St Augustines Priory (Medieval Buildings)

TR 03 NW BILSINGTON PRIORY ROAD (east side) 3/75 St. Augustine's Priory (Medieval buildings) (formerly 13.10.52 listed as The Priory) I Monastic remains, sometime house. Founded 1253, restored 1906 by J.T. Micklethwaite, Architect, for R.H. Balston. Ragstone with plain tiled roof. First floor hall connected by 3 storey tower to 3 storeyed cross-wing. The hall range with corner buttresses and string course and C20 plate traceried windows with 1 (genuine?) lancet in gable end. The north elevation with cill cornice to 1st floor, raised to centre, with blocked doorways to left and to right (with four centred arch) and corbel heads. The foundations of cloisters projecting from this elevation have been traced. Tower in 2 stages externally with small corner buttresses with restored square headed doorway and shouldered lights. Shallow south eastern angle vice. Hipped roof with gablets and stack. Three storey cross-wing, with low angle buttress, and hipped roof with gablets. Small squared lights. Entry by depressed arched and chamfered doorway to undercroft of main hall in wooden porch. Interior: plain undercroft, C20 wooden turned baluster stair to main hall, the internal reveals of the windows brought down as seats, only the western window possibly original. Blocked chamfered arched door- ways on northern face and to right of western window on west wall. Remains embedded at south end of moulded main beams of screens passage/ gallery. Restored roof of 3 crown posts on moulded tie beams and wall plate. Spiral staircase full height in tower block with chamfered arched doorways to hall and each floor of chamber block. Tower chamber with simple chamfered fireplaces and moulded cross-beamed roof. Chamber cross-wing with short moulded crown post to upper room, possibly originally a double height chamber with inserted 1st floor ceiling. Tower roof with 3 massively braced tie beams and scissor-braced rafters. The function of the surviving buildings has never been fully established, probably the Infirmary hall, possibly the Refectory with Prior's Lodgings attached. The Priory, of Augustinian Canons was founded 1253 by Sir John Mansell (Lord Chief Justics, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, etc.). Dissolved 1536, and used as a Farmhouse, becoming progressively more ruinous until restoration 1906. Foundations and remains of cloisters to north, the church (of St. Mary the Virgin and St. Nicholas) beyond that and further still the Gate House and Holy Well, as well as 3 fishponds (1 a moat to the south-west). The plan has affinities with the premonstratensian priory at East Langdon, Kent. Used as a storage base by smuggling gangs, particularly the Ransley gang e.C19. (See printed Guide; B.O.E. Kent I, 171-2; Arch. Cant. XXVII; Igglesden, VII, 1906).

Listing NGR: TR0434135525