St Mary Cray; The Mount

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Questionable Fortified Manor House

There are no visible remains

NameSt Mary Cray; The Mount
Alternative Names
Historic CountryKent
Modern AuthorityLondon Borough of Bromley
1974 AuthorityGreater London
Civil ParishBromley

David King note a possible mediaeval motte here. King generally used the term possible to mean sites about which he had doubts. His authority for a motte is, presumably, the name 'The Mount'.

The house in which the Stanhopes are said to have resided in this parish is called the Mount, and by the ruins of walls, foundations, &c. round it, appear to have been a seat of some size and note, but it is now dwindled down to a mere cottage (Hasted)

Once a large residence occupied by the Stanhopes (Rev. O.N.B. 1937-8, 8). The area behind St. Mary Cray Police Station was part of a manor called 'The Mount', which in the early C17 belonged to the Wotton family who later changed their name to Stanhope. The vicarage it seems was the entrance and part of its walls are said to have been built of its remains (Galer). St. Mary Cray Vicarage has been demolished and the site is scheduled for re-development. The site of 'The Mount' as given by the O.S. is a derelict orchard and there is nothing to be seen (F1 CFW 14-APR-64). (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

The medieval manor was held by various families for knights service of castle-ward at Dover and it is likely their house was decorated with martial symbolism, such as crenellations, and may well have been defensible. This was probably the site of one of two manors mentioned in Domesday, which may well have been fortified but the evidence for a motte seems just to be 'The Mount' placename, which seems particularly weak.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTQ473680
Latitude51.3926391601563
Longitude0.11608000099659
Eastings547320
Northings168080
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 237 (possible)
  • Galer, R.F., 1949, Travellers Joy in St. Mary Cray p. 20
  • Hasted, Edward, 1797 (2edn), The history and topographical survey of the county of Kent Vol. 2 p. 112- online transcription