Manor House Farm, Swanscombe

In August 1988, Mr. Geoff Baker, a former Dartford Borough Councillor, was quoted in the Kentish Times as saying he felt that an investigation should be carried out on this site prior to any re-development. On reading this, the Dartford District Archaeological Group contacted Dartford Borough Council to obtain permission to undertake archaeological investigation of this area. Permission was readily granted and the Group commenced on the site in January 1989 with a resistivity survey. This was done with the kind assistance of Roger Cockett and Sara Bishop of the Fawkham and Ash Archaeological group. It was followed in February by our excavation, which continued through until November 1989. The site was then backfilled; further work on the adjoining area may be possible in the future.

Manor House Farm started off life as a much larger establishment which historians believed is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Edward Hasted describes it as a 'mansion of the manor' but goes on to say that much of it had been pulled down and the remaining building was used as a farmhouse.

According to W. Ireland, the Weldon family owned the property until 1731, having been granted it in 1544 by Elizabeth I. It then changed hands several times before being sold to Thomas Bevan of Stone Park for £40,000 in 1872. The building was eventually demolished in the early 1960s to make way for Council Offices, which were officially opened in 1964 by Councillor T. Bodle, J.P., Chairman of the Council.

This new building was built partially over the site of the earlier Manor House Farm, so that the Group's excavation was confined to the rear of these offices. Our work revealed a range of late 18th and early 19th Century buildings, including a cellar and a washhouse. Unfortunately, the oldest part of the building still lies buried under the council offices.

Tantalizingly, earlier foundations, including a corner of a flint foundationed building, were found, as well as a stairway leading to a second earlier cellar. Unfortunately, neither of these features could be traced further as they both disappeared under modern building.

Further details, including several old photographs, came to light following an article in one of the local newspapers requesting information on this once famous Swanscombe landmark.

C.R. Baker
Dartford and District Archaeological Group