272:
44:
60:
350:
283:. This probably occurred towards the end of the English Civil War, after the defeat of the Royalist forces in Kent at the Battle of Maidstone. The tower was then owned by Sir John Rayney of Wrotham Place, a Royalist, and would have been an effective lookout tower in any future conflict. There appears to have been an attempt to bring down the whole tower by damaging the stair turret at its base, possibly using
67:
364:, overlooking a valley leading down to the river River Medway. The base of the tower rests directly on the rock, levelled up with masonry to form a plinth. The tower was probably originally surrounded by service buildings, possibly within a walled enclosure, part of which may survive in the stone wall running from the castle to the north-east.
378:
detailing and facing. After the post-medieval slighting, it forms a two-storey building around 18 metres (59 ft) high; it would previously been three storeys and at least 22 metres (72 ft) high. The tower is 10 metres (33 ft) across externally, with walls 2 metres (6 ft 7 in)
262:
It remains likely, however, that it was constructed by
Gundulf, based primarily on the history of the land holdings during the period. After the founding of the abbey, which Gundulf granted some of his lands around West Malling, St Leonard's became the administrative centre of Gundulf's remaining
393:
The basement is lit by windows set high in the walls; the original entrance to the tower is positioned in the north-east corner, about 3 metres (9.8 ft) from the ground outside, although this has been blocked up since at least 1772, and replaced by a new entrance in the north-west corner at
398:
to watch the entrance. The first floor may have been used for formal events, and the tower's upper floors may have provided chambers for the bishop and his staff. The floors are linked by a spiral staircase contained in the north-west tower; unusually, the staircase was built without a central
259:. Architecturally, the tower closely resembles other square keeps of the period. If it was an ecclesiastical building, it would have been extremely large in comparison with the rest of the relatively small church, and there is no evidence to indicate that it ever had a religious function.
314:
visited and sketched the tower around 1791. A group of French antiquarians visited in 1840, and commented on the considerable age of the building. Around 1863, a hole in the west wall, left by the attempted destruction of the stair turret, was filled with a new entrance way.
301:
noted in 1783 that the tower was then called the Old Jail, recording a local tradition that the abbey had used the basement as a dungeon, and the upper storeys as a prison for lesser offences. During this period, the tower was used for drying and stowing
210:
to prevent it being used for military purposes, and its uppermost storey was demolished. Concerns grew about the tower's condition in the 20th century and in 1937 it was taken into the guardianship of the state. In the 21st century, it is managed by
232:, probably between 1077 and 1108, although its exact origins are unclear. Early theories proposed that the tower was a part of St Leonard's Church, the first records of which date from around 1120. This theory suggested that the tower was built by
263:
estates, before also being given to the nuns a few years later, shortly after his death in 1108. In practice, probably only
Gundulf would therefore have had the time or motivation to build such a keep during this period.
322:, proposing a price of approximately £1,500; the negotiations broke down. By the 1930s, local magistrates expressed concern about the tower and the risk that it might fall over onto the grounds of a neighbouring private
411:
In 1973 a large brass key to the tower went missing. In
December 2020 it was returned to English Heritage anonymously by post, with an apology for the delay. The locks had been changed in the meantime.
462:
The equivalent modern value of a £1,500 purchase in 1913 depends on the measure used; in 2016, it could equate to between £128,000 (using a GDP Deflator) and £952,000 (using a share of GDP measure).
202:, between 1077 and 1108. It was a three-storey building, constructed of local stone, and would have stood at least 22 metres (72 ft) high. At a later point, probably during the
90:
386:, the north-west buttress forming a corner tower, and a central buttress on the north side. The north-east and south-east sides of the tower are decorated with
1250:
1265:
1063:
421:
271:
323:
59:
1141:
Guy, Neil (2000–2001). "The 14th Annual
Conference of the Castle Studies Group: The Castles of Kent and East Sussex 6–9 April 2000".
291:'s unusually strong design. After this the upper storey of the tower was carefully removed instead, leaving the building roofless.
