Richard Hewlings, ‘The School and Almshouses at Sevenoaks’, The Georgian Group Journal, Vol. xI, 2001, pp. 220–249

text © the authors 2001 THE SCHOOL AND ALMSHOUSES AT SEVENOAKS

RICHARD HEWLINGS

he architectural history of Sevenoaks School The origin of Lord Burlington’s design remains Tand Almshouses has never been written. The unexplained, for the documentation of the buildings institutional histories of the school agree in attributing does not include any reference to him. But it does its design to Lord Burlington,  doubtless on the basis reveal that a design of some sort had been proposed of an illustration in William Kent’s Designs of Inigo by  ; that buildings were begun on the site in Jones of  , captioned “A Design for a School and   – to the designs of John James; that James’s Alms-Houses by the Earl of Burlington, for Sevenoak buildings collapsed half-built in  ; that they were in Kent” (Fig. ).  Burlington’s drawings for this design replaced by buildings designed by Roger Morris and are among his drawings at Chatsworth, undated, but Lord Herbert, whose execution Morris supervised obviously no later than  (Figs.  and ).  In fact an between  and  ; that in  – they were agreement of  to execute carpentry in the thirty two completed by James Stedman, who had acted in a almshouses which were eventually built suggests that subordinate capacity to James and Morris since  ; Burlington’s design had been superseded by that date.  and that an infirmary was also proposed and was only Burlington’s design and the existing building dismissed by a decree of the Lord Chancellor in  . have a general disposition in common – a tall school The school and almshouses were established block in the centre (five storeys in Burlington’s under the terms of the will of William Sevenoak, version) with a pyramidal roof, and two long two- Mayor of London, proved in  . Among other storey ranges either side (twenty bays each in property, he bequeathed them a wharf and Burlington’s design), housing the alms people. But warehouses just west of the Tower of London.  To even in general disposition one distinctive feature, the their west stood Wren’s Custom House, short of recession of the school house from the street line, space and damaged by an explosion in  . The does not occur in Burlington’s proposal; and the Commissioners of Customs treated to acquire part of forty separate doors from the street proposed by the Sevenoaks property in order to rebuild their own. Burlington were actually realised as two arches Between September  and September  leading into rear courtyards, onto which the Sevenoaks Corporation made “several journeys to almshouses open. As built, the school house had London in order to the Letting the Wharf and three storeys over a high basement, with lower wings Warehouses belonging to the free School and which were not allowed for by Burlington (Fig. ). Almshouses of Sevenoaks to the Comrs. of the Differences of detail are numerous. These are more Customes”.  In August  their surveyor, James than “modifications ... introduced [by] ... local Stedman, accompanied by the bricklayer William masons ... as work went on”, but evidently the Tufnell, viewed and reported on the property.  The product of a different design, with different intent.  date proposed for transfer was Michaelmas.  By June This design is illustrated on an undated plan which  both parties had agreed a price of £ , with a must have been made before  (Fig. ).  perpetual rent of £  per annum, payable

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Fig. . “A Design for a School and  Alms-Houses by the Earl of Burlington, for Sevenoak in Kent”, from William Kent, The Designs of Inigo Jones ,  .

Fig. . Lord Burlington, west elevation of proposed school house and part of almshouses. RIBA.

THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI   THE SCHOOL AND ALMSHOUSES AT SEVENOAKS

Fig. . Lord Burlington, plan of proposed school house. RIBA.

Fig. . Sevenoaks School House, west side, before  . English Heritage.

THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI   THE SCHOOL AND ALMSHOUSES AT SEVENOAKS retrospectively from Michaelmas  . Sevenoaks’s Some time before September  the Attorney- annual receipts jumped from a figure around £  in General (Sir Philip Yorke  ) brought a bill into the period  to  , to £  in  , £  in  , Chancery against the Corporation, on behalf of a £, in  , and £ , in  . £ , of the latter group of parishioners, led by Dr. Thomas Fuller.  were invested in the South Sea Company, but Yorke was later to engage Flitcroft to re-model subsequent income remained high, if not stable.  Wimpole;  Fuller, a famous physician, lived at The The transaction was enshrined in an Act of Parliament Red House, an imposing house of  in Sevenoaks in  , requiring the Wardens and Assistants of High Street.  The bill alleged, among numerous Sevenoaks Corporation to rebuild, enlarge or repair the failures to maintain the Statutes and Ordinances, that school and almshouses “with all convenient speed”.  the Corporation had “caused the school house to be Sevenoaks was a parish, not an incorporated pulled down, but neglected or delayed to rebuild it”.  borough, and the “Corporation” was that of the schoo l The first of these was certainly true. During the and almshouses only. William Sevenoak’s foundation year preceding September  John Simpson’s had been legally incorporated by Letters Patent of goods had been moved to “Day’s house”, while four  , procured by Ralph Bosville, Clerk to the Court building tradesmen had been paid for “pulling down of Wards, who owned an estate at Bradbourne in the the Old School”.  Between Michaelmas  and north of the parish.  Bosville’s Statutes and Lady Day  Simpson rented a house from a Mr. Ordinances, agreed by the Archbishop of Canterbury Fane, except at Lady Day  when half a year’s rent in  , and confirmed by Act of Parliament in  , was paid to a Henry Smith.  Wherever these houses vested the government of the school in four were, Simpson later maintained that he had resided Assistants, one of whom was to be Bosville’s heir, the within the parish, about one furlong from the town, others to be chosen annually by the vestry. The while the rebuilding took place, and thus that he had Assistants were in turn to appoint two Wardens, and at all times been able to maintain a school.  The old all six were to appoint a Master and Usher, and to almshouse, however, survived for another five years. allocate almshouses to the poor of their choosing.  Its windows were still being repaired in  – , its In  the Assistants were William Bosville of tiling in  – , and its pulling down was let no Bradbourne Hall, Sir Charles Farnaby of Kippington earlier than the end of  , although before Hall in the west of the parish, Thomas Lambard of September  . Park Place, not far south of the school, and Thomas The second allegation was more susceptible to Petley of Riverhead, north of the town.  Petley died interpretation. The Corporation had certainly in  and was replaced at the annual election in planned a new building of some kind long before. In September by his son, Ralph.  In the  election April  , even before they had settled with the Ralph Petley was replaced by the Duke of Dorset, Commissioners of Customs, they had received a whose estate, Knole Park, bordered the Corporation proposal for masons’ work by Thomas Wigsell and property on the east.  The Wardens were Robert Thomas Kipps, which included raising “Stonework Martin, a baker, elected in  , and David Hills, to the height of ye Ground under the Base”, so it soon to be replaced by John Daines, a miller, elected clearly indicated a new building.  Wigsell and Kipps in September  on Hills’s death;  in  Thomas were actually bricklayers, but they tendered for both Everest, an innkeeper, replaced Robert Martin.  The brick and stone work, as did all the bricklayers at Master was John Simpson, appointed in  , and Sevenoaks. They proposed to use “Kentish Ragg removed (on petition of the parish) only in  . Stone” and “garretting”; so the materials it was There had been no usher for several years.  a eventually built of were established from at least  ,

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Fig. . Plan of Sevenoaks School and Almshouses before  . Sevenoaks School. and were neither a revision, nor an ignorant realisation had been set out, and the surveyors had written of the ideal form. proposals for the bricklayers and carpenters.  Before There is no indication, however, that anything the end of the year “the Sevl. Tradesmen” had was actually done for another four years. First, in returned their proposals.  One, John Cross, agreed March  , the Corporation agreed with Dr. Thorpe to execute carpentry of Rochester to purchase timber.  Over the next two and a half years the Corporation spent further large in the Building a Free School and  Almshouses now erecting or intended to be erected by the said Govrs. in sums assembling materials. Before September  it the said Parish of Seven Oak ... according to a Plann had “Lett out the Carriage of Timber for the or upright thereof now show’d to the said John Cross.  School”.  Between then and September  timber was turned, flayed, faggoted, cleaved, carried, hewn, So by  Burlington’s design, with forty almshouses, knotted, measured and viewed. Boards were sawn. had evidently been superseded. Stone was drawn. Sand was fetched, lime was By September  more stone, brick, sand and bought, and mortar was made. Brick earth was dug; a lime had been obtained, poles and deals for scaffolding kiln was built; moulds, tables and troughs were had been delivered from Deptford, a well had been made; turfs were carried to the clamp; straw, rakes, dug, and it would have been public knowledge that sand, rope, baskets, shovels, mats, and barrows were foundations had been laid, since s. d. had been bought for the brickmakers.  Not long before allowed for ringers on that occasion.  Indeed by the September  a plan had been drawn, the ground same date “the first Wing of the Almshouses was

THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI   THE SCHOOL AND ALMSHOUSES AT SEVENOAKS

Fig. . Sevenoaks: North Alms Row, from the north-west. Richard Hewlings.

Fig. . Sevenoaks: “porticue” to North Alms Row. Richard Hewlings.

THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI   THE SCHOOL AND ALMSHOUSES AT SEVENOAKS

Raisd”.  This must have been the north wing Hutchinson added that (Fig. ), since this was to be ceiled and rendered in the arguments cannot be alledg’d for the School House August  , at least a year before the south wing was in every particular as is for the Almes House, raised.  Between September  and September  primary materials continued to be delivered, thereby revealing that the latter was also under two pumps had been fitted, floor boards and pantiles construction. had been agreed for, and a “porticue” had been Andrews and Dunn blamed the workmanship. raised.  Nothing quite corresponds to that appellation save the arches in the centre of the …the Beds of the Stonework being undercut which should have bin square from the face at least  Inch Inn almshouse ranges (Fig. ). and the Level Joints stifened, backed and bonded with The school house may also have been begun by Brickwork, which is not well done. the time that the bill had been introduced into Chancery. By that time a conspicuous mishap had They proposed played into the hands of Dr. Fuller and his co- relators. It may even have inspired their action. Part …that the Stonework, must all be taken down, and the Beds made square, three Inchs from the outer face and of the building had fallen down. What occurred can to be well Stiffened, Back’d and Bonded with be discovered from two reports, one, dated  March Brickwork, and the Morter well Limed[?] and beat.  , by John Andrews and Thomas Dunn. Andrews had been Vanbrugh’s draughtsman and Hawksmoor’s Furthermore, they continued, agent;  in  – he had measured Gibbs’s Senate House for Cambridge University.  Dunn was a Wee are doutfull that if the Stonework being taken down to the Ground, wether the Brickwork can master mason who had worked on several of the Fifty stand…. It cannot be so good a Bond as it might be if  New Churches; he was to build the Bank of taken down, the cost of the Brickwork comes to about England,  to tender for Bancroft’s Hospital in Mile Forty pounds… End Road,  and for the Mansion House.  The other, written by an unidentified William Hutchinson, And they concluded with alternative estimates: is undated, but evidently refers to the same thing. Hutchinson, reporting on “the unhappy misfortune Estimate to complet the outside carcases with outer Doors and Windows to ye Almes House + School House”, wrote that it Schoole  .. Almshouse  .. was dammaged by a greate Rain and an unexpected  .. frost immediately succeeding it [, and] That the Almes House Roof being on but not tyl’d convey’d ye water To make good the Stone and Brickwork into the Wall by which means the Mortar froze + as it is now  expanded the Stone from the Brickwork. Workmanship only  ..

This was presumably the same as Andrews’s and Hutchinson was more indulgent. Dunn’s more laconic “some damages by wet and frosty wether”.  Andrews and Dunn did not locate … no covering was or could be made sufficient to prevent the present dammage; but the tiling of the said the damages, although they described the building as houses the Roof being on … uncommon or rather being “the hight of two Storys”, suggesting the unnatural Rainy weather and frost succeeding softened almshouse, and added “If the bottom part had not the Morter + lifted or expanded the Stone … for which Bursted out ther might some part have stood.” reason larger coverings are ordered to Shelter ye Wall.

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It is therefore my oppinion with submission to yr. attorney Thomas Harris on  March  refers to mature Judgements and consideration that yr. Poor “a dispute with Bird on account of the buildings”,  unhappy Workman is not so culpable as at first vew he and a small payment to Harris during the year may seem to be…; I do assure you Gentlemen a most promising Building of this kind of work it was to all September  to September  “for defending appearance, performed in a very good and workmanlike against, Bird” suggests that this may have led to manner which I hope will engage you to support yr. litigation.  He may have retained some of the Workman intended to settle himselfe and his ffamily in Corporation’s favour, however, since he received a yr. Most happy favour and esteem. further £  between September  and September Unlike Andrews and Dunn, Hutchinson recommended  ; but no more than this between the time of the the cheaper solution. collapse and the completion of the building in  , and it was well eclipsed by the £ , paid to the …the present directions given to yr. Workmen which were well weighed and ordered by that Worthy and partnership of Thomas and George Kipps Judicious Gentleman Mr. Lambard for the present (subsequently George Kipps and John Mackinder) in support + security of the work will be every way the same period.  Since the first payment to the effectual to that end. Gentlemen the Dammage looks Kippses occurs in the year of the collapse it may be more frightfull than despirate and therefore in my that they were his successors.  opinion yr. Genrl. Part of the Brickwork will be made The collapse may also have led to a change of good at a smal Charge + the whole not exceed one Hundred pounds. architect. John Cross’s articles of agreement in  do not name the author of the “Plann or upright … …being begun upon in May + carryed on with now show’d” to him. But Cross contracted to “be deliberation will be an effectual means to dry and cement the morter. subject to… Mr. James Stedman (appointed by the Governors their Surveyor or Overseer of the said And he put in a word for the poor unhappy workman. Building)”.  It was Stedman who had surveyed the  Which work yr. Unfortunate Workman Humly. Desires Corporation’s property in London in  . Styled he may be imploy’d in, which In my Humle. Oppinion “Surveyor”, he was paid £  “ in part for Surveying He will endeavour to do in the most effectual and in London and in the Country about the School and provident Manner, for as no man has more reason to Almshouses” in the year September  to September endeavour to regain your favour, so none will  . Between September  and September  Endeavour to support what is thus dammaged but by he was again styled “Surveyor of the Buildings”.  augmenting yr. Charge… In  he and others spent six days measuring The unfortunate workman may have been a carpenters’ and bricklayers’ work.  So Stedman bricklayer called Richard Bird. Bird had received remained in the Corporation’s service, and even in an intermittent small sums for work from September enhanced position. For between September  and  , none greater than £ s. d. for pulling down September  , still styled “Surveyor”, he was paid the old school in  – , except £  s. d. for £ “for Draughts, and Designs, Measuring and building the kiln in  – . But between Giving Workmen Instructions about the Buildings”, September  and September  he was paid clearly the function of an architect.  He certainly was over £  , and in the following year (which could an architect elsewhere, extensively altering Polesden mean any time in it, even in the first half of it only, and Lacy House, Surrey, between  and  , and thus before March  ) he received a further £  . serving as bridge surveyor for the County of Surrey Thereafter he was paid nothing for four years. A in the  ’s.  letter sent to Thomas Lambard by the Corporation’s However, even if Stedman may have ended up as

THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI   THE SCHOOL AND ALMSHOUSES AT SEVENOAKS the Corporation’s architect in  , he appears to Lord Herbert’s name does not appear in the have had a subordinate position in  – . While documents, but, as the co-operation of Herbert and his payment in that year was clearly for surveying, the Morris is well attested,  it may be that his design was Corporation simultaneously paid gns. to “Mr. James the same as Morris’s, not an alternative. If it was a for Setting of the Ground out and Drawing a plan of joint design it is nonetheless interesting to see it the School and Almshouses”.  This was presumably described as Lord Herbert’s, especially as this was John James, and it was the only payment which the within the lifetime of Colen Campbell, who remained Corporation made him, making his superior but Morris’s master up to his death in  . limited responsibility clear, and this in turn suggests Besides meeting (as previously) to let work or to the continuing need for Stedman as a surveyor. But order payments for materials, the Corporation also between September  and September  the met between September  and September  Corporation “Paid Mr. Morriss Surveyor for drawing “to Conclude about the Building”, then “to have the a Draught of the School and Almshouses” gns., the Opinion of Mr. Andrews and Mr. Dunn (Surveyors) same as James two years previously, and for much the of the Building”, and eventually “to Agree and same task.  A signed estimate submitted later, in Conclude of Matters about the Building”, all  , reveals that this was Roger Morris; presumably presumably after the collapse in March. A “meeting he replaced James. In a draft set of accounts the gn. to Receive proposalls from the Bricklayers in Order payment records Sir Charles Farnaby as an to Lett the Building” must refer to new proposals, as intermediary (“paid Sr. Charles Farnaby the monei the same process had been gone through two years as he paid Mr. Morris for ye draught of the Almes before.  For some reason these proposals were sent house”).  Morris’s final payment, between to Malling and cried there.  The successful September  and September  , was £  , tenderers were Thomas and George Kipps of for drawing Drafts, and designes, making of Molds, Kemsing, whose articles of agreement were dated   Surveying, and Attending, from time to time during the June  . Thomas Kipps had tendered with Building of the free School and Almshouses Giving Thomas Wigsell in  , evidently unsuccessfully.  Instructions, and Directions, to the Several Workmen Andrews’s and Dunn’s, rather than Hutchinson’s, and Artificers for their doing, compleating and advice seems to have prevailed, as the Kippses agreed Finishing the same.  to take down the brick and stone work in the school By that date his responsibilities were evidently more and alms house, and to lay “Rough Stone Work in extensive. The accountant noted that these last tasks Foundation”, suggesting a new start. Immediate “commenced abt. March  ”, which was the time payments were made to Andrews and Dunn, but not of the collapse.  to Hutchinson. They were paid gns. for “Viewing A summary estimate of all the tradesmen’s work the building and giving in their Opinions thereof”, “for Building the Almshouse and Charity School at  and Andrews alone (though perhaps tacitly on behalf Oaks ... according to a Design made by the Right of his partner) was paid gn. “for Surveying the House Honble. Henry Lord Herbert” was also submitted.  and the Draughts”.  Nevertheless Hutchinson was It is undated, but it may have been made at this time. retained, receiving his expenses in April  for his It totalled £ , s. d., but the mason’s and appearance in the Chancery proceedings;  but his bricklayer’s work amount to £ ,  s. d., too close only direct payment was recorded in May  , for to the Kipps’s and their subsequent partner John measuring when the new work was near complete.  Mackinder’s total receipts of £ ,  s. d. (which The Kippses’ articles and the estimate of Lord commenced at this moment) to be a co-incidence. Herbert’s design reveal features of the new proposals

THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI   THE SCHOOL AND ALMSHOUSES AT SEVENOAKS which correspond to what was actually built. Lord by Roger Morris, both Kippses and John Cross;  it Herbert’s design was to resemble the present may have resulted from an undated measurement of building; it was to be executed in galletted stone, bricklayers’ work by the surveyors.  The “School with three “cupiloes”, presumably one to each House Roof was Raised” apparently between May almshouse range, and one to the school. It proposed and July  . “A Meeting of the Wardens and pantiled roofs which were replaced in slate between Assistants when they Consulted about Fixing on  and  , but which several subsequent proper persons to Measure the Carpenters and payments demonstrate were executed. The Kippses Bricklayers Work” in December   may have agreed to lay and “garret” (here used frequently as a resulted in the “Measuring” which took place in synonym for gallet) “the Square headed Work January  . Reduced to Fourteen inches thick”, following a Signs of finishing at least the northern row of formula described as “ Mr. Morriss method” in a almshouses are evident for the summer of  . In separate and anonymous undated calculation sheet, June tiling laths were cleaved for plastering laths.  in which another method is calculated according to In August “Mr. Mines Plaisterer” was paid £  s d “Mr. Bird’s prises”.  They also agreed to follow a in full for “Measured Work for the Ceiling and “Specimen or Pattern set up near the said Building Rendring the North Wing of the Almshouses”;  and according to the good liking of the surveyor this was probably John Mines, who later worked at appointed for that purpose”. This must have been Wolterton Hall  and at St. Margaret’s, Westminster.  done, as the Corporation paid s. d. “for setting up a  bushels of hair was paid for in November, and  Pattern for the Bricklayers to build by”.  in January  . Locks, hinges, staples, screws and Few payments in the Corporation’s accounts nails “for the Almshouses” were bought from Mr. reflect a new start, except that Gervas Thorpe, the (later Sir Ambrose) Crowley in August  , and plumber, was paid “for Taking off and laying on  Edward Dalton the smith was paid for wedges, hund: of lead on the Almshouses”.  But a payment cramps and screws as well as for work.  Casement in December  “for Moving of Stones out of the hooks and saddle bars were paid for in February Street at ye Almshouses”, four days’ work, may  . A few days later Gervas Thorpe was paid for reflect the collapse, as the street is an unlikely place painting and glazing.  Attention shifted to the to have left stone newly delivered.  Quantity of offices. In late  or early  “the ground behind stone eclipsed that of brick as the principal material the Almshouses was levelled”. At about the same bought in  – ; to that was added pantiles time “the Paving of the Yard behind the North ( , landed at Deptford in December  Almshouses” was let to George Kipps, the bricklayer alone),  and pantile lath (sawn out of redundant and mason.  In May boards were sawn for sheds for scaffolding deals in October  ).  Payments for the almshouses.  The pre-  plan (Fig. ) shows lead in December  , and for smith’s work in the the sheds surrounding a rear courtyard, as they still middle of  reflect progress.  The “School Floor do (Fig. ).  The painters’ and glaziers’ work was and Porticue” were raised on the last day of  ; the measured.  The “Partitioning and Cornice” at the recipients of beer on this occasion were carpenters, school, and the floors and other carpenters’ work suggesting that this porticue, whatever it was, was done by measure in the north row of almshouses was made of wood.  A meeting of two Assistants measured.  (Farnaby and Petley) and both Wardens on  April By this time Sir Philip Yorke’s action had been  “to Consult about the Building and to Give brought to trial. The first sign of litigation in the Orders for Money to pay the Workmen” was attended Corporation accounts occurs between September

THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI   THE SCHOOL AND ALMSHOUSES AT SEVENOAKS

Fig. . Sevenoaks: sheds on east side of North Alms Row. Richard Hewlings.

Fig. . Sevenoaks: South Alms Row, from the south-west. Richard Hewlings.

THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI   THE SCHOOL AND ALMSHOUSES AT SEVENOAKS

 and September  , the year of the collapse, Effort was therefore directed towards the south when the Corporation met “to give in our answer to row of almshouses before the appeal was heard (Fig. the Bill in Chancery”.  Two years later, in April ). No date is recorded for their beginning. But some  , Thomas Harris, the attorney, was paid his fees time between September  and September  (£  ) “for Soliciting for the Corporation and “the Floors of the Almshouses (South Wing)” were Attending the Commission”.  A coach was hired to raised.  Later in the same accounting year “the take Hutchinson up to London where he attended South Wing of the Almshouses [presumably the the Commission for two days (at the rather lesser roof] were raised”. “Centers” were also made, and, cost of £ s.).  Thomas Townshend, who had as none of the rooms are vaulted, these may have been made bricks for the almshouses between  and for drains or cesspits connected to the boghouses of  , was paid for coming ten miles by horse and also Morris’s and Hillyard’s estimate.  Paving bricks attending the Commission for two days. Edward were bought in February  , presumably for the Dalton, the smith, was sent “to Burling, Greenwich, boghouse floors, as specified.  Wickham, and Westerham with Subpoenas and for Work also continued on the school. In June Mr. Horses to bring down Mr. Hutchinson and Mr. Pattison, a smith (probably Joseph Pattison, whom Hussey”, presumably another friendly witness. Morris later engaged at Wimbledon House and No.  Stedman also went up to London on a hired horse.  Argyll Street  ), was paid for “the Fane and Spindle The case was heard by the Master of the Rolls (Sir for the School and Gilding the same”, presumably the Joseph Jekyll) on  March  and adjourned to  weathervane on the lantern which is so characteristic May.  Jekyll had employed Morris’s master, Colen of Morris’s style.  Edward Dalton was paid for Campbell, to build the Rolls House in  – , and it “cramps, Plates Bolts Chimney Irons”,  and the is possible that he knew who Morris was;  but he bricklayers were paid for putting in mantelpieces, had a prejudice against charities, though mostly possibly in either building.  against religious ones.  The Attorney-General and The appeal was heard by the Lord Chancellor his relators were evidently successful, as it was the (Lord King  ) on  January and  February  . defendants who were given leave to appeal.  Lord King was also familiar with building, having The relators appear to have alleged that £  , had Ockham Park rebuilt by Hawksmoor in the had already been spent on building, and that £ , previous year.  Morris’s and Hildyard’s estimate was still needed to finish it.  In fact by September was evidently accepted as evidence; Lord King  little more than £ , had been spent, but the decreed that the school and almshouses were to be recital of these figures in open court may have finished up to a cost of £   s. d.. Both parties challenged the Corporation, for on  May  were to resolve the other contentious issues (the Roger Morris and Francis Hillyard (a carpenter who management of the charity) before a Master in developed parts of Mayfair close to Morris’s own Chancery. Costs were awarded to both sides from the house  ) submitted an estimate Corporation’s funds. On  March Thomas Harris for building the South Wing of the Almshouses already wrote to Thomas Lambard in Sevenoaks inviting his begun – Finishing the School House in a plain manner, urgent comments on the Chancellor’s decree before Also finishing the South Wing after ye manner of the it was registered, in particular on the sum allowed for North Wing already built, Inclosing the South Court finishing, which he suspected was not enough; with behind the said Almshouses and building  small sheds materials, he thought that £ , might be more for Fireing, also  Boghouses and paving the same. accurate. He needed to speak to Roger Morris The estimate totalled £  . s d..  urgently, but he did not

