History in Structure

The Dower House, Bayham Abbey

A Grade II* Listed Building in Frant, East Sussex

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.1037 / 51°6'13"N

Longitude: 0.3544 / 0°21'15"E

OS Eastings: 564929

OS Northings: 136461

OS Grid: TQ649364

Mapcode National: GBR NRM.LG0

Mapcode Global: VHJN3.3J67

Plus Code: 9F324933+FQ

Entry Name: The Dower House, Bayham Abbey

Listing Date: 18 March 1977

Last Amended: 2 August 1993

Grade: II*

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1028367

English Heritage Legacy ID: 296161

ID on this website: 101028367

Location: Hook Green, Wealden, East Sussex, TN3

County: East Sussex

District: Wealden

Civil Parish: Frant

Traditional County: Sussex

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): East Sussex

Church of England Parish: Frant with Eridge

Church of England Diocese: Chichester

Tagged with: Architectural structure

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Description


TQ 63 NW
8/354

FRANT
BAYHAM ROAD
The Dower House, Bayham Abbey

(Formerly listed as Bayham Old Abbey, previously listed as Bayhold Old Abbey)

18.3.77

GV
II*
Part ticket office, part living accommodation, formerly a dower house to the Camden estate. Built in three phases with medieval possibly monastic core. South wing early C18 with reused medieval masonry from Bayham Abbey. North wing built by John Pratt, Viscount Bayham, before 1752 when Horace Walpole saw it, and a most important and early example of mid C18 Gothic revival, predating Sanderson Miller's Laycock Abbey and overlapping with Horace Walpole's Strawberry Hill with medieval fragments to either. Between 1799 and 1814 the south wing which had become a service wing to the Gothic villa, was refaced on the east possibly to a design by Humphry Repton who was engaged by the Second Lord Camden to improve the estate. A large extension of the 1830s east of the south range was demolished in the 1950s.

North and east fronts built of Tunbridge Wells stone rubble, south and west fronts red brick (painted to west) on ground floor and tile hung above. Tiled roofs with brick chimney stacks. North of principal front mid C19 with hipped roof and two brick chimney stacks, two storeys, seven windows, including two full height three-light canted bays. Windows are six-light arched sashes with hexagonal patterns to upper panes, crenellated parapet and projecting band to cornice. Plinth. Central arched doorcase with fanlight under cambered dripmould. Three stone steps. Mid C18 door with arched pattern in studs. East front has a central lower section of two storeys and attics. Two windows, flanked by wings of taller two storey canted bays with six-pane arched windows. Three C20 flat dormers to centre. First floor has tripartite windows and ground floor has modified Venetian windows. West front has ground floor painted brick and first floor tile hung and four hipped dormers and C20 casements below. South front has ground floor of red brick with grey headers, tile hung first floor and four six-pane sashes.

Interior of north wing has mid C18 staircase with column newel and turned balusters. Ground floor has two rooms with dado panelling with trefoil pattern, stone arched fireplace with rib mouldings and cornice with trefoils and arched doorcases. First floor has one room with early C19 basket firegate in original fireplace, dado rail, arched doorcase and cornice. Another room has original stone arched fire surround. Roof has reversed medieval timbers from the east end of Bayham Abbey Church. South wing has C18 roof of staggered purlins, attic with c1830 iron firegrate, early C19 service staircase with turned balusters and column newels and two panelled door with L hinge. Ground floor cupboard contains probably reused section of medieval ribbed stone. Cellar has stone winder stairs, fireplace of reused medieval stone, three stone alcoves and C18 wine bins.

Listing NGR: TQ6492936461

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