Dent-de-Lion medieval gatehouse

Reasons for Designation

Fortified houses were residences belonging to some of the richest and most powerful members of society. Their design reflects a combination of domestic and military elements. In some instances, the fortifications may be cosmetic additions to an otherwise conventional high status dwelling, giving a military aspect while remaining practically indefensible. They are associated with individuals or families of high status and their ostentatious architecture often reflects a high level of expenditure. The nature of the fortification varies, but can include moats, curtain walls, a gatehouse and other towers, gunports and crenellated parapets. Their buildings normally included a hall used as communal space for domestic and administrative purposes, kitchens, service and storage areas. In later houses the owners had separate private living apartments, these often receiving particular architectural emphasis. In common with castles, some fortified houses had outer courts beyond the main defences in which stables, brew houses, granaries and barns were located. Fortified houses were constructed in the medieval period, primarily between the 15th and 16th centuries, although evidence from earlier periods, such as the increase in the number of licences to crenellate in the reigns of Edward I and Edward II, indicates that the origins of the class can be traced further back. They are found primarily in several areas of lowland England: in upland areas they are outnumbered by structures such as bastles and tower houses which fulfilled many of the same functions. As a rare monument type, with fewer than 200 identified examples, all examples exhibiting significant surviving archaeological remains are considered of national importance.

Dent-de-Lion gatehouse represents the only standing remains of an otherwise demolished fortified house. It survives well, retaining most of its original fabric, including interesting decorative details, and provides evidence for the high architectural quality and importance of the house during the medieval period.

Details

The monument includes a medieval gatehouse representing the standing remains of a contemporary fortified house, situated on the western edge of Garlinge, around 1km inland from the north Thanet coast.

The Grade II* Listed gatehouse has been dated to the early 15th century and survives in almost complete form, with some subsequent restoration and repair. It is a tall, roughly east-west aligned, rectangular building faced with alternating horizontal bands of coursed squared, knapped flint and red and yellow brick, decorated with ashlar dressings. The main approach to the gatehouse was from the south, and the southern facade is pierced by a tall carriage entrance, headed by a segmental arch. This is flanked to the west by a smaller, pointed archway for pedestrians. The entrance way is topped with a crenellated parapet. To the rear is a single, large, round-headed archway with flint dressings. Flanking the cobble-faced entrance passage are four tall, square, embattled corner towers pierced by gunloops and arrow slits. Each tower contains a newel staircase giving access to the roof. Further architectural decorations include a stone string course over the entrance archways and a carved stone shield over the carriage arch, representing the coat of arms of the Daundelyon family, for whom the gatehouse was built.

The gatehouse was originally the main entrance into the courtyard of a contemporary fortified house. The house, now demolished, is thought to have stood to the north of the gatehouse, in an area now occupied by a modern housing estate. The construction of the modern houses will have caused substantial damage to any surviving buried traces of the earlier medieval house, this area is not therefore included in the scheduling.

All modern fixtures and fittings are excluded from the scheduling, although the masonry around these features is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

31404

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Newman, J, The Buildings of England: North East and North Kent, (1976), 328
Woodruff, C, Archaeologia Cantiana in Dent-de-Lion Gatehouse, Margate, Vol. 25, (1902), 57-63

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