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know where to send to him and if I had he is so them.  Paving bricks were bought, and John difficult a man to be met with that [illegible] attending Warrington was paid “for paving over against the had been very uncertain and if he had the other side School and Alms row”.  Thorpe and Baker might have objected [illegible] his saying of anything mended the pumps.  Coping stones were bought, to the purpose.  presumably for the fence walling.  “Headed stones” The Corporation’s belated awareness of the need were bought to floor the kitchen passage.  Posts and for careful financial management made its appearance rails “before the School and Almshouses” were sawn in their accounts between September  and and painted.  The posts, at least, are shown on the September  . Early on they met “when the pre-  plan (Fig. ) and iron railings still stand on Trades men and Artificiers brought in their Bills in the same alignment. William Jones was paid “for order to see how far the Money was Expended yt. Turning a Ball for the Cupiloe”,  and George was allowed by the Court of Chancery”. They met Kipps, bricklayer and mason, was paid for “Cutting a again “at London wn. The Wardens made affidavit Ball”, the last at least presumably stone.  As the yt. the Money allow’d p[er] the Court were laid out vane on the school cupola had already been gilded in Building”.  Doubtless acutely aware of the by that date, this cupola and these balls may have penalties of negligence, the Corporation met been elsewhere, perhaps on the alms rows, as the unusually frequently. They held three meetings “to estimate for Lord Herbert’s design allowed for “  Consult abot. the Buildings”, and five “to Balance Cupiloes made with Right Wainscott”. Accompts with ye Several Tradesmen yt. work at the But the buildings were still incomplete. In May Buildings”.  Harris was paid “the Remaindr. of his  , an “Estimate of finishing all Sevenoaks” Bill of Costs, in full”, £   s. d..  included “Fitting up the School Room,…Boarding Little other than “Glaising and painting” by the flooring,…Making the Timber petishion and Gervas Thorpe and Stephen Baker needed to be flooring good”, and £   s. for a “Stare Case done at the south alms row.  A large quantity of complete”, presumably all in the school house.  ironmongery was needed, mainly in connection with yards of render,  yards “Lath plastering”, the glazing—hooks, rides, mathooks,  saddle bars, painting, “Glazing + Casments +c.”, “Gates and front  casements with springs, one “pattern casement” Doors”, and “Doors Locks Hings and Lining and five closet locks.  Thorpe and Baker were paid Skirting Shelter and Wind Boards” could have been for “putting in Quarry’s”.  There were two for either school or almshouses. Further sheds were payments for measuring, one for “the Bricklayers and required, doubtless for the south alms row,  plaisterers Work at the South Wing of the Almshouses yards of paving, presumably stone, and more brick and paving the Yards and Walk and all the Fence paving. The estimate amounted to £   s. d..  Walling &c”, and one “ Measuring at South Almsrow, Within a month of this estimate the Corporation the floors, Cornice Guttering, Rafters feet, and had agreed with John Mackinder of Sevenoaks, Lintelling for the Carpentrs.”.  In the summer of carpenter, and the bricklayer George Kipps, no  the Corporation began to issue weekly pay for  longer of Kemsing now, but also of Sevenoaks, to poor people instead of the previous  , indicating carry out these works. Their contract describes what that by then both wings were occupied.  was proposed (and almost certainly implemented) in The sheds behind the north row were built useful detail.  George Kipps and John Mackinder during the same year (Fig. ). Timber was bought for were the only building tradesmen present, with Mr. them, boards and pantile laths were sawn for them, Morris, described as surveyor, at the “meeting to and John Morgan, carpenter, was paid for building setteling the accounts” on  September  , at

THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI   THE SCHOOL AND ALMSHOUSES AT SEVENOAKS which a chine of mutton weighing  lb. oz. with Bosville and James, Bennet was a landowner in capers and “cowcombers” and three fowls were eaten Greenwich, and in  he had sold Maze Hill House by the nine attenders. “Passing ower a Counts” there to the Duke of Richmond, who rebuilt it, required a rump of beef, “  plumpudens” a leg of possibly to the design of Roger Morris.  He regarded mutton with “turnoups” and a “gous” to be eaten.  the proposals as reasonable and referred the case Morris was paid £  , and early in the following back to the Lord Chancellor for further directions. accounting year Kipps and Mackinder were paid Lord King had resigned in November  , and their final instalment “for Finishing the School and the case was heard by his successor, Lord Talbot, on Almshouses psuant to Articles of Agreement”.   April  . He confirmed part of the proposals, The building needed further adjustments, but Morris but declined a decision on the remainder until the was not to be paid for them, perhaps because he was Duke of Dorset, one of the Assistants, completed his on the trip to Italy which he was reported to have term as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and returned to begun in June  . Thus Stedman finally took his Knole.  In the meantime Bennet, fortified with more place as architect, expressed by his payment “for accurate or more recent figures, submitted a second, Draughts, and Designs” between September  and more decisive and specific report. The Corporation’s September  . income now stood at £  s. d., and the capital at There was not much for him to do. Rubbish had £, . He proposed spending the latter first on fire to be cleared and the school field levelled, ploughed, engines, and then on buying land for an infirmary.  harrowed, sowed and rolled. The south alms row The case came on, unexpectedly, before Lord Talbot lacked locks and somewhere brass knockers were on  January  . Lord Talbot had just bought wanting. Mackinder put up shelves there. The tiling Barrington Park, Gloucestershire, and was contem- of the sheds was completed, and paving was laid plating rebuilding it.  He flatly rejected fire engines, “abt. the pump”  . Some chimneys needed to be “wash house or pest house”. On the following day altered, carrying on into the next accounting year, Henry Bosville, son of one of the Assistants, wrote to when Dalton provided irons for them “and Iron his father with an account of the proceedings: Barrs for the School Windows”  ; the chimneys may have been in the school house, to which bricks were When an Infirmary + a Workhouse was mention’d he was entirely against ‘em, & said, no more buildings, delivered in the same year. In that year Kipps made there has been enough of that already; some favourite “Vaults to the Boghouses and new Drains and bricklayer is to be employ’d in it.  Sewers”. The boghouses were at least in part of stone, and the vaults and drains required timber Was this fair? Among artificers, the Kippses were centres.  Some time before September  Kipps favoured from  to  ; Richard Bird was not, was paid for “ hanging Mr. Simpsons Coppers, [and] with evident justification. Other partiality is impossible putting up Grates and Stoves”.  In the same year to discern. Among architects, it is possible to identify Simpson’s return to the school house was recorded connections with patrons, but it is not possible to by the transport “of Nineteen load of Hay, Fagots, demonstrate interest. For instance, John James lived Cord Wood, Coals and other Goods” for him;  he in Greenwich, in a house of his own design with a had been elsewhere for six years. giant order and an attic storey.  William Bosville On  December  Thomas Bennet, Master in also had a house in Greenwich,  and Bradbourne Chancery, heard the proposals of Sevenoaks Hall, his house in Sevenoaks, had a giant order and Corporation for the further disposal of their surplus an attic, not unlike James’s;  it is possible that James income, as Lord King had decreed he should.  Like designed it. The proposal for Sevenoaks School and

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Almshouses put forward by Wigsell and Kipps in Farnaby; and when he attended a meeting of the  included galleting “to be done the same as is the Corporation on  April  the only Assistants North End of Mr. Bosvilles house at Bradbourne”, present were Farnaby and Petley. This could have and rustic work to be modelled on “the Frieze and been a co-incidence, but, if not, it is possible that Facia at Mr. Bosvilles”.  Their proposal could have James had the backing of Bosville and Lambard, been to build Burlington’s design, but it is more likely Morris that of Farnaby and Petley. to have been James’s, Burlington’s being unsolicited. Morris may also have been known to the Duke of If so, James may have been Bosville’s “favourite Dorset, who only became an Assistant in  , but as bricklayer”. And if Hutchinson’s statement that “the the owner of Knole, which overlooks the school and present directions… were well weighed and ordered almshouses and whose park surrounds them, his by… Mr. Lambard” refer to James’s building, he may views were probably hard to ignore. The Duke was a have been Lambard’s as well. However, Thomas member of the Leicester House circle, followers of Lambard’s brother, Multon Lambard, Lieutenant- the Prince of Wales. His political leader was his uncle, Governor of Tilbury Fort and Gravesend, had Sir Spencer Compton, the Prince’s Treasurer, who employed Vanbrugh to design him a villa at The had represented the Sackville borough of East Vine, a little to the north of Sevenoaks School.  Grinstead.  George Bubb Dodington was their James had designed other school buildings. He closest political ally, and Sir Francis Dashwood, heir had submitted a design for Eton College Library to the Earl of Westmoreland, was another.  Roger some time before  , which had not been Morris worked for all these men. He had worked for accepted,  although he had long-standing Eton the Prince at Leicester House, where Colen Campbell connections; he had been apprenticed to Matthew was the architect.  He succeeded Campbell as Banckes between  and  , at the time when Compton’s architect at Eastbourne Place in  . Banckes was building the Upper School.  He He designed Dodington’s London house in  , evidently retained a professional connection with completed Eastbury for him in  , built a house in Eton, enlarging Baylies House, Slough, for Provost Hammersmith for him in  , and went to Italy with Godolphin in  – . Furthermore James had a him in  – . He probably made additions to pedagogical background. His father had been Master West Wycombe Park for Dashwood.  a He almost of the Holy Ghost School, Basingstoke, from  to certainly completed Mereworth Castle for Lord  ; so committed was he to the maintenance of Westmoreland after Campbell’s death, and designed professional standards that one of his pupils was Mereworth church.  alleged to have died from bruising to his liver caused Lord Burlington had designed Westminster “by Mr. James causing two or three boys to draw him School Dormitory, built between  and  , and it up the end of the table to be whipped”, and a further is possible that experience gained or interest aroused five or six boys to have died of “consumption” from as the architect of a school building encouraged him his “unreasonable correcting and whipping of to offer his services at Sevenoaks.  Lord Burlington them”.  The Rev. James’s extreme behaviour was also had a connection with the Duke of Dorset. The presented before his patrons, the Skinners’ Duke’s first cousin was Charles Boyle, th. Earl of Company, and probably gained him some notoriety: Orrery. Lord Orrery’s father had died when he was his architect son might therefore have been recognised ; he had been brought up by his Sackville mother, in schoolmasterly circles. probably at Knole, and educated at Sevenoaks Morris, on the other hand, had his first payment School until he went on to St. Paul’s;  his elder for work at Sevenoaks from the hands of Sir Charles brother, the rd. Earl, had borne the Sackville name

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Fig.  . Sevenoaks: South Alms Row, window and masonry detail. Richard Hewlings.

