Groombridge Place Moat, Walls And Bridge Including The West Gateway And Cottage On The North Bridge

The site comprises a medieval moat with associated walls, bridges, a west gateway, and a cottage built on the north bridge, largely renovated and rebuilt in the 17th century, particularly around 1660 when Groombridge Place itself was reconstructed.

The moat walls are of English bond brick laid upon a foundation of coursed sandstone blocks. They rise to a short parapet and are finished with weathered sandstone coping.

The West Bridge and Gateway, dating to circa 1660, are constructed of red brick with sandstone ashlar voussoirs and a sandstone ashlar parapet. The bridge is a single span with a segmental arch. Ashlar parapet walls are punctuated by a series of piers to create a panelled effect, topped with projecting coping. Gate piers flank the eastern end; they are tall square piers with soffit-moulded caps and pineapple vase finials. The double gates are likely original, exhibiting a timber frame with iron spear-headed rails. Small attachments containing niche-like seats are incorporated into the bridge.

The East Bridge, also dating to circa 1660, is a sandstone ashlar bridge providing access to the service courtyard. It is a single span with an elliptical arch and a plain parapet with weathered coping, rising in a ramp from the outer retaining wall.

The North Bridge and Cottage were constructed in the second half of the 17th century. The bridge is of red brick, featuring three arches of uneven design: a wide outer elliptical arch, and two lower pitch pointed arches, the centre of which is blind and only visible from the west side. A two-room cottage, built of English bond red brick with a stack and chimneyshaft, and a peg-tile roof, sits above the two inner arches. The cottage has a gabled crossroof. The doorway is roughly central, leading into the outer room, which has an outer lateral stack. The inner room has a gabled crossroof. The cottage is two storeys high, with a single window to the first floor in the gable of the crossroof, and one window on each floor in the left (north) gable end. These are original two-light windows with ovolo-moulded mullions and diamond panes of old leaded glass. The interior exhibits plain carpentry detail.

The moat and its features contribute significantly to the setting of Groombridge Place.