279:
At some point in the post-medieval period, the tower was deliberately damaged to put it beyond military use, a process called
1255:
855:
326:, the Kent Sanatorium, endangering the patients. As an alternative to demolition, it was taken into the guardianship of the
394:
ground level. The first floor has larger windows, and a stone seat overlooking the original entrance, possibly used by a
773:
255:
Most recent studies have disputed that the tower was ever part of a church, arguing instead that it was a small
562:
485:
1260:
1214:
North, Michael (2001). "St
Leonard's Tower: Some Aspects of Anglo-Norman Building Design and Construction".
426:
338:
1245:
1036:
995:
954:
928:
902:
881:
576:
1270:
387:
1091:
Anonymous (1905). "St
Leonard's Tower: Some Aspects of Anglo-Norman Building Design and Construction".
43:
233:
195:
237:
199:
445:
An alternative candidate for the construction work, suggested by
English Heritage, may have been
252:
for the church, which survived until the rest of the building was destroyed in the 18th century.
1104:
Fry, Sebastian (2014). "A History of the
National Heritage Collection: Volume Five: 1931–1945".
751:
697:
668:
643:
353:
Simplified ground floor plan: A – entrance and spiral staircase; B – original entrance, blocked
1202:
1158:
1129:
1109:
203:
1183:
395:
368:
334:
288:
212:
163:
130:
349:
327:
319:
311:
1196:
819:
1239:
1150:
1121:
446:
298:
241:
1187:
450:
229:
183:
30:
295:
294:
Various studies of the tower took place from the late 18th century onwards. The
820:"Five Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a UK Pound Amount, 1270 to Present"
357:
St
Leonard's Tower is located on the edge of the village of West Malling, on a
361:
249:
1206:
1162:
1113:
105:
92:
1229:
Buildings of
Secular and Religious Lordship: Anglo-Saxon Tower-nave Churches
358:
284:
280:
207:
1133:
383:
380:
318:
In 1915, the owner of the tower, H. J. Wood, discussed selling it to the
337:
and the exterior is open to visitors. It is protected under UK law as a
245:
191:
375:
1172:"English Fortresses and Castles of the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries"
1171:
1155:
The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent, Volume 4
400:
348:
270:
1064:"Mystery sender returns key 'borrowed' from Norman tower in 1973"
372:
307:
303:
256:
187:
179:
167:
34:
16:
Grade I listed architectural structure in the United Kingdom
687:
685:
367:
The square tower, or keep, is built of layers of local
240:
from 1077 onwards, who owned the manor and constructed
633:
631:
333:
In the 21st century, St Leonard's Tower is managed by
662:
660:
306:, probably in advance of their being taken to local
876:
874:
872:
480:
478:
228:St Leonard's Tower was constructed in the manor of
159:
154:
146:
136:
126:
121:
84:
23:
1198:The Castles of England: Their Story and Structure
856:"Prices and Opening Times for St Leonard's Tower"
1231:(Ph.D.). London, UK: University College London.
1126:The Antiquities of England and Wales, Volume 3
66:
818:Officer, Lawrence H.; Williamson, Samuel H.,
595:
593:
8:
1157:(2nd ed.). Canterbury, UK: W. Bristow.
1019:
1017:
978:
976:
618:
616:
614:
612:
403:and was particularly wide for the period.
20:
915:
838:
836:
793:
509:
603:
599:
557:
541:
371:rubble and masonry, with white and grey
474:
438:
745:
215:and the exterior is open to visitors.
1049:
1023:
1008:
982:
967:
941:
741:
729:
717:
691:
637:
622:
537:
525:
505:
7:
513:
422:Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
1037:"Tower keep castle at West Malling"
996:"Tower keep castle at West Malling"
955:"Tower keep castle at West Malling"
929:"Tower keep castle at West Malling"
903:"Tower keep castle at West Malling"
882:"Tower keep castle at West Malling"
842:
805:
577:"Tower keep castle at West Malling"
553:
275:The tower, seen from the north-west
48:The tower, seen from the south-east
774:"West Malling: St Leonard's Tower"
248:. The tower could have acted as a
194:. The tower was probably built by
14:
1251:Grade I listed buildings in Kent
1108:. London, UK: English Heritage.