Fig.  . Sevenoaks: “porticue” to South Alms Row. Richard Hewlings.

THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI   THE SCHOOL AND ALMSHOUSES AT SEVENOAKS of Lionel, had married the Duke’s illegitimate half- to add a “pest house”, its ambition and diversity of sister, had represented the Sackville borough of East charitable purpose would have been unique. What Grinstead in Parliament, and had been buried, with was realised is still unusual. Although there are his wife, in the Sackville chapel at Withyham; his numerous Georgian schools, numerous Georgian widow had then married another Boyle cousin, the nd. almshouses, and combinations of the two are not Viscount Shannon, who represented East Grinstead rare, very few of either were designed by leading from  to  , while the school and almshouse metropolitan architects.  Sevenoaks School is were being rebuilt.  Elijah Fenton, the poet, and almost alone, with the Dormitory at Westminster Pope’s collaborator in translating The Iliad , had been School and the Library at Eton College, as a school the th. Earl’s secretary from  , and Master of building of accomplished “Palladian” type. Is it a co- Sevenoaks School from  to  . Although incidence that two of the architects who were Lords Orrery and Burlington were only second involved at Sevenoaks submitted designs for these cousins, Lord Burlington was regarded as head of the two school buildings? Boyle family, and when Orrery was arrested in  The buildings are not only interesting because of under suspicion of complicity in the Atterbury Plot, their typological scarcity. Morris’s design is unusual Burlington stood surety for his bail.  Documented also, and its character quite different from the patrician meetings between Burlington and the Duke are hard splendour of the buildings at Westminster and Eton. to find. But Lady Burlington dined at Sevenoaks on They are faced in the beautiful soft ragstone of the her way to Tunbridge Wells in June  ; and when Weald (Fig.  ). This stone is scarcely capable of she was there in July  she told her husband that taking a smooth surface or a sharp arris, certainly she had had a message brought from the Duchess at incapable of maintaining them. It is therefore Knole by Mrs. Chambers (niece of Lady Betty unsuitable for elegant or polished effects, but well Germain, who lived there) and Mr. Carey (the Duke’s suited for rustic ones. The joints are decorated with secretary as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland).  shards of ragstone galleting, meticulously set out. Morris could have been recommended by Lord Although the technique is local, it is far from being Burlington. Burlington would presumably have met unskilled or clumsy; indeed it must have increased Morris through Colen Campbell, who rebuilt the expense without much practical benefit. Morris Burlington House between  and  . In  used it again at Mereworth church in  . He must Morris was building Castle Hill, Devon, with advice therefore have chosen these materials deliberately, from Lords Burlington and Herbert, so a working responding to the colour and consistency of the relationship had been established by then.  Later, in ragstone and to the reflective quality of the galleting  , Morris and Burlington were to design Kirby in a manner more intuitive than is usually expected Hall in Yorkshire.  from early eighteenth-century architects, who Finally, simple local connections cannot be ruled generally appear to have favoured materials which out. Morris almost certainly succeeded Campbell as accurately translate the effect of the most finely ruled architect of Mereworth Castle, ten miles to the east, lines on chalk white paper. Instead Morris achieved on the latter’s death in  , and was probably working an effect of shimmering or rippling lines (Fig.  ). His there from c.  . He was the architect of Combe inspiration for this effect, in  , when he had not Bank, only just outside the parish of Sevenoaks to the yet visited Italy, may have been a drawing, probably north-west, from c.  . He could have been one of the rustic drawings of Inigo Jones’s, such as known to the Corporation by local reputation. Jones’s proposal for a stable, which Morris could Had Lord Talbot not forbidden the Corporation have seen in the collection of Lord Burlington. 

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Bred up, as he surely was, to the concept of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS architectural decorum , Morris would naturally have I am grateful to the Governors and Headmaster of designed a charitable institution in a rustic style, to Sevenoaks School for permission to examine their archives, and to Kent County Council for permission to indicate its modest and dependent status. Benefactors examine archives in Sevenoaks Public Library and in the would have objected to vain pilasters or showy Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone. I am particularly ornament being thrown away on the poor. Consumers grateful to Mr. Brian Rayner, archivist, and Clerk of the of art in the Rococo period were not troubled by the almshouses, and to Mr. Julian Patrick, the Bursar, and to artificiality of expressing lowly status by skilful, even his staff for putting their facilities at my disposal. expensive techniques, so long as decorum was But I am most indebted to Mr. Kim Taylor, Headmaster observed. Morris’s intention was therefore picturesqu e from  to  , and Governor from  , first for in the literal sense, and his effect picturesque in the opening all the doors within the school administration, and cultural sense, both some time before that particular secondly for his enthusiastic assistance with my research. word established its currency. Mr. Taylor found the documents in the School archives cited at notes  ,  ,  and  , found the long-lost Corporation Chest at Messrs. Knocker and Foskett, solicitors, where I had previously enquired without success, and arranged for its return to the School, where I was able to examine its contents.

Dr. Eveline Cruickshanks supplied information about Lord NOTE Orrery. Sir Howard Colvin read a draft of this article and All the foregoing dates have been put into New Style. suggested several improvements.

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APPENDIX I : BUILDING TRADESMEN PAID BY SEVENOAKS CORPORATION , ‒ [from SCC , Account Book, cit. ]. £. s. d Richard Bird Mason & Bricklayer  –  . .  Thomas Wigzell (Wigsell) Mason & bricklayer  –  .  .  Thomas Kipps Mason & Bricklayer  – ,. .  George Kipps Mason & Bricklayer  – } John Warrington Paviour  –  .  . 

Thomas Cowlard Carpenter  –  . .  Nicholas Lock Carpenter  –  . .  William Mantle Carpenter  –  . .  John Cross Carpenter  – . .  Thomas Piper Carpenter  – John Morgan Carpenter  – } .  .  John Mackinder (with George Kipps) Carpenter  – . .  Thomas Eldridge Sawyer  –  .  .  Thomas Pullin (Pullen) Sawyer  –  .  .  George King Sawyer  – . .  James Beaman Sawyer  – .  .  William Jones Turner  – . 

Mr. Mines Plasterer   .  .  John Wood Lath river  .  . 

Gervas Thorp (alone) Plumber  – . .  Thomas Matthews (with Gervas Thorp) Painter & glazier  – . .  Stephen Baker (with Gervas Thorp) Painter & glazier  – . .  Godin Rogers Painter & glazier  – .  . 

 Edward Dalton Smith  –  .  .  ⁄

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APPENDIX II : MACKINDER ’ S AND KIPPS ’ S AGREEMENT FOR FINISHING THE SCHOOL HOUSE , JUNE  [summarised from SPL, U  / E/, a twentieth-century copy, and corrected from the original in Sevenoaks Corporation Chest].

In the school house the ground floor was to be paved Desks to be raised  Inches above the floor in the with brick, except for the kitchen passage, which was middle for children to sit upon”. The schoolroom to be paved with “Headed stone”. “According to the was to have a Portland slab chimneypiece and hearth; plan” the attic storey was to be divided by oak other fireplaces were to be paved with tiles. Casements partitions into four rooms and the garrets into two. were to be of iron, the “Glaising as Good as yt. already The stair was to have oak steps on the lowest storey done at the Almsrows”. Internal doors were to have (where the wear was doubtless greatest), and to have fanlights to light the passages. The two front doors a “Rail Banister and String board”, which presumably were to be of double deal, and with eight raised panels, means a closed string; the next storey appears to have the panels in. thick, the frames in. thick. There were been more elegant, with “a  inch Turned Banister to be two pairs of gates, ” thick, with raised panels to Impost base plinths and String board”. The doors the exterior, and with one wicket in each. The shed on the lower storey were to be of deal, ledged and mentioned in the estimate seems actually to have been battened (the simplest door type) with H-hinges, a brewhouse,  feet by  , and  foot high, with ten screwed. The lower storey was to have neither feet to be partitioned off for a stable with hayloft over. “window boards” (presumably shutters) nor skirting, It was to be a framed building of oak, with feather- but all other floors were, made of deal. Doors on the edged board walls, tarred, and a tiled roof. The stable principal floors were to be panelled, with ” floor was to be of stone, the brewhouse of brick, and architraves and “good Duftail Hinges with Screws”. it was to have an oven and a “flow” for the coppers. Floors on the principal floor were of oak with straight There were also to be two boghouses, details joints, on the chamber and garret floors they were of unspecified. In the Corporation’s accounts these deal with folding joints. The school room was to articles are summarised as “Finishing the School have closets partitioned off, “a Deske for the Master house, and Building, Brewhouse, Stable and other and a row of forms all Round with a Deske before it work”. The brewhouse and stable were not built of Good Yellow Deal the Floor on the outside the until  – (see Appendix  ).

