Radfield House and Hamlet - features

The hamlet of Radfield sits astride London Road just beyond the westernmost edge of Lynsted Parish with Radfield House on the southern margin of London Road. The Society has been given a reference copy of a study - "Radfield, nr Teynham, Kent. A study into its history, archaeology and architecture", edited by John Clancy, BA, for the Sittingbourne Heritage Museum, Local History Study Group who published the study (December 2010).

The study documents the mixture of architectural features that span the main construction period from c.1500 to 1799. Perhaps starting life as a small-holder's home, occupied by a family and a few servants within a typical Kentish Wealden Hall - taking the form of a symmetrical oblong of modest dimensions with characteristic construction features including jetty, brick in-fill between major timber structures. As we an see in buildings of a similar age in Cellar Hill to the east, substantial corner timbers began life as oak trunks that have been upturned to provide a splayed footing. The study explains various key features, including the use of rag-stone foundations and substantial tie beams that are revealed inside. Without glass, rebated wooden shutters would have added some weather-proofing before the more modern glazed additions. Radfield House is today set in the eastern, detached, parish of Bapchild (split as it is by Tonge to the north and south of London Road). The study makes a fascinating speculation on the peculiarity of the Parish boundaries here by drawing on a possible Roman road that traversed north-to-south from Sheppey to the downs at a time when the marshes joined Sheppey with the mainland. Another mystery raised by this study is that of the 'missing chapel' dedicated to St.Mary and dating from the 12th century (or much earlier). Its exact location is not known but was likely to have been close to Radfield House, perhaps on the opposite side of the ancient Roman road. Mention is made to several tantalising Roman remains identified through a 'bucket full of Roman bricks and tiles', a training excavation at Radfield (1972 - written up by Dr Robert Baxter) and an owner who believed there was much more in the neighbouring garden! Finally, the study records the occupancy of Radfield House from the 16th century. Altogether a fascinating study of a remarkable house and hamlet.

Copies of this study may be obtained from Sittingbourne Heritage Museum

You can also learn about Romano-British archaeology around this hamlet, authors Dr Robert Baxter and Ralph Mills, Kent Archaeology Society. 2017


Historic Environment Reports

1. RADFIELD HOUSE AND RAILINGS TO FORECOURT

HER Number: TQ 96 SW 1075
Grade II listed building 1069268. Main construction periods 1500 to 1799
Grid Reference: TQ 9400 6284
TQ 96 SW TONGE LONDON ROAD (south side)
2/184 Radfield House and railings to forecourt 24.1.67 II
House. C16 and altered C18. Timber framed and clad with painted brick and plaster with plain tiled roof. Two storeys and continuous jetty on brackets with hipped roof and stack projecting at end left, and 2 large possibly C16 offset stacks projecting end right. Four glazing bar sashes on first floor, 3 canted bay windows on ground floor and ribbed plank and stud door to centre right in 4 centred arched and moulded surround with moulded hood. Cast iron rails to forecourt with fleur-de-lys heads on brick base, 4 foot height, extends approx. 40 yards, with central wood gate.

Listing NGR: TQ9400662848

  1. English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Scheduling record)
  2. John Clancy, 2012, Radfield, nr Teynham, Kent: A study into its history, archaeology and architecture (Article in serial). The history of the building and its owners has been traced. Kent Archaeological Review 190: 9-20.

2. RADFIELD HOUSE - FARMSTEAD

HER Number: MKE85462
A loose courtyard plan farmstead with buildings to three sides of the yard.
Grid Reference: TQ 9398 6282
Map Sheet: TQ96SW
Parish: TONGE, SWALE, KENT
FARMSTEAD (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1540 AD)
Type: Loose courtyard with working agricultural buildings on three sides and with additional detached elements to the main plan.
Farmhouse: Farmhouse detached in central position
Position: Hamlet
Survival: Altered - partial loss of original form (less than 50%)
New sheds: Large modern sheds built beside the historic farmstead, the farmstead could still be in use.

