Summary
The origins of the south range of Green Court remain somewhat unclear; it may formerly have been located slightly to the north of the present range, or indeed may have originated as a simple, bounding curtain wall, superseded in its entirety by the present structure on a more southerly alignment. The core of the range that survives today was likely created in the early 17th century, during Thomas Sackville’s rebuilding.
Identification Images (1)
Monument Types
- ORANGERY (19th C - 1801 AD to 1900 AD)
Description
This structure was built as a two-storey range, reflecting that to the north side of the court, with crenellated parapet and regular fenestration of paired lights with four-centred arches. The south front displays shaped gables as do the east and west gable ends; interestingly, early 18th century engravings indicate no chimney stacks, either within the external wall or centrally set, which raises questions about the heating arrangements for the range before its conversion to a double-height orangery in 1823. This work included the rebuilding of the south, garden elevation in its current form with full height ‘gothicised’ windows with sliding sashes to maximise lighting within the building. [Archaeological Survey, 2007]
During 2006, Archaeology South East conducted a Historic Building Record of the roof. The survey revealed eight full bays and two partial bays. The partial bays connected the Orangery to the range at the western end and at the eastern end created a dormer-type construction for a Dutch Gable. There are three additional Dutch gables to the southern slope of the Orangery.
The oak roof construction is of nine trusses comprising principal rafter pairs jointed at apex and linked by collar and tie-beam. The north and south roof slopes had a single in-line row of purlins in bay lengths tenoned into the corresponding principal rafters of the trusses. Ashlar posts, one to each side of the truss, linked the principal rafter to the tie-beam and together with the soffit of the collar created a large open area to the attic which had been finished in lath and plaster. The ceiling between ground and first floor had been removed in 1823 to make a double height space for the Orangery and a series of double height windows were placed within the southern elevation with a matching set of doors in the eastern elevation. The attic floor had remained in situ and was predominately constructed of a grid-like arrangement of joists No partitions were evident within the attic space [ASE Report, 2007].
The roof members at the western end of the building overlie that of the adjacent north-south orientated range and as such appear to be a later construction. The type of roof construction in situ within the Orangery is consistent with a 17th century date [ASE Report, 2007].
References
- SNA64034 - National Trust Report: Archaeology South-East. 2007. An Archaeological Watching Brief and Historic Building Record during work at Stone Court, Green Court and the Orangery Roof, Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent.
- SNA64038 - Conservation Plan: Oxford Archaeology. 2007. Knole, Kent: Conservation Management Plan Vol. 1. 1.
- SNA64039 - Conservation Plan: Oxford Archaeology. 2007. Knole, Kent: Conservation Management Plan Vol. 2. 2.
- SNA64247 - National Trust Report: Oxford Archaeology. 2009. Historic Building Recording and Investigation of the Orangery, Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent.
Other Statuses and References
None Recorded
Associated Events
- ENA5632 - Field Survey, A Historic Building Record made of the Orangery Roof, Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent
- ENA5870 - Field Survey, Historic Building Recording and Investigation of the Orangery, Knole, Sevenoaks, Kent
Associated Finds
None Recorded