Swingfield Preceptory
Historic site
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Swingfield Preceptory (or St John's Commandery, Swingfield) was a priory about 5 miles north of Folkestone, Kent on the south coast of England.
| Swingfield Preceptory | |
|---|---|
| |
| Coordinates | 51.1518°N 1.1906°E |
| OS grid reference | TR2322844015 |
| Built | 13th Century |
| Built for | Order of St. John of Jerusalem |
| Restored | 1972-4 |
| Governing body | English Heritage |
| Official name | St John's Commandery |
| Type | Grade II* |
| Designated | 17 October 1988 |
| Reference no. | 1242361 |
  St Johns Commandery location in Kent | |
History
The Preceptory (headquarters of certain orders of monastic knights) was taken over by the Knights Hospitaller in 1180 after sisters of the same order were moved to Buckland Priory.[1] It was suppressed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries and leased on 16 March 1541 to John Thorgood and Thomas Horseley for twenty-one years.[1] It then passed through many families (including Sir Anthony Aucher, Sir Henry Palmer, of Wingham and Sir Thomas Palmer, 4th Baronet, of Wingham).[2]
The 13th-century St John's Chapel still survives on Swanton Lane and is under the care of English Heritage.
Architecture
It was originally built between the 13th and 16th centuries as a farmhouse of flint, which has been knapped in places. It also has stone quoins and dressings. The west gable end is tile-hung on both floors. The north elevation retains areas of render painted and is scored to resemble red brick in Flemish bond.[3]