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APPENDIX III : BUILDINGS ADDED BETWEEN  AND  .

After  years in post the Master, John Simpson, was Work and Materialls in building the wall whereon the eventually removed in  . The buildings had still to Palisadoes are set up”.  reach their full extent. A stable and brewhouse were A coach house was added between September added between September  and  . They were  and September  , on an unidentified site. presumably the buildings shown in the enclosure Thomas Covell was the mason; Francis Sharvill was north of the school house, east of the north alms row, the carpenter; John Martin was the blacksmith; and in a survey plan by E.E. and G.Cronk of Sevenoaks Richard Harvey was the plumber and painter.  in  (Fig.  ).  No architect is recorded, but a Some small improvements were made to the surveyor called Barns was paid gns. for measuring interior of the school house, none to the almshouses, and valuing the workmanship, and Hampton and although both were regularly maintained. Between Morgan, two identifiably local carpenters, together September  and September  Thomas Pain, with a mason called Luke Childmaid, surveyed the carpenter, was paid “for New Wainscotting at the bricklayers’ and carpenters’ work. The work was School House and for work in Papering”; Holmes carried out by George Kipps, his last work for the and Wheatley were paid “for Paper hangings for the Corporation, for his widow was included in his £  School House”; and Thomas Bartram was paid “for s.  d. payment; the Corporation paid for Thomas Canvas and Twine used about Ditto”. Bartram was  Parker to be apprenticed to Widow Kipps and Stephen paid for  pieces of printed paper and  ⁄ yds. of Kipps, bricklayer, presumably George’s son. Thomas “Hessing” in  – , and Thomas Pain, the Pain, carpenter, was paid £  , and the Corporation carpenter, was paid for putting it up. In  – a paid for Thomas Wilds to be apprenticed to him.  new chimneypiece was set up in the hall (presumably The gate piers either side of the school house, of the one that is there now), together with a Bath stove which those to the north still survive, were added and fender.  between September  and September  . Serious repairs had become necessary by  . In William Covell, mason, was paid £  s. d. then for November Samuel Green of Sevenoaks surveyed the “new building the Stone Piers of the great Gates at roof and reported that the timbers were good, but the School House and in setting up a new Boghouse that the pantiles wanted pointing and that snow got there”. Thomas Pain was paid £  s. d. “for the in; he advised stripping the roof. In June  the Great Gates…being fram’d of Oak and the doors of architect John Whichcord, of Whichcord and best Christiana deal”.  Walker, Maidstone, submitted a specification for re- The “Iron Palisadoes” in front of the school roofing the school house alone (“both Center and house are clearly eighteenth-century, yet they are not Wing buildings”). A tender for doing so jointly by shown on the only eighteenth-century plan (Fig. ). Daniel Grover, James Eastwood and Bryan Burton Indeed straight joints between the dwarf walls on was received; it was presumably unsuccessful, as a which they stand and the two alms rows either side bill for carrying out the work was submitted by N. confirm that they were an after-thought. They were How and Sons, amounting to £  s. d.. actually added, at a cost of £   s. d., between Whichcord and Walker submitted another September  and September  . The ironmonge r specification for re-roofing the north almshouses in who both supplied and set them up was called May  , again replacing the pantiles. Tenders were Crowder, and William Covell was paid “for the Stone received for doing so from How, William Faulks,

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Fig.  . E.E. and G.Cronk, survey N plan of Sevenoaks School and Almshouses,  . Sevenoaks School.

Bryan Burton, Marchant and Groom, and R. Baker, a brick. The buildings on this site correspond to the plumber; How’s was accepted. This work is eighteenth-century plan, but have stone and brick confirmed by Whichcord’s correspondence in walls, evidently of  . The tenders were submitted  ,which also reveals that the guttering was put up by How and Son, described as carpenters and by a man called Shewin. There is no primary plumbers, Daniel Grover, described as a bricklayer, documentation for re-roofing the south almshouses, William Faulk, Samuel Coomber, John Marchant of but other allusions in Whichcord’s correspondence Riverhead, and Johnson, carpenter; How and Grover of  reveal that this was undertaken in  . Roger were successful.  Morris’s pantiled roofs, which must have been a Both school and almshouse gutters, the latter distinctive feature of the buildings, were thus replaced put up by Shewin in  and  , were evidently by John Whichcord between  and  . inadequate by  . Correspondence from Whichcord The wood houses, privies and pump houses, between April and September in that year discussed built with boarded walls in  – and shown their replacement. Tenders for doing so were received behind the two alms rows on the eighteenth-century from Edward Guest, Thomas Humphries and John plan, were repaired in  . Tenders for doing so Shewen [ sic ]; the successful one is not indicated.  were received in March, and included two drawings The fine iron gates within the arches of the two which reveal that the front wall was to be rebuilt in Љ alms rows (Figs.  and  ), whose style contrasts with

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Fig.  . Sevenoaks School House, west side, before  . Gordon Anckorn .

Fig.  . John M. Hooker, elevation drawing of proposed addition on the north side of Sevenoaks School House,  . Sevenoaks School.

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Fig.  . Sevenoaks School House, from the west. Richard Hewlings.

that of the  – palisadoes, were evidently submitted a specification for repairing windows and supplied in  . In March of that year Bryan Burton external doors.  In  he provided drawings for submitted a specification for smith’s and mason’s the addition of a hat and coat room, new W.C.’s work in erecting both pairs of “folding gates”. Tenders attached to the school house, and for new desks.  for doing so were received from Thomas Humphry One minor work which was not carried out was a [sic ], Richard Hoare and Edward Guest; Humphry’s recommendation in March  by the architect and was successful.  surveyor William Reddell of  Finsbury Circus to Bryan Burton evidently acted as architect for a replace the almshouse windows with wooden sashes. number of minor works between  and  . In Reddell’s survey describes the existing windows as May  he submitted a specification for building iron casements with lead lights.  But the iron three stacks to the almshouses; a bill for doing so was casements, doubtless those supplied by Joseph put in in January  . In October  he submitted Pattison in  and Wells, Sharpe and Whiting in  , a specification for various alterations to the school still survive, though without leaded lights (Fig.  ). house, including re-hanging the front doors, building The character of Morris’s design (Fig.  ) would new steps, removing the dado in the drawing room have been changed by the replacement of the and fitting a new chimneypiece; tenders were pantiles, but it was not fundamentally altered until received from Daniel and James Grover, William  – . In those years the north wing of the school Faulks and N.How and Son. In October  Burton house was extended on all three floors to the design

THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI   THE SCHOOL AND ALMSHOUSES AT SEVENOAKS of John M. Hooker, architect, of  Duke St., Adelphi Approval from the Charity Commissioners was (Fig.  ).  Hooker’s extension repeated Morris’s sought. They sent Potter’s drawings to be vetted by plainer details and was built of identical ragstone. their architect, Ewan Christian, in January  . The It only distinguished itself from the nucleus of the tender of Richard Durtnall of Brasted was accepted, school house by being set well back from the line of and the new buildings were completed in May  . the west elevation (Fig. 8), doubtless mainly to allow The south wing of the school house, originally access to the stable yard to the north; on its east side three storeys high like the north wing, was increased it continued the alignment of the old building and by one storey in height, to level it with the centre. thus, for the first time, made it asymmetrical. The conspicuous asymmetry it created obscured Ten years later the Governors sought to build a Morris’s design, and consequently diminished it new school room and to alter the existing one. In (Fig.  ). Like Hooker’s north extension, its design February  plans were sought from two local repeats Morris’s details and its facing material is firms, the surveyor Cronk, presumably either E.E. or ragstone; the break between it and the original building G.Cronk, who had produced the survey plan of  , has been made almost invisible by weathering. It thus or a relation, and Thomas Potter of  London Rd., compounds the aesthetic offence of its conception by Sevenoaks. In July Hooker sent in some unsolicited concealing it. Unfortunately no documentation of its plans as well. On  July Potter’s were chosen; he design or construction has been found. It cannot be proposed a new school room south of the old school precisely dated; nor can its architect be identified. house, connected to it by an entrance gateway.

