The Archbishop's Palace is an historic 14th-century and 16th-century building on the east bank of the River Medway in Maidstone, Kent. Originally a home from home for travelling archbishops from Canterbury, the building is today principally used as a venue for wedding services. The former tithe barn for the palace (today severed from the palace by the A229), now serves as the Tyrwhitt-Drake Museum of Carriages.
The Manor of Maidstone was probably given to the Archbishops of Canterbury as a royal gift during the 7th or 8th centuries. A house on the site of the palace was given to Archbishop Langton by Rector William de Cornhill in 1207 to be used as a resting-place for archbishops travelling between London and Canterbury and is linked to palaces at Charing, Otford and Croydon. Cornhill's house was demolished by Archbishop Ufford.
The first work on the current building was ordered by Archbishop Ufford in 1348 and was continued by Archbishop Islip between 1349 and 1366, partly with materials from a palace at Wrotham. At the end of the 14th century Archbishop Courtenay expanded the establishment in Maidstone when he founded the neighbouring College and Church of All Saints. The palace was enlarged and improved by Archbishop Morton in 1486, but it and the College were given to Henry VIII by Archbishop Cranmer in exchange for property elsewhere.
Henry VIII granted the palace to Sir Thomas Wyatt, but the estate was forfeited to the Crown in 1554 following the rebellion led by his son, Thomas Wyatt the younger, against Mary I. It was later given by Elizabeth I to Sir John Astley, son of John Astley, Master of the Jewel Office.
Astley extended the palace, building much of the existing structure. On his death there in 1639, he bequeathed the manor to Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading. Lord Astley died at the palace in 1652 and it passed to his son and grandson, the second and third barons. On the death of the third baron in 1688, the barony became extinct and the palace passed to his cousin Sir Jacob Astley.[1] In 1720, Sir Jacob sold the palace to Robert Marsham, 1st Baron Romney who lived at nearby Mote House.
The palace was subsequently sold by the Marsham family. At the beginning of the 20th century it was used as a Territorial Army medical school.
Today the palace is managed by Kent County Council and primarily used as a register office.[5] It is only open to the public on regular "Heritage Days". The Kent Garden's Trust tends the Apothecary's Garden which is open to the public between May and August on Wednesday afternoons only. The gatehouse is used by Kent Invicta Chamber Of Commerce.
The E-shaped palace building is located on the east bank of the River Medway close to its meeting with the River Len. The two-storey central section is constructed of ashlar stonework with a main entrance through a central projecting porch in the north-east façade. Timber framed wings are at each side. The roof is clay tiled and two projecting stone-built dormer windows at attic level on the entrance façade are capped with finials. The south-west façade has windows in a variety of sizes, many stone-framed, and includes a large corbelled and three-tiered and oriel window.
Close to the palace on the south side is the dungeon, a 14th-century stone building with small windows and an early Norman undercroft. To the north-east of the palace, adjacent to Mill Street and the River Len is the 13th and 14th century gatehouse, a two-storey building constructed of roughly-coursed rubble and timber framing on the east end. The roof is tiled and a garderobe projects on the north side.
The palace is a Grade I listed building, the dungeon is listed Grade II*, and the gatehouse is listed Grade II and a scheduled monument. The buildings are surrounded by walls which are Grade II listed.
Begun by Archbishop Ufford in 1348. Completed by Archbishop Islip between 1349 and 1366. Enlarged by Archbishop Morton in 1486. Exchanged by Archbishop Crarmer with Henry VIII for other property. By Henry VIII it was granted to Sir Thomas Wyatt. On his son's rebellion it was forfeited to the Crown and subsequently granted to Sir John Astley, who built tle greater part of the existing house in the 2nd half of the C16.
The main portion of the building is of ashlar with timber-framed wings at the north and south ends. The main section is E-shaped. 2 storeys and attics. 5 windows and 2 dormers to the north-vest front. Stringcourse. Parapet. Windows with stone mullions and transoms. 2 large dormers above the outer-projecting east wings with kneelers, coping and finials over the apices and kneelers. Tiled roof. The centre projection is the porch with round-headed arch and room over. At the south end of the building is a timber-framed wing nearby flush with the southern projection of the main front. This has one large and one small gable with pendants. Casement windows. At the north end of the building is a wing with stone ground floor and timber-framed upper storey with diagonal braces and plaster infill, surmounted by a gable with pendant. On the ground floor there is one obtusely pointed window and 1 square headed window containing 2 cinquefoil-headed lights. One sash window above them with glazing bars intact. To the north of this again is a further recessed wing wholly faced with stone but with a portion projecting on the lst floor apparently timber framed but this is modern or a reconstruction. The south-west front of the Palace facing the Medway has a fine stone corbelled oriel window with 3 tiers of 6 lights, stone mullions and transoms and chamfered stone corbelling beneath. Also there are some double or triple lencets with hood moulding.
The interior contains C16 panelling and some fine C16 wood or stone fireplaces.