Leeds Castle Broomfield and Kingswood, England

Text courtesy of Historic England. © Crown Copyright, reprinted under the Open Government License.

BROOMFIELD Leeds Castle TQ 85 SW 2/2 20.10.52 GV I

Castle. Early-to-mid C12, with C13, C14, C15 and C16 alterations. Partly rebuilt 1822 by Fiennes Wykeham-Martin. Interiors remodelled first half of C20. Stone, with plain tile roofs. Motte-and-bailey castle with shell keep, moated from at least 1272. Two islands. Larger island: aligned north-east/south-west. South-west gatehouse, linked to inner barbican by stone bridge, one parapet wall extending south-east as retaining wall of south- east causeway. Watergate and Maidens Tower to south and east side. 1822 block to north-east end. All buildings linked by bastioned enceinte wall. Smaller island or Gloriette: aligned north-south, reached by bridge from 1822 block. Extended D shape, with small courtyard. Bridge to gatehouse of 2 pointed arches with ramped parapet. Gatehouse: core possibly early-to-mid C13. Altered and extended in late C13. Machicolations added late C14/early C15. Further alterations in C16 and C17. Deep gateway flanked by 2 parallel ranges of obliquely receding wings. 2 storeys, on battered plinth. Hipped roofs to wings and to south-west section of gateway: Gateway battlemented to north-east. South-west elevation has blocked loop lights, 2 pointed-arched windows and C16 two-light windows with squared hoodmoulds. Paired trefoiled lancets and windows with Y tracery to north-east. Depressed- pointed south-west arch of 2 orders with portcullis groove (similar to barbican gateways), with deep machicolations added above. Various 2-centred arched north-east doorways. Bridge and gateway paved with setts. Watergate: possibly early-to-mid C13, converted to bath in late C13; or built in late C13. Built beneath outer enceinte wall. Rectangular, vaulted, with 2 vaulted passages to moat and internal stone stairs to upper chamber. 2 low pointed arches to moat, with portcullis groove. Maidens Tower: C16, altered ?1750 and 1822. Two storeys, with third at lower level to south, on plinth. Formerly gabled. Battlemented in about 1750, or in 1822. Hipped roof. Projecting first-floor corbelled stack to rear to left, with adjacent garderobe projection. Regular 6-window front of hollow-chamfered stone mullioned windows with rounded lights and squared hoodmoulds; one 3-light towards each end, flanked by 2-light windows 4-centred arched doorway with moulded jambs and later 3-light window above, under principal window to left, and another, with rounded hoodmould, to right of centre. 1822 block: in a C16 style. Rectangular, with octagonal corner turrets. Slightly projecting central gateway, also with octagonal turrets. 2 storeys, with 3-storey gate-tower, on moulded plinth. Moulded string above ground and first floor windows, and to attic of gateway. Battlemented. Lancet loop light to each stage of tower. Irregular fenestration of 7 stone mullioned and transomed windows with hollow-chamfered round-headed lights and squared hoodmoulds; two 6-light and central 8-light to left of gateway, one 8-light to gateway, and two 6-light, one 8-light and one single light to right. 4-light mullioned window to attic of gateway. Ground- floor windows taller. 2-storey canted bay to each gable end. 4-centred arched moulded doorway with hoodmould. Ribbed door. Replaced a C17 building, probably on site of hall. Outer enceinte walls: possibly early-to-mid C13, altered in late C13; or built in late C13 (accounts 1298-9). Formerly with five D-shaped turrets or bastions, 2 to north-west, 3 to south and east side. Truncated and stone-coped, except for north-east bastion(the Ivy Tower) which has semi-conical roof. Replaced C12 inner enceinte walls with square bastions. Bridge to Gloriette: largely 1822. Two storeys, built over 2 pointed arches, with string courses, battlements and C16-style stone mullioned windows with squared hoodmoulds. Gloriette: outer walls and windows possibly C12, altered late C13, C14, C16 and 1822. 2 storeys on battered plinth. Shallow semi- circular north turret. 3-storey be