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NOTES  Brian Scragg, Sevenoaks School , A History , Bath,  SPL, U  / A,  .  ,  ; J.T.Lennox, Sevenoaks School and its  Ibid. ,  . founder, Sevenoaks,  ,  ; John Rooker, A short  SCC, Account Book,  . account of Sir William Sevenoke and of his school  Scagg, op. cit. ,  ; SPL, Ch  /L / records c.1748 and almshouses,  ,  . that the newly built school only had two or three  William Kent, The Designs of Inigo Jones…, II, scholars because Simpson had been “Guilty of Sev ll London,  , pls.  –. Acts of Hasty and Ill timed Severity”; his conduct  London, Royal Institute of British Architects, was “very odd even rediculous [ sic ].” Library, Drawings Collection, BD VI/ .  a SCC, copy dated  Sept.  of a report of the  Sevenoaks, Sevenoaks Public Library (hereafter case in Chancery,  February  (hereafter cited as SPL), U  / E/. Copy Report),  .  John Newman, The Buildings of England West Kent  Basil Williams, The Whig Supremacy, Oxford,  , and the Weald, Harmondsworth,  ,  – , the  . only account of the architecture to date.  SCC, Account Book,  (“Spent at a Meeting to give  Sevenoaks, Sevenoaks School Archives (hereafter in our Answer to the Bill in Chancery”); London, cited as SSA), plan endorsed “The Ground plan of Public Record Office (hereafter PRO), C  / the School House & Almshouses”. The plan does (Part I), fols.  and  v. not show the “palisadoes”, illustrated in figs.  and  Dictionary of National Biography (hereafter cited as  , which were added between September  and DNB ), XXI,  ,  – , for Yorke; Howard September  (see Appendix III). Colvin, Biographical Dictionary of British Architects  Scragg, op. cit.,  ,  .  – , New Haven and London,  ,  , for  Ibid.,  ,  –. Flitcroft.  H.M.Colvin (ed.), The History of the King’s Works ,  DNB , VIII,  ,  – , for Fuller; Hasted, op.cit., V, London,  ,  .  , for his occupation of the house; Newman, op.  SPL, U  / A (Wardens’ Account Book cit.,  , for its date.  – ),  .  PRO, loc. cit..  Sevenoaks, Sevenoaks School, Sevenoaks  SCC, Account Book,  (Richard Bird, bricklayer, Corporation Chest (hereafter SCC), letter endorsed Thomas Eldridge, sawyer, Nicholas Lock,carpenter, “Mr Stedman’s Act. of the present State of and Richard Hampton, probably a labourer, were Warehouses and repairs.  .” paid £  s. d.).  SCC, envelope containing three letters,  &   SCC, bundle of loose papers,  July  to  Sept. Sept.  .  , evidently a set of draft accounts (hereafter cited  Scragg, op. cit.,  . as Draft Accounts), unpaginated. The rent for  Abstracted from SPL, U  / A (Wardens’ Simpson’s house was paid on  Dec.  ,  Apr. Account Book  – ) and from SCC, “The and  Nov.  ,  June and  Oct.  ,  May Accompt Book of the Corporation… of Sevenoaks. and  Dec.  , and  May  . . Commencing  September  . Ending   SCC, Copy Report, 42 September  ” (hereafter Account Book), passim.  SCC, Account Book,  ,  ,  .  SSA has a copy of the Act (  Georgii I  ).  SPL, U  / E/ /.  Scragg, op. cit.,  .  SCC, loose paper in envelope, endorsed “The  Edward Hasted, History of Kent , Canterbury,  , agreemt. wth. Dr. Thorp for his Timber . Mar: I,  – .  ”; SCC, Account Book,  . The timber came from  Scragg, op. cit.,  – . Friendon in Chiddingstone Parish and cost £410.  SPL, U  / A,  ; Hasted, op.cit.,  ,  – ,  SCC, Account Book, .  – ,  – ,  ; GEC[okayne], The Complete  Ibid.,  – . Baronetage, V, Exeter,  ,  –, for Farnaby.  Ibid.,  ,  .  SCC, Account Book,  .  Ibid.,  .  Ibid .,  .  SPL, U  / E/. This is unfortunately only a

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draft contract, with blank spaces for the day and Court at Knole, but in February  he petitioned month. the Duke of Dorset for payment of a further £  or  SCC, Account Book,  –. Stone came from Sir £ outstanding for doing so. He claimed that he Charles Farnaby’s quarry, and from “Mr Mandys at had borrowed to pay his workmen and had been Bitchet”, sand came from The Vine (an open space, arrested for that money. He was therefore unable to then north of the town, on the road to Dartford, now repair the butchers’ shambles, which he had relied part of Sevenoaks High Street) and from Gallows on doing to clear his debt [Maidstone, Centre for Common, scaffolding poles from “Mr Maddox of Kentish Studies, U  , E  /]. Depford”.  SPL, U  / E/.  Ibid.,  .  SCC, letter endorsed “Mr. Stedman’s Act. of the  Ibid.,  (“Paid Mr. Mines Plaisterer…for the present State of Warehouses and repairs.  ”. Ceiling and Rendring the North Wing of the Alms  SCC, Account Book,  . houses  . . .”); SCC, Draft Accounts, reveal that  Ibid .,  (Stedman was paid £  in this capacity Mines was paid on  August. during that year).  SCC, Account Book,  – (Gervas Thorp  SCC, Draft Accounts, cit.. supplied the pumps for £   s. d.).  SCC, Account Book,  .  Kerry Downes, Vanbrugh, London,  ,  , n. ,  Colvin, Biographical Dictionary, cit.,  . and  .  SCC, Account Book,  .  Cambridge, University Library, University Archives,  Ibid .,  . VCV  (), and Misc. Coll.  .  SPL, U  / E/.  Howard Colvin, “The Fifty New Churches” ,  SCC, Draft Accounts, cit.. Architectural Review, CVII , March  ,  – ;  SCC, Account Book,  . Sally Jeffery, “The work of John James,” University  These four words do not occur in the Account of London Ph.D.,  , catalogue nos. , , ,  ,  , Book, but in a part-transcript, part-digest made by  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  and  . J.T.Lennox, in SPL, D  c (contd), brought to my  W.Marston Acres, The Bank of England from within attention by Mr. Kim Taylor. Lennox may either  – , London,  , I,  , . have transcribed another version of the accounts, or  London, Drapers’ Company, Archives, CB  and he may have included his own inference. Folder e.  .  SSA, twentieth-century transcript of document  Sally Jeffery, The Mansion House, London,  , entitled “A Copy of A Estimate of the Almes +  – ,  . School Houses”. I am indebted to Mr. Kim Taylor  SPL, U  / E/. for bringing this to my attention. The original has  Ibid., E/. These documents (E /–) are early not been found. twentieth-century transcripts of a group of  Colvin, Biographical Dictionary, cit.,  – ,  – . documents in SCC, and contain a few, largely  Ibid .,  . unimportant mistakes. E /, however, transcribes  SCC, Account Book,  . the date  / as  , a crucial error which caused  Ibid .,  . confusion for me until I examined SCC.  SPL, U  / E/.  SCC, Account Book, ,  ,  ,  .  Ibid ., E /. Although Wigsell had received a little  Ibid.,  ,  . work between  and  , totalling £  , Kipps  Ibid.,  ,  . had not [SCC, Account Book, ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ].  SSA, twentieth-century transcript (hereafter cited as In the meantime he had worked for the !st. Earl Harris). I am indebted to Mr. Kim Taylor for Stanhope at Chevening in  [Maidstone, Centre bringing this to my attention. The original has not for Kentish Studies, U  , E  /]. been found.  SCC, Account Book,  .  SCC, Account Book,  (Harris was paid £ s. d.  Ibid .,  ; in the Draft Accounts the payment is dated for this).  April.  Ibid.,  .  Ibid .,  ; in the Draft Accounts the payment is dated  Ibid .,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  .  May.  Bird was ill-fated. He built the tower in the Water  See Appendix III.

