Inner Ward To Cooling Castle

COOLING CP TQ 77 NE 2/24 Inner ward to Cooling 21.11.66 Castle GV I

Inner ward to Cooling Castle. 1381-85, ruined since 1554. Henry Yevele was engaged as Surveyor with Thomas Wrek and William Sharnhale as masons. Ragstone. Rectangular enclosure, moated, with round angle-turrets originally machicolated. Turretted gateway near centre of east wall. 3-bay vaulted undercroft with quadripartite vaults and chamfered ribs on short wall-shafts. Wall faced externally at this point in knapped flint with some stone chequer work. Cooling Castle was the seat of the de Cobham family after 1214 but the licence to crenellate was only granted in 1381, partly as a defence for the sea-access to London, commemmorated on a copper plate in the east tower, formerly on the gate-house, which reads: 'Knouwyth that beth and schul be/ That I am mad in help of the cuntre/ In knowyng of whyche thyng/ Thys is chartre and wytnessyng.' The Castle was abandoned after Wyatt's rebellion in 1554, when the family left for Cobham. Cooling Castle is scheduled as an Ancient Monument. BOE, Kent, I, 239.

Listing NGR: TQ7636776264