My House’s History By Stirling Thomas

Our house was built in the late mediaeval century and is a hall house. What is a Hall House? A hall house is a type of vernacular house, traditional in many parts of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. What is a Vernacular House? A Vernacular house is an architectural style that is designed and based on local needs, availability of construction materials and reflecting local traditions. When? 1327

What? What was Killicks Bank Farm House? Well, this is what Dr Banister found out : Killicks Bank is the site of a ‘…farmstead…and may have originated as a small holding within the den of Penshurst. The name is associated with the family ‘Kedelak, Kedelac’ in 1327. As a site, it has undergone a number of significant changes from a small farm to a large one and then to a residential site of three dwellings in the twentieth century. The farmhouse is late medieval with an extension after 1840. The house is listed as follows: ‘Late medieval hall house with alterations. 2 storeys and attic, 4 windows, very irregular. Very high pitched hipped tiled roof with ridge gablets and later compound stack. Gabled right end implies demolition of one bay. Visible timber framing with plaster filling… and square crown post in attic.’   Tudor farm.

Where? This is a close up view of the box below. My house is situated on the Penshurst Place Estate. It has been standing for around 700 years. The house has had numerous extensions over the years. This is a satellite view of my house. As you can see from this picture, there are two more houses on either side of our house. This is where we live. This is a new map, the arrow indicates where we live. This is an old map showing the estate. The box indicates where we live.

Who? Many different families have lived in Killicks Bank Farm House over the years, but the internet and people can only tell you so much about them. Here is what I know : The majority of people who lived here were farm labourers, but some scholars and slaves lived here as well. The lords villeins [A.K.A the servants and the land workers] stayed here, but the house would have looked very different 700 years ago.

How? In the late medieval period, when my house was built, some rich people used bricks to construct their houses. Even though they were rich, bricks were expensive so they used timber as well to bring the price down. This house is more commonly known as a Tudor house. This is what our house is. My house.

Thanks to Andy Stronghill for some of the information, Dr Banister for the survy of the house And my family for supporting me in this project.