Stone Castle

Has been described as a Possible Pele Tower

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameStone Castle
Alternative Names
Historic CountryKent
Modern AuthorityKent
1974 AuthorityKent
Civil ParishStone

Stone Castle. Now offices of the Blue Circle Group. Mediaeval and circa 1825. In the south-east corner of the building is a mediaeval, probably late C12, square tower of 3 storeys faced with knapped flints with some stone quoins. Parapet over it. Two arrow slit windows in the north wall and a circular stair turret. The other windows are modern. To the north-west of this is a house of circa 1825 which was altered by Henry Hakewill (died 1830). Two storeys 5 windows. Faced with knapped flints with long and short quoins of yellow brick. Stone stringcourse and cornice. Castellated parapet of knapped flints. Spindly stock brick clustered chimney stacks. Twin sash windows with dripstones over them. Projection of 3 storeys in the centre with similar quoins at its angles, porch on the ground floor containing a 4-centred arch, machicolation at the top and castellated parapet over. The west front has 7 windows and 2 bays of 3 windows each on both floors with similar quoins at the angle of each face. The interior has some trefoil-headed panelling of circa 1830. In the C16 the controller of Calais, Sir John Wyllshire lived here and Cardinal Wolsey is reputed to have stayed here on his way to Calais. (Listed Building Report)

STONE-CASTLE is an antient castellated seat in this parish, standing on an eminence, a small distance southward from the high road from London to Dover. The square tower at the east end of it is the only part that bears the appearance of its ever having been a fortress. It had once the reputation of a manor, as appears by the book of aid in the 20th year of king Edward III. when Sir John de Northwood answered for the manor of Stone-castle as half a knight's fee, which Henry de Northwood before held in Stone of the bishop of Rochester. (Hasted)

Gatehouse Comments

There may be some confusion in some records between Stone Court the residence of the bishop of Rochester and Stone Castle, a manor house held from the bishop for half a knights fee.

- 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 ReferenceTQ584740
Latitude51.4432907104492
Longitude0.2778599858284
Eastings558400
Northings174050
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2000, The Castles of Kent (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 73
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 129
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 234
  • Guy, John, 1980, Kent Castles (Meresborough Books)
  • Newman, John, 1976, Buildings of England: West Kent and the Weald (Harmondsworth) p. 550
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 357
  • Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (London: Methuen and Co)
  • Hasted, Edward, 1797 (2edn), The history and topographical survey of the county of Kent Vol. 2 p. 384- online transcription

Antiquarian

  • Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England  (Sutton Publishing) p. 245-6
  • Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1908, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (London: Bell and Sons) Vol. 2 p. 30 online copy

Journals

  • 1990, Kent Archaeological Society newsletter 16 p. 2
  • 1989, Dartford District Archaeological Group newsletter Vol. 56 p. 2
  • < >Gravett, K.W.E. and Renn, D.F., 1981, 'The tower of Stone Castle, Greenhithe' Archaeologia Cantiana Vol. 97 p. 312-18 < > online copy
  • Newnham, E., 1931, Dartford and District Antiquarian Society (reports) Vol. 1 p. 74-78
  • Norman, P., 1920, 'The palace or manor-house of the Bishops of Rochester at Bromley, Kent' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 77 p. 174-5
  • Pearman, A.J., 1918, 'Residences of the bishops of Rochester' Archaeologia Cantiana Vol. 33 p. 137-9 online copy
  • Priest, G., 1909 Dec, 'Stone-next-Dartford' Invicita Magazine Vol. 1.4
  • Sparvel-Bailey, 1888, The Antiquary Vol. 17 p. 261-2