The Ruins of Old Scotney Castle

THE RUINS OF OLD SCOTNEY CASTLE

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1085287
Date first listed:
20-Oct-1954
List Entry Name:
The Ruins of Old Scotney Castle
Statutory Address:
THE RUINS OF OLD SCOTNEY CASTLE
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Location

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Archive image, may not represent current condition of site.
Date:
2002-04-11
Reference:
IOE01/06255/23
Rights:
© Norman Wigg. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1085287
Date first listed:
20-Oct-1954
List Entry Name:
The Ruins of Old Scotney Castle
Statutory Address 1:
THE RUINS OF OLD SCOTNEY CASTLE

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
THE RUINS OF OLD SCOTNEY CASTLE

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Kent
District:
Tunbridge Wells (District Authority)
Parish:
Lamberhurst
National Grid Reference:
TQ 68968 35229

Details

LAMBERHURST SCOTNEY TQ 63 NE 3/224 The Ruins of Old Scotney Castle 20.10.54 GV I

Castle, now partly ruinous. 1378, altered C16 and early C17. Sandstone, timber framing, rendered, and red brick, largely in English bond. Plain tiled roofs. The ruins lie on the innermost of two islands in the River Teise, and are reached by a stone causeway, the whole island bordered by red brick and stone walls, all of which are included in this item. Castle founded by Roger Ashburnham 1378-80, the principal remnant of this phase is the round machicolated tower, attached to C16 domestic building, with good interior features, especially enriched C17 stair. Ruins to east of large and ambitious extension of c.1635, and showing advanced, if crude use of classical motifs and proportions. The castle, and especially the C17 wing, was carefully partly dismantled by Edward Hussey on the building of his new house overlooking this site, creating one of the last and greatest picturesque landscaped gardens. The castle is now in the hands of the National Trust, and is fully described in their guide book, and in B.O.E. Kent, I, 506-7.

Listing NGR: TQ6896835229

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:
170061
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Newman, J, The Buildings of England: West Kent and the Weald, (1980), 506-7

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of The Ruins of Old Scotney Castle

Map

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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