DOI Heft:
No. 359 (February 1923)
DOI Artikel:''Black Charles'': an old country house in Kent
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21397#0098
"BLACK CHARLES”
One of the aims of the present owner
was to have a pleasant garden so that he
could frame the house with flowers : as
the space was small, terraces were suggested
at the rear of the lawn, with steps and small
waterpools at the sides. The old stock yard
has now become the garden ; and water
being plentiful, a little stream was partly
directed to the pools so that a stream of
water is continually flowing through. All
the stonework in the walling is Kentish
rag, and this shows that the local masons
have not lost the difficult art of constructing
this type of stonework. a a a
The alterations of the interior included
a new kitchen wing following the line of the
existing kitchen, which was kept, modern
improvements being installed. a a
In every room large oak beams are to be
found, which are a beautiful dark brown
with age. All beams have been exposed
where previously covered with plaster, and
some fine timbers are seen all over the house.
It was an interesting point as to whether
there was a King post in the roof, and at
first one could not be discovered ; but
when an attic passage was being made
through the brickwork adjoining the chim-
ney, a King post was found built in. It is
octagonal with moulded cap and base about
3ft. 6in. high. Perhaps this gives a clue
of the date when the original building was
erected, possibly about the fourteenth or
fifteenth century. a a a a
The dining room has a large open fire-
place, part of which had previously been
bricked up. Above it is an oak mantel
which was made from an old carved
beam, triangular recesses in the brickwork
above the mantel were previously covered
by some Queen Anne panelling, which was
removed and used elsewhere. The doors in
the room are oak, one being originally a
double-door Jacobean cupboard, which was
78
“ BLACK CHARLES,” UNDERRIVER, KENT : DINING
ROOM, WITH OLD “ SHOVE HA'PENNY ” TABLE
W. J. ALLCORN, ARCHITECT FOR ALTERATIONS
One of the aims of the present owner
was to have a pleasant garden so that he
could frame the house with flowers : as
the space was small, terraces were suggested
at the rear of the lawn, with steps and small
waterpools at the sides. The old stock yard
has now become the garden ; and water
being plentiful, a little stream was partly
directed to the pools so that a stream of
water is continually flowing through. All
the stonework in the walling is Kentish
rag, and this shows that the local masons
have not lost the difficult art of constructing
this type of stonework. a a a
The alterations of the interior included
a new kitchen wing following the line of the
existing kitchen, which was kept, modern
improvements being installed. a a
In every room large oak beams are to be
found, which are a beautiful dark brown
with age. All beams have been exposed
where previously covered with plaster, and
some fine timbers are seen all over the house.
It was an interesting point as to whether
there was a King post in the roof, and at
first one could not be discovered ; but
when an attic passage was being made
through the brickwork adjoining the chim-
ney, a King post was found built in. It is
octagonal with moulded cap and base about
3ft. 6in. high. Perhaps this gives a clue
of the date when the original building was
erected, possibly about the fourteenth or
fifteenth century. a a a a
The dining room has a large open fire-
place, part of which had previously been
bricked up. Above it is an oak mantel
which was made from an old carved
beam, triangular recesses in the brickwork
above the mantel were previously covered
by some Queen Anne panelling, which was
removed and used elsewhere. The doors in
the room are oak, one being originally a
double-door Jacobean cupboard, which was
78
“ BLACK CHARLES,” UNDERRIVER, KENT : DINING
ROOM, WITH OLD “ SHOVE HA'PENNY ” TABLE
W. J. ALLCORN, ARCHITECT FOR ALTERATIONS