1062:Media, P. A. (9 December 2020).
453:, who owned lands in the region.
65:
58:
42:
1143:Castle Studies Group Newsletter
563:"History of St Leonard's Tower"
486:"History of St Leonard's Tower"
1266:English Heritage sites in Kent
1188:10.1080/00665983.1903.10852938
1:
1201:. New York, U.S.: Macmillan.
1195:Mackenzie, James D. (1896).
1287:
1227:Shapland, Michael (2012).
1176:The Archaeological Journal
1170:Hope, W. H. St J. (1903).
1093:The Archaeological Journal
287:, which failed due to the
1128:. London, UK: S. Hooper.
53:
41:
28:
390:of round-headed arches.
106:51.2882444°N 0.4019083°E
750:North, Michael (2014),
696:North, Michael (2014),
667:North, Michael (2014),
642:North, Michael (2014),
427:List of castles in Kent
339:Grade I listed building
1106:Research Report Series
354:
320:Commissioners of Works
276:
1256:Grade I listed towers
1216:Archaeologia Cantiana
754:, The Malling Society
700:, The Malling Society
694:, pp. 273, 275;
671:, The Malling Society
646:, The Malling Society
379:thick. It has corner
352:
274:
111:51.2882444; 0.4019083
752:"St Leonard's Tower"
698:"St Leonard's Tower"
669:"St Leonard's Tower"
644:"St Leonard's Tower"
540:, pp. 270–272;
508:, pp. 269–270;
208:deliberately damaged
1011:, pp. 273, 275
238:Bishop of Rochester
200:Bishop of Rochester
186:, in the county of
102: /
1052:, pp. 276–277
1039:, Historic England
998:, Historic England
957:, Historic England
931:, Historic England
905:, Historic England
884:, Historic England
858:, English Heritage
579:, Historic England
565:, English Heritage
528:, pp. 270–272
488:, English Heritage
355:
277:
176:St Leonard's Tower
127:Controlled by
73:St Leonard's Tower
24:St Leonard's Tower
808:, pp. 31, 72
204:English Civil War
173:
172:
1278:
1232:
1223:
1210:
1191:
1166:
1146:
1137:
1117:
1100:
1079:
1078:
1076:
1074:
1059:
1053:
1047:
1046:
1044:
1033:
1027:
1021:
1012:
1006:
1005:
1003:
992:
986:
980:
971:
965:
964:
962:
951:
945:
939:
938:
936:
925:
919:
913:
912:
910:
899:
893:
892:
891:
889:
878:
867:
866:
865:
863:
852:
846:
840:
831:
830:
829:
827:
822:, MeasuringWorth
815:
809:
803:
797:
791:
785:
784:
783:
781:
772:Wilton, Andrew,
769:
763:
762:
761:
759:
739:
733:
727:
721:
715:
709:
708:
707:
705:
689:
680:
679:
678:
676:
664:
655:
654:
653:
651:
635:
626:
620:
607:
597:
588:
587:
586:
584:
573:
572:
570:
551:
545:
535:
529:
523:
517:
503:
497:
496:
495:
493:
482:
463:
460:
454:
443:
369:Kentish ragstone
335:English Heritage
289:spiral staircase
213:English Heritage
206:, the tower was
164:Kentish ragstone
131:English Heritage
122:Site information
117:
116:
114:
113:
112:
107:
103:
100:
99:
98:
95:
69:
68:
62:
46:
37:
21:
1286:
1285:
1281:
1280:
1279:
1277:
1276:
1275:
1236:
1235:
1226:
1213:
1194:
1169:
1149:
1140:
1120:
1103:
1090:
1087:
1082:
1072:
1070:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1042:
1040:
1035:
1034:
1030:
1022:
1015:
1001:
999:
994:
993:
989:
981:
974:
960:
958:
953:
952:
948:
934:
932:
927:
926:
922:
908:
906:
901:
900:
896:
887:
885:
880:
879:
870:
861:
859:
854:
853:
849:
841:
834:
825:
823:
817:
816:
812:
804:
800:
792:
788:
779:
777:
771:
770:
766:
757:
755:
749:
748:, p. 526;
744:, p. 119;
740:
736:
728:
724:
716:
712:
703:
701:
695:
690:
683:
674:
672:
666:
665:
658:
649:
647:
641:
640:, p. 275;
636:
629:
621:
610:
602:, p. 219;
598:
591:
582:
580:
575:
568:
566:
561:
552:
548:
536:
532:
524:
520:
512:, p. 187;
504:
500:
491:
489:
484:
483:
476:
472:
467:
466:
461:
457:
444:
440:
435:
418:
409:
347:
328:Office of Works
312:J. M. W. Turner
269:
226:
224:Medieval period
221:
139:the public
138:
110:
108:
104:
101:
96:
93:
91:
89:
88:
80:
79:
78:
77:
76:
75:
74:
70:
49:
29:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1284:
1282:
1274:
1273:
1268:
1263:
1261:Towers in Kent
1258:
1253:
1248:
1238:
1237:
1234:
1233:
1224:
1211:
1192:
1167:
1151:Hasted, Edward
1147:
1138:
1122:Grose, Francis
1118:
1101:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1080:
1054:
1028:
1013:
987:
972:
946:
920:
916:Mackenzie 1896
894:
868:
847:
832:
810:
798:
794:Mackenzie 1896
786:
764:
734:
722:
710:
681:
656:
627:
608:
589:
556:, p. 31;
546:
530:
518:
510:Anonymous 1905
498:
473:
471:
468:
465:
464:
455:
437:
436:
434:
431:
430:
429:
424:
417:
414:
408:
405:
346:
343:
268:
265:
225:
222:
220:
217:
178:is a probable
171:
170:
161:
157:
156:
152:
151:
148:
144:
143:
140:
134:
133:
128:
124:
123:
119:
118:
86:
82:
81:
72:
71:
64:
63:
57:
56:
55:
54:
51:
50:
47:
39:
38:
26:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1283:
1272:
1269:
1267:
1264:
1262:
1259:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1246:Ruins in Kent
1244:
1243:
1241:
1230:
1225:
1221:
1217:
1212:
1208:
1204:
1200:
1199:
1193:
1189:
1185:
1181:
1177:
1173:
1168:
1164:
1160:
1156:
1152:
1148:
1144:
1139:
1135:
1131:
1127:
1123:
1119:
1115:
1111:
1107:
1102:
1098:
1094:
1089:
1088:
1084:
1069:
1065:
1058:
1055:
1051:
1038:
1032:
1029:
1026:, p. 274
1025:
1020:
1018:
1014:
1010:
997:
991:
988:
985:, p. 273
984:
979:
977:
973:
970:, p. 272
969:
956:
950:
947:
944:, p. 276
943:
930:
924:
921:
917:
904:
898:
895:
883:
877:
875:
873:
869:
857:
851:
848:
844:
839:
837:
833:
821:
814:
811:
807:
802:
799:
795:
790:
787:
775:
768:
765:
753:
747:
743:
738:
735:
732:, p. 119
731:
726:
723:
720:, p. 269
719:
714:
711:
699:
693:
688:
686:
682:
670:
663:
661:
657:
645:
639:
634:
632:
628:
625:, p. 272
624:
619:
617:
615:
613:
609:
605:
604:Guy 2000–2001
601:
600:Shapland 2012
596:
594:
590:
578:
564:
560:, p. 6;
559:
558:Guy 2000–2001
555:
550:
547:
543:
542:Guy 2000–2001
539:
534:
531:
527:
522:
519:
515:
511:
507:
502:
499:
487:
481:
479:
475:
469:
459:
456:
452:
448:
447:Odo of Bayeux
442:
439:
432:
428:
425:
423:
420:
419:
415:
413:
406:
404:
402:
397:
391:
389:
385:
382:
377:
374:
370:
365:
363:
360:
351:
344:
342:
340:
336:
331:
329:
325:
321:
316:
313:
310:. The artist
309:
305:
300:
299:Francis Grose
297:
292:
290:
286:
282:
273:
267:Later history
266:
264:
260:
258:
253:
251:
247:
243:
242:Malling Abbey
239:
235:
231:
223:
218:
216:
214:
209:
205:
201:
197:
193:
189:
185:
181:
177:
169:
165:
162:
158:
153:
149:
145:
141:
135:
132:
129:
125:
120:
115:
94:51°17′17.68″N
87:
83:
61:
52:
45:
40:
36:
32:
27:
22:
19:
1271:West Malling
1228:
1219:
1215:
1197:
1179:
1175:
1154:
1142:
1125:
1105:
1096:
1092:
1085:Bibliography
1071:. Retrieved
1068:the Guardian
1067:
1057:
1041:, retrieved
1031:
1000:, retrieved
990:
959:, retrieved
949:
933:, retrieved
923:
918:, p. 44
907:, retrieved
897:
886:, retrieved
860:, retrieved
850:
845:, p. 31
824:, retrieved
813:
801:
796:, p. 45
789:
778:, retrieved
767:
756:, retrieved
737:
725:
713:
702:, retrieved
673:, retrieved
648:, retrieved
581:, retrieved
567:, retrieved
549:
533:
521:
516:, p. 90
501:
490:, retrieved
458:
451:Earl of Kent
441:
410:
392:
366:
356:
345:Architecture
332:
317:
293:
278:
261:
254:
230:West Malling
227:
184:West Malling
175:
174:
155:Site history
137:Open to
31:West Malling
18:
746:Hasted 1798
606:, p. 6
544:, p. 6
407:Missing key
296:antiquarian
257:Norman keep
244:, a nearby
180:Norman keep
109: /
97:0°24′6.87″E
85:Coordinates
1240:Categories
1222:: 269–286.
1145:(14): 3–6.
1099:: 176–189.
1073:9 December
1050:North 2001
1024:North 2001
1009:North 2001
983:North 2001
968:North 2001
942:North 2001
742:Grose 1783
730:Grose 1783
718:North 2001
692:North 2001
638:North 2001
623:North 2001
538:North 2001
526:North 2001
506:North 2001
470:References
384:buttresses
362:promontory
250:bell tower
1207:504892038
1182:: 72–90.
1163:221582961
1114:2046-9799
514:Hope 1903
359:sandstone
330:in 1937.
285:gunpowder
281:slighting
160:Materials
147:Condition
1153:(1798).
1124:(1783).
1043:15 April
1002:15 April
961:15 April
935:15 April
909:15 April
888:15 April
862:15 April
843:Fry 2014
826:15 April
806:Fry 2014
780:15 April
758:15 April
704:15 April
675:15 April
650:15 April
583:15 April
569:15 April
554:Fry 2014
492:15 April
416:See also
381:pilaster
1134:1369409
388:arcades
246:nunnery
234:Gundulf
219:History
196:Gundulf
192:England
1205:
1161:
1132:
1112:
776:, Tate
449:, the
396:porter
376:ashlar
324:asylum
236:, the
198:, the
150:Ruined
433:Notes
401:newel
308:kilns
1203:OCLC
1159:OCLC
1130:OCLC
1110:ISSN
1075:2020
1045:2017
1004:2017
963:2017
937:2017
911:2017
890:2017
864:2017
828:2017
782:2017
760:2017
706:2017
677:2017
652:2017
585:2017
571:2017
494:2017
373:tufa
304:hops
188:Kent
168:tufa
166:and
35:Kent
1220:121
1184:doi
182:in
142:Yes
1242::
1218:.
1180:60
1178:.
1174:.
1097:62
1095:.
1066:.
1048:;
1016:^
1007:;
975:^
966:;
940:;
914:;
871:^
835:^
684:^
659:^
630:^
611:^
592:^
574:;
477:^
341:.
190:,
33:,
1209:.
1190:.
1186::
1165:.
1136:.
1116:.
1077:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
