...
. Lord Astley died at the palace in 1652 and it passed to his son and grandson, the second and third barons. On the death of the third baron
Jacob Astley, 3rd Baron Astley of Reading
Jacob Astley, 3rd Baron Astley of Reading was an English peer.He was a the elder son of Isaac Astley, 2nd Baron Astley of Reading and his wife Anne Stydolfe, fourth daughter of Sir Francis Stydolfe. In 1662, he succeeded his father as baron...
in 1688, the barony became extinct and the palace passed to his cousin Sir Jacob Astley
Sir Jacob Astley, 1st Baronet
Sir Jacob Astley, 1st Baronet was an English Tory politician and baronet.-Background:He was the oldest son of Edward Astley and his wife Elizabeth Astley, daughter of his uncle Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading. Astley was educated first at King's College, Cambridge, later at Christ...
. In 1720, Sir Jacob sold the palace to Robert Marsham, 1st Baron Romney
Robert Marsham, 1st Baron Romney
Robert Marsham, 1st Baron Romney , known as Sir Robert Marsham, Bt, between 1703 and 1716, was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1708 to 1716 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Romney.-Background:Marsham was the son of Sir Robert Marsham, 4th Baronet of Bushey Hall,...
who lived at nearby Mote House
Mote Park
Mote Park is a 180 hectare multi-use public park in Maidstone, Kent. Previously a country estate it was converted to landscaped park land at the end of the 18th century before becoming a municipal park. It includes the former stately home Mote House together with a miniature railway, pitch and putt...
.
The palace was subsequently sold by the Marsham family. At the beginning of the 20th century it was used as a Territorial Army
Territorial Army
The Territorial Army is the part time volunteer force of the British Army. With around 35,500 members, the TA forms about a quarter of the overall manpower strength of the British Army. TA members regularly volunteer to serve overseas on operations, either with TA units, or as individuals...
medical school.
Present day
Today the palace is managed by Kent County CouncilKent County Council
Kent County Council is the county council that governs the majority of the county of Kent in England. It provides the upper tier of local government, below which are 12 district councils, and around 300 town and parish councils. The county council has 84 elected councillors...
and primarily used as a register office
Register office
A register office is a British term for a civil registry, a government office and depository where births, deaths and marriages are officially recorded and where you can get officially married, without a religious ceremony...
. It is only open to the public on regular "Heritage Days". The Kent Garden's Trust tends the Apothecary's
Apothecary
Apothecary is a historical name for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses materia medica to physicians, surgeons and patients — a role now served by a pharmacist and some caregivers....
Garden which is open to the public between May and August on Wednesday afternoons only.
Buildings
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
stonework with a main entrance through a central projecting porch in the north-east façade. Timber framed wings are at each side. The roof is clay tiled and two projecting stone-built dormer
Dormer
A dormer is a structural element of a building that protrudes from the plane of a sloping roof surface. Dormers are used, either in original construction or as later additions, to create usable space in the roof of a building by adding headroom and usually also by enabling addition of windows.Often...
windows at attic
Attic
An attic is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building . Attic is generally the American/Canadian reference to it...
level on the entrance façade are capped with finials. The south-west façade has windows in a variety of sizes, many stone-framed, and includes a large corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
led and three-tiered and oriel window
Oriel window
Oriel windows are a form of bay window commonly found in Gothic architecture, which project from the main wall of the building but do not reach to the ground. Corbels or brackets are often used to support this kind of window. They are seen in combination with the Tudor arch. This type of window was...
.
Close to the palace on the south side is the dungeon, a 14th century stone building with small windows and an early Norman undercroft. To the north-east of the palace, adjacent to Mill Street and the River Len is the 13th and 14th century gatehouse, a two-storey building constructed of roughly-coursed rubble
Rubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
and timber framing on the east end. The roof is tiled and a garderobe
Garderobe
The term garderobe describes a place where clothes and other items are stored, and also a medieval toilet. In European public places, a garderobe denotes the cloakroom, wardrobe, alcove or an armoire. In Danish, Dutch, German and Spanish garderobe can mean a cloakroom. In Latvian it means checkroom...
projects on the north side.
The palace is a Grade I listed building, the dungeon is listed Grade II*, and the gatehouse is listed Grade II. The buildings are surrounded by walls which are Grade II listed.
External links
- https://www.kent.gov.uk/static/virtual-tours/maidstone.html# Virtual Tour of the building