Dent de Lion, Margate

Has been described as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameDent de Lion, Margate
Alternative NamesGarlinge; Daundelyon Court; Dandelion
Historic CountryKent
Modern AuthorityKent
1974 AuthorityKent
Civil ParishMargate

Dent-de-Lion gatehouse represents the only standing remains of an otherwise demolished fortified house. It survives well, retaining most of its original fabric, including interesting decorative details, and provides evidence for the high architectural quality and importance of the house during the medieval period. The monument includes a medieval gatehouse representing the standing remains of a contemporary fortified house, situated on the western edge of Garlinge, around 1km inland from the north Thanet coast. The Grade II-star Listed gatehouse has been dated to the early 15th century and survives in almost complete form, with some subsequent restoration and repair. It is a tall, roughly east-west aligned, rectangular building faced with alternating horizontal bands of coursed squared, knapped flint and red and yellow brick, decorated with ashlar dressings. The main approach to the gatehouse was from the south, and the southern facade is pierced by a tall carriage entrance, headed by a segmental arch. This is flanked to the west by a smaller, pointed archway for pedestrians. The entrance way is topped with a crenellated parapet. To the rear is a single, large, round-headed archway with flint dressings. Flanking the cobble-faced entrance passage are four tall, square, embattled corner towers pierced by gunloops and arrow slits. Each tower contains a newel staircase giving access to the roof. Further architectural decorations include a stone string course over the entrance archways and a carved stone shield over the carriage arch, representing the coat of arms of the Daundelyon family, for whom the gatehouse was built. (Scheduling Report)

A C15 gateway consisting of a flat stone carriage arch and pointed arch for pedestrians beside it. These are stone faced

The arches are flanked by 4 square towers, alternately composed of it courses of knapped flints and 4 courses of red brick with long and short stone quoins at tile base of the towers and battlements over. A few corbels remain. Crenellated centre, arrow-slit windows and each tower has a newel staircase. The rear has an arch of flintwork only, unknapped and with brick quoins. (Listed Building Report)

This antient seat has for some length of time been made use of as a place of public resort, with a bowling green and other accommodations for the purpose. It seems as if it had been antiently walled round very strongly, according to the manner of that age, for a defence against bows and arrows; part of this wall is still standing, with the gate-house, built with bricks and flints in rows, with loop-holes and battlements at top. Over the main gate are the arms of Daundelyon as above-mentioned; on the right side of this gate is a smaller one for common use, at the right corner of which is a blank escutcheon, and at the left corner a demi lion, rampant, with a label out of his mouth, on which is written, DAUNDELYONN. (Hasted)

Gatehouse Comments

The building is constructed of alternate bands of squared, knapped flints, and bricks, mostly red, but yellow in the turret-tops. Not a fortified building according to King but described as a fortified manor by Guy. Gatehouse does have gun loops and portcullis slot.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTR332696
Latitude51.3777198791504
Longitude1.34981000423431
Eastings633210
Northings169620
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

No photos available. If you can provide pictures please contact Castlefacts

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Books

  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 3 Southern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 339-40
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 239 (reject)
  • Newman, John, 1983, Buildings of England: North east and east Kent (Harmondsworth) p. 331-2
  • Guy, John, 1980, Kent Castles (Meresborough Books)
  • Smithers, David Waldron, 1980, Castles in Kent (Chatham)
  • Hasted, Edward, 1800 (2edn), The history and topographical survey of the county of Kent Vol. 10 p. 312- online transcription

Journals

  • Kenyon, J.R., 1981 'Early Artillery Fortifications in England and Wales: a Preliminary Survey and Re-appraisal' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 138 p. 227
  • Kenyon, J.R., 1977, 'Early Gunports' Fort Vol. 4 p. 81
  • Rev. C. E. Woodruff, 1902, 'Dent-de-Lion Gatehouse, Margate, with a pedigree of the familly of Pettit' Archaeologia Cantiana Vol. 25 p. 57-63 online copy