| 1. |
The Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin ‑
A mixture of styles. Originally a large cruciform church with aisles
of c. 1200 AD ‑ only the arches from the aisles to transepts
survive of this period the northern one blocked as the north
aisle disappeared in Tudor times. In the 1280's the church became
"collegiate" which involved a complete rebuilding of the
east end in a grand Decorated style of the Geometric type. A large
west tower was added at the end of the 14th Century as was the south
porch. By early Tudor times, the orginal nave had become ruinous
(nobody knows why) and was rebuilt together with the south aisle
between 1520‑1560. The nave is unusual for its nave piers are of
chestnut rather than stone and has a fine timber roof of socalled
crown post construction. There are some Georgian
"patch ups" in the 18th, Century and a vigorous
restoration in the 19th Century, including the large 5‑light
east window. Internally, the Oxenden monuments in the south transept
are noteworthy.
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| 2. |
Delbridge House ‑ This is the finest
post medieval building in Wingham ‑ a beautifully made 5 bay
Georgian house to which were added, after 1806, the two semi‑circular
additions to the east and west.
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| 3. |
The "Mill Area" ‑
Domesday Book mentions 2 water mills and this is the probable site of one
of them. The former Mill Pond is now occupied by Waterlock Cottages and
their gardens. Top
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| 4. |
From Mill Cottages return
to the main road and opposite you stands Wingham
Court, the former seat of the Archbishop's manor. This has a fine
17th Century Dutch gable at the end nearest you and an Bath Century
front to the road, but behind all this is a late medieval
"hall" house. Adjoining the main house are a late 16th
Century single storey house and an 18th Century barn.
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| 5. |
On the map (not accessible)
marks the site of the Roman Villa partially excavated in the 1880's
and again in the mid 1960's. A large bath house complex and a large
aisled structure (? an agricultural barn) have been found.
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| 6. |
Wingham House to the east of the church is
an early 19th Century building which replaced a very large Jacobean
mansion built by the Palmer family who took over the Provost's (he was
in charge of the collegiate church) house, after the College was
dissolved in 1547.
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| 7-10. |
represent "Canon's Row" and are the finest series of
medieval buildings in Wingham and arguably the finest grouping in
Kent. They are supposed to represent the Collegiate buildings of the
six Canons attached to the Collegiate Church. Parts of the Old
Canonry (7) probably date back to the College foundation in the
late 13th Century. Most of the existing structures of these four fine
buildings date to 1450‑1500. They all have first floor halls
with exceptional "crown post" roofs. Note particularly the
finely carved "barge boards" on the high gable of (7), the
date plaque "1661" on the high gable of (8) (there was a
major fire in 1660 which badly damaged the College buildings and "The
Dog" in particular), the small medieval windows along the
side of (9) and the fine late 15th Century "wagon entrance"
of the same and the generally fine proportions of the "The
Red Lion" (10) and particularly its "oriel" window
oversailing the entrance.
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| 11. to 14.
|
Retrace
your steps back to the Old
Canonry (7) and turn up School Lane to the large 9 bay Georgian
Vicarage (11) the largest secular building in Wingham. Beyond it is a
small alley ‑ go along here and on your right,
through an iron gate you will glimpse a view of Canon
House (12), another fine jettied, *first floor hall building
perhaps of the 14th Century. Continue along alley to the main road and
turn left and head back towards
the Red Lion. On the right (13) represents a greatly altered 15th Century so‑called
"Wealden" hall house (common in Kent & Sussex).
* overhanging of first floor
level
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| 15. |
Lloyd's Bank looks rather
incongruous. It replaces a 16th Century dwelling and was built in the
1920's when it was thought Wingham was going to prosper with the local
coal mines and railway.
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| 16. |
Opposite, the long stretch of walling stands on the side of the former
large Tithe Barn which
disappeared in the latter part of the 19th Century.
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| 17. |
A row of 16th Century jettied buildings, most greatly altered.
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| 18. |
First the Tobacconist's ‑ an "end‑jettied"
building, i.e. built at right angles to the road with a short jetty to
the road. Next to it, Old
Vicarage House represents another "Wealden" hall house,
damaged by fire in the 17th Century and then altered.
Top |
| 19. |
Elgar's ‑ a very fine all‑brick
dwelling of the late 17th Century ‑ a small date plaque is supposed
to read "1698" but the '9' is no longer decipherable.
Top |
| 20. |
Hiding beneath the chestnuts, Nos.
51 ‑ 52 High St. is a late medieval
building. Look at the roof.
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| 21. |
Nos. 54 ‑ 55 High St. is the third of Wingharn's
"Wealden" hall houses Which has entirely lost its front
jetty but again note the huge medieval roof.
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| 22. |
The
Anchor 15th, 16th and 18th Century portions from left to right.
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| 23. |
Just beyond the access road to the car park and
toilets, this building, now three cottages Nos. 56, 60 & 61 High St. represents a probably 14th Century
open hall house with "cross wings" either side. This was altered
and extended in the 18th Century. Top |
| 24. |
Formerly the Ship
Inn ‑ one of Winghain's few surviving thatched buildings
‑ a continuous jetty house of about 1600. Top |
| 25. |
A pretty row of cottages with quaint
iron framed windows ‑ late 17th Century but original purpose
unknown ‑ note blocked windows.
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| 26. |
The
Old Manse ‑ a fine Georgian facade dated 1722 hiding an earlier
16th/ 17th Century house.
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| 27. |
As you approach Wilmshurst's the Bakers, look back at the end gable of No.
92 High St. and you will see a
"ghost wall" ‑ a wall within a wall ‑ either No.
92 has got bigger or there is a missing building between it and
Wilinhurst's.
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| 28. |
You have just crossed the Wingharn
river (you may not have noticed!) and Bridge
Antiques represents a greatly altered early (?) hall house with
Qtcross wings" and a later addition of 1784.
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| 29. |
Opposite is the White Cottage
Restaurant ‑ thatched ‑ originally a two bay hall
house with jettied cross wing and a later 18th Century addition to the
south.
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| 30 |
Nos. 102 ‑ 103 High St. ‑
thatched again ‑ two dwellings ‑ an end jettied building
(No. 103 now in‑f illed) and a slightly later addition (No.
102).
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| 31. |
Beech Tree House ‑ this splendid building represents the fourth
and last of the "Wealdens" a very early one ‑ perhaps
early 14th Century, masked by its magnificent "Gothic"
facade of c. 1820's.
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| 32. |
The Thatched Cottage ‑
This charming building brings our trail to an end. Originally an
early, small one bay hall house, altered in the 16th and 17th
Centuries with a large Victorian addition to the north.
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