Priory Farmhouse Containing The Remains Of Dartford Priory Gatehouse

Priory Farmhouse contains the remains of Dartford Priory Gatehouse. Dartford Priory was founded by Edward III around 1349 on the site of a former royal palace, with new buildings completed by 1356. The priory was suppressed in 1538, and the structures were converted into a royal house, initially occupied by Henry VIII, then granted to Anne of Cleves by Edward VI, and later used by Queen Elizabeth before being alienated by James I. The main remains of this house include the Gatehouse, built by Henry VIII between 1541 and 1545. The structure is L-shaped, with two storeys of red brick and some stone rubble on the ground floor. The roof is tiled, with some sections replaced by glass for skylights. It features five casement windows. In the angle of the L, there is a two-storey rectangular projection. At the north end of the north wing, there is a blocked four-centred stone carriage archway with a moulded brick head and dripstone above. The interior has contemporary stone fireplaces and ceiling beams, but has otherwise been modernised.