Chartham Archbishops Palace

Has been described as a Questionable Palace (Bishop)

There are no visible remains

NameChartham Archbishops Palace
Alternative NamesThe Deanery
Historic CountryKent
Modern AuthorityKent
1974 AuthorityKent
Civil ParishChartham

Archbishop's palace listed by Payne as Chartham, who references Thompson's list.

Manor house of Christchurch Priory, with 14th century interior features and primarily 18th century exterior (the north west front is dated 1745). Two medieval phases survive. The first is a 3-bay stone hall with fragmentary evidence for a former lower-end cross wing. The second phase was constructed in timber and is a 3-bay upper-end cross wing formerly jettied on the external side. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Payne gives a map reference of TQ756677, which is the town Chatham, in the see of Rochester. Chartham is a village 4 miles west of Canterbury at TR108549. Hasted writes of Archbishop Robert Winchelsea (c. 1245-1313) "He was a man of great resolution, as appears by his conduct during his diffentions with the king, to whom refusing to be reconciled, and his revenues being withheld, he discharged his family, left the city, and withdrew himself to Chartham, from whence he rode every Sunday and holiday, and preached in adjoining churches." There is a C14 manor house of Christchurch Priory at Chartham called the Deanery (PastScape record 948975) and it may be that the archbishop resided in the precursor to this building whilst effectively excluded from the official residences of the see. Without his retinue (familia) the residence would not have needed to be large, nor would the archbishop need to move around.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

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 ReferenceTR100550
Latitude51.2562599182129
Longitude1.00919997692108
Eastings610060
Northings155090
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p. 171
  • Hasted, Edward, 1801, The history and topographical survey of the county of Kent Vol. 12 p. 375 online transcription

Other

  • Payne, Naomi, 2003, The medieval residences of the bishops of Bath and Wells, and Salisbury (PhD Thesis University of Bristol) Appendix B: List of Medieval Bishop's Palaces in England and Wales (available via EThOS)