Sources and further reading

  1. Unpublished document: Forum Heritage Services. 2012. Kent Farmsteads & Landscape Project.
  2. Unpublished document: English Heritage. 2009. Historic Farmsteads: A Manual for Mapping.

3. LITTLE RADFIELD

HER Number: TQ 96 SW 1234
Grade II listed building - 1343950. Main construction periods Post Medieval - 1700 to 1799
Grid Reference: TQ 9412 6282
Map Sheet: TQ96SW
Parish: TONGE, SWALE, KENT
TQ 96 SW TONGE LONDON ROAD (north side)
2/182 Little Radfield - 29.10.73 - GV II
House. C18. Grey headers with red brick dressings and plain tiled roof. Two storeys and garret on plinth with flush plat band and quoins and kneelered parapet gables with stacks to left and right. Regular fenestration of 3 glazing bar sashes on first floor and 2 tripartite glazing bar sashes on ground floor with central panelled door.
Listing NGR: TQ9412562828


4. OASTHOUSE (east of Radfield House)

HER Number: TQ 96 SW 297
Two roundel oasthouse east of Radfield House, Radfield.
Grid Reference: TQ 9407 6281
Map Sheet: TQ96SW
Parish: TONGE, SWALE, KENT
OASTHOUSE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1880 AD to 2050 AD)
Two roundel brick built oasthouse east of Radfield House, Radfield. The first roundel appears on the 2nd Ed. OS map (1897-1900), with the second appearing on the 3rd ed. OS map (1907-1923). The building is extant now converted to residential use.
Identified by the Historic Farmstead Survey.

Source description

  1. Forum Heritage Services, 2012, Kent Farmsteads & Landscape Project (Unpublished document)
    Sources and further reading

5. OUTFARM (south of Radfield House)

HER Number: MKE85463
An outfarm with a loose courtyard plan with a building to one side of the yard.
Grid Reference: TQ 9397 6239
Map Sheet: TQ96SW
Parish: TONGE, SWALE, KENT
FARMSTEAD (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1800 AD)
Loose courtyard with working agricultural buildings on one side and with additional detached elements to the main plan
Position: Isolated position
Survival: Farmstead completely demolished

Sources and further reading

  1. Unpublished document: Forum Heritage Services. 2012. Kent Farmsteads & Landscape Project.
  2. Unpublished document: English Heritage. 2009. Historic Farmsteads: A Manual for Mapping.

6. FIELD BARN (Radfield)

HER Number: MKE85533
A field barn with no associated yard.
Grid Reference: TQ 9429 6279
Map Sheet: TQ96SW
Parish: TONGE, SWALE, KENT
FARMSTEAD (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1800 AD)
Type: Single
Position: Located within a village
Survival: No apparent alteration

Sources and further reading

  1. Forum Heritage Services, 2012, Kent Farmsteads & Landscape Project (Unpublished document)
  2. English Heritage, 2009, Historic Farmsteads: A Manual for Mapping (Unpublished document)

7. FIELD BARN (south of Radfield Farm)

HER Number: MKE85532
A field barn with no associated yard.
Grid Reference: TQ 9394 6267
Map Sheet: TQ96SW
Parish: TONGE, SWALE, KENT
FARMSTEAD (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1800 AD)
Type: Single
Position: Isolated position
Survivial: Farmstead completely demolished

Sources and further reading

  1. Forum Heritage Services, 2012, Kent Farmsteads & Landscape Project (Unpublished document)
  2. English Heritage, 2009, Historic Farmsteads: A Manual for Mapping (Unpublished document)

8. MILESTONE

HER Number: TQ 96 SW 252
Milestone on the London Road (A2) at Radfield, east of the public footpath.
Grid Reference: TQ 9403 6286
Map Sheet: TQ96SW
Parish: TEYNHAM, SWALE, KENT
Milestone on the London Road (A2) at Radfield, east of the public footpath, set in the pavement by the Telegraph pole.

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