Building record 0175300000 - BOCKMER HOUSE, BOCKMER LANE

Plan Form - Double pile.
Grade II. House. Probably C17, altered late C18-C19 and C20, with much rebuilt C16-C17 N. wing. May incorporate materials of early C16 house. Main block is of flint with narrow brick dressings, hipped old tile roof, and brick chimneys. Double pile. 2 storeys, 3 bays. W. front has flush band of narrow brick at first floor sill level, and off-set eaves. 3-light leaded casements, renewed C20, those to ground floor with cambered heads. Central flush-panelled door in wooden architrave frame with C20 half-timbered gabled porch. Small curved projection to left probably once an oven. Altered flint and brick wing with C20 plastic casements links main block with gabled projecting cross wing to left. This has some traces of timbering but has been much rebuilt in brick and part altered to garages. Car-port with gabled roof projects infront. E. front has moulded wooden eaves, and 3 cross windows with gauged brick heads and C20 leaded glazing to first floor. Ground floor has 2 C20 semi-octagonal bay windows with leaded lights, and central 6-panelled door with leaded rectangular fanlight and elaborate wooden doorcase. Doorcase is probably C20 and has pilasters with carved floral ornament, strapwork architrave, pulvinated frieze carved with fruit and flowers, and tiled hood. Garden wall projects to right, of flint, brick and chalk, with renewed off-set brick coping. S. front rebuilt C18-early C19 in chequer brick with altered C20 fenestration. Interior: 2 ground floor rooms at S. end have re-used C16-C17 panelling, the S.E, room also with heraldic shield of Samuel Backhouse above the fireplace. Bockmer is documented as the home of Henry Pole, Lord Montagu, close relative of Cardinal Pole, in 1538. It was subsequently the home of the Borlase family. (VCH. III. A.H. Plaisted, The manor and Parish Records of Medmenham, 1925) (B1).
C18, converted to farmhouse, some demolition (B2).
Visited by Charles II (B3).
Watching brief by TVAS in 1996 found foundations of earlier buildings. Pottery finds dating as early as the C13-C14 came from deposits which could not be directly associated with the structures (B7).
Sir John Borlase's house at Bockmer plundered in 1643, during Civil War (B9).