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 SCC, loose sheet entitled “The Workmanship for  Ibid.,  . masons work”, currently (  ) in an envelope.  Ibid.,  .  SCC, Account Book,  .  Ibid.,  ; in the Draft Accounts the payment is dated  Ibid.,  .  April.  Idem ; in the Draft Accounts the payment is dated   Idem ; in the Draft Accounts the payment is dated  December  . April.  All the stone bought from September  to  Idem. September  (,  loads) came from Black Hall  PRO, C  / , fol.  v. Farm, evidently the property of William Bosville  Colvin, King’s Works, cit.,  . [Ibid., , , ,  ]  Romney Sedgwick, The House of Commons  Ibid.,  (bought from Mr. Maddox); in the Draft  – , London,  , II,  – Accounts the payment is dated  December.  PRO, Ch  /L /(a); but ibid., (c) puts date as   Ibid .,  ; in the Draft Accounts the payment is dated May  , presumably in error.  October  .  SSA, Harris, cit. .  Ibid.,  (“Mould” lead and “Milld” lead bought  Hillyard built No.  Bruton Street, with Edward from Gervas Thorp); in the Draft Accounts the Cock, in  [Victor Belcher, “The Queen’s Birth payment is dated  December  . Place”, London Topographical Record, XXIV,  ,  Ibid.,  .  ]. In the same year they took a building lease in  Ibid.,  ; the date and the nature of the gift are given the future Berkeley Square area from the th. Lord in the Draft Accounts. Berkeley of Stratton [B.H.Johnson, Berkeley Square  Ibid.,  ; the date and the names of those present to Bond Street, London,  ,  ]. In  Hillyard are given in the Draft Accounts. was the lease-holder of Nos.  and  Berkeley  Idem. Square, and in  he mortgaged the former to  Idem ; the date is not given, but the payment falls Roger Morris [London Metropolitan Archives, between two which are dated in the Draft Accounts. MLR  //, and  // ].  Ibid.,  ; in the Draft Accounts the meeting is dated  SPL, U  / E/ (Bricklayers’ work, which  December  . presumably, as elsewhere at Sevenoaks, included  Ibid.,  ; this may conform to a payment dated  mason’s work, was estimated at £  s d., January  in the Draft Accounts. carpenters’ work at £   s., plasterers’ work at £   Idem; in the Draft Accounts the payment is dated  s d., smiths’ work at £  , painters’ work at £  , June. Timber for the laths came from Penshurst. glaziers’ work at £   s., and plumbers’ work at £ ).  Idem; in the Draft Accounts the payment is dated   SCC, Account Book,  . August.  Ibid.,  .  Gordon Nares, “Wolterton Hall, Norfolk-II”,  Idem (from John Skinner) ; in the Draft Accounts the Country Life , CXXII, July  ,  ,  . payment is dated  February.  Jeffrey, John James , cit., catalogue no.  .  Frances Harris, “…Wimbledon House”, The  SCC , Account Book,  ; in the Draft Accounts these Georgian Group Journal, II,  ,  ; payments are dated  November and  January. F.H.W.Sheppard (ed.), Survey of London, XXXI,  Ibid.,  ; in the Draft Accounts Crowley’s payment London,  ,  . is dated  August.  SCC, Account Book,  (Pattison was also paid for  Ibid.,  (William Wells was paid for the former and “Pattern Casements” at the same time). Gervas Thorpe for the latter); in the Draft Accounts  Ibid.,  . the former payment was made on  and  February,  Ibid.,  . and the latter on  February .  Williams, op. cit .,  .  Ibid.,  .  PRO, Ch.  /LI/ (a); ibid., (c); SCC, Copy Report,  Ibid.,  (the sawyer was Thomas Pullen); in the cit. . Draft Accounts the payment is dated  May .  Laurence Whistler, “Ockham Park, Surrey”,  SSA, plan endorsed “The Ground plan of the Country Life, CVIII, December  ,  ,  – . School House & Alms Houses”.  SSA, Harris, cit.. The illegible words were illegible  SCC, Account Book,  . to the early twentieth-century transcriber.

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 SCC, Account Book,  .  Ibid., (b).  Ibid.,  and  .  Ibid., (c); SPL, Bosville Papers, U  / , Ch  Ibid.,  .  /Ac .  Ibid.,  .  Nicholas Kingsley, The Country Houses of  Ibid.,  and  (Edward Dalton for the hooks, rides Gloucestershire , II, Chichester,  ,  – . and mathooks, William Wells and Robert Sharpe for  SPL, Bosville Papers, U  / , Ch  /Ac . the saddle bars, casements and springs, and Henry  Frank Kelsall, “Hillside and Park Hall, Crooms Hill, Whiting for one pattern casement weighing ten Greenwich,” Transactions of the Greenwich and pounds, paid for by its weight). Lewisham Antiquarian Society, VIII,  ,  – .  Ibid.,  .  Hasted, op. cit.,  – ; SCC, one of three letters in  Ibid.,  . an envelope, concerning the transfer of the  Ibid.,  . warehouses to the Commissioners of Customs, was  Ibid.,  and  (John Mackinder was paid for the written by W. Bosville, at Greenwich on  timber, and Thomas Pullen for sawing boards, September  . slitting deals and sawing pantile laths).  Christopher Rayner, Sevenoaks Past, Chichester,  Ibid.,  (John Skinner supplied , ).  ,  ; Hasted, op. cit., opposite p.  .  Ibid.,  .  SPL, U  / E/.  Idem (from George Kipps).  Hasted, op. cit., I,  and  – , for the relationship  Ibid.,  . of Thomas and Multon (later Sir Multon) Lambard;  Ibid.,  and  (James Beaman sawed them and Charles Dalton, George The First’s Army, I, London, Thorpe and Baker painted them).  ,  , for Lambard’s military position; Colvin,  Ibid.,  . Biographical Dictionary, cit.,  , for the  Ibid.,  . attribution to Vanbrugh; London, Victoria and  SPL, U  / E/. Albert Museum, Prints and Drawings, D.  –  Ibid., E/, summarized at Appendix II, infra.. (inscribed “Coll. Lamberts house”), D.  – ,  SPL, D  c contd .. I am indebted to Mr. Kim and D.  – appear to be Vanbrugh’s drawings Taylor for bringing this document to my attention. (although D.  – , D.  – , and D.  – ,  SCC, Account Book,  . although catalogued as the same building, do not  Ibid.,  . resemble it at all); London, Sir John Soane’s  Colvin, op. cit.,  . Museum, MS diary of William Freeman, p.  ,  SCC, Account Book,  . contains a description of it.  Idem (a Mr. Mollineux supplied brass knockers and  T.P.Connor, Unbuilt Eton, Eton,  , 8. The locks for the sheds). attribution of this design to James was made by Mr.  Ibid.,  and  . John Brushe in a letter to Dr. Connor, after  Ibid.,  . publication; Dr. Connor and I are both convinced.  Ibid.,  .  Colvin, Biographical Dictionary, cit.,  and  .  Ibid.,  .  Ibid.,  .  PRO, Ch  /L /(a) and (b).  Victoria History of the Counties of England,  Neil Rhind, Blackheath Village and Environs, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, II, Westminster, London ,  ,  , and plate  . This attribution is  ,  – . only a guess. Morris worked for the Duke at  Sedgwick, op. cit., I,  ,  – , II,  . Goodwood [Colvin, Biographical Dictionary, cit.,  Ibid., I,  ,  .  ,  ; T.P.Connor, “Architecture and planting at  T.P.Connor, “Colen Campbell as Architect to the Goodwood”, Sussex Archaeological Collections, Prince of Wales”, Architectural History, XXII,  , CXVII,  ,  ,  ,  ], and Maze Hill House  . resembles Morris’s design for George Bubb  Chatsworth, Devonshire Collection, Archives, Dodington’s house at Hammersmith. Eastbourne Estate Papers, Box P, Folder / (  Williams, op. cit., ; DNB , XI, ‒,  . Nov.  “Mr. Morris ye Survaior is Just now  PRO, Ch  /L /(a) and (c). Come”) and  ( May  “Mr. Morris ye

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Surveyer was here”). In these papers he is  Eveline Cruickshanks, “The Political Career of the distinguished from Arthur Morris of Lewes, Third Earl of Burlington”, in Toby Barnard and indicated as “Mr. Morris ye mason”. Jane Clark (eds.), Lord Burlington, Architecture, Art  Colvin, Biographical Dictionary , cit. , ‒; John and Life, London and Rio Grande,  ,  . Ingamells, Dictionary of British and Irish Travellers  Chatsworth, Letters, Lady Burlington (at Tonbridge) in Italy  – , New Haven and London,  , to Lord Burlington (at Tottenham Park),  June  .  – .  Ibid., Lady Burlington (at Tonbridge) to Lord  a [Gervase Jackson. Stops], West Wycombe Park, Burlington,  July  ; Charles J. Phillips, History London, , ,  . of the Sackville Family, London, Toronto, Melbourne  Colvin, Biographical Dictionary, cit.,  . and Sydney, [  ],  , for Mrs. Chambers;  Susanna Smith, “The Westminster Dormitory”, in Sedgwick, op. cit., I,  – , for Walter Carey. Edward Corp (ed.), Lord Burlington—The man and  Colvin, Biographical Dictionary,  . his politics , Lampeter,  ,  – .  Ibid.,  .  G.E.C[okayne], The Complete Peerage , X, London,  Ibid.,  .  ,  – ; DNB , II, Oxford,  ,  . I am  Ibid.,  ,  . indebted to Dr. Eveline Cruickshanks for the  Ibid.,  . information that he attended Sevenoaks School.  Malcolm Seaborne, The English School,  vols.,  G.E.C., op. cit.,  – ; Sedgwick, op. cit., I,  . London,  , lists numerous schools, but not  DNB, VI,  ‒,  – . Sevenoaks.  John Harris and Gordon Higgott, Inigo Jones Complete Architectural Drawings, London,  ,  .

NOTES TO APPENDIX III

 Scragg, op. cit., .  Idem.  SSA, unreferenced.  Idem.  SCC, Account Book,  ,  .  Idem.  Ibid., pagination ceases after p.  .  SSA, unreferenced; partly reproduced in Scragg,  Idem. op. cit.,  .  Idem.  SCC, papers loosely wrapped in brown paper.  Ibid.,  et al., unpaginated.  SSA, unreferenced.  SCC, papers loosely wrapped in brown paper.  SCC, bundle entitled “Papers +c relating to New  Idem. Buildings”.

THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI  