Regency Estates: Godmersham Court Lodge and Park

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Jane Austen fans are probably aware of Godmersham Park, an estate in Kent that was inherited by Edward Knight nee Austen.  Its said to be the inspiration for Mansfield Park.

The Manor of GODMERSHAM was given to the Priory of Christ Church Canterbury by Beornulph King of Mercia in the year 822 for the use of the Refectory and for the clothing of the Monks It was afterwards wrested from the Church but res stored in the year 1036 by Archbishop Egelnoth who had pur chased it of Duke Sired for seventy two marks of silver The Priors of Christ Church had liberty of free warren here and in the thirty eighth of Edward the Third they also obtained the pri vilege of holding a market weekly After the Dissolution God mersham was granted to the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury to whom it still belongs The COURT LODGE or Manor House now called the Priory which is situated near the Church was a residence of the Priors of Canterbury and it still retains may ves tiges of its ancient character It appears to have been almost if not entirely rebuilt about the end of the reign of Richard the Second by Prior Chillenden but some considerable enlargements were made by Prior Selling in the time of Edward the Fourth A statue supposed to be of the former Prior in an episcopal dress with a pastoral cross in one hand and the other upraised in the attitude of benediction is yet remaining in a small niche over the entrance porch The Church is a small fabric dedicated to St Lawrence and had formerly a chantry connected with it on the south side but the latter has been rebuilt and made into two seats appropriated to the Manors of Ford and Eggarton both which
which are in this Parish Within that belonging to the former is a window neatly fitted up with painted glass partly ancient and partly modern GODMERSHAM PARK is pleasantly situated on the west side of the high road between Canterbury and Ashford and backed by extensive woods The present owner Edward Austen Esq obtained it by the will of his relation Thomas Knight Esq MP for Kent in the year 1774 whose father inherited this seat from his paternal ancestors the family of Brodnax but assumed the name of Knight from those of Chawton in Hampshire The mansion which is a handsome edifice consisting of a centre with wings was built in the year 1732 by the late Mr Knight who about ten years afterwards inclosed the Park which was formerly called Ford Park from the original appellation of this Manor and is well stocked with deer Immediately adjoining to Godmersham Park on the north is CHILHAM PARK the seat of James Wildman Esq a West Indian by whom it was purchased of the late Thomas Heron Esq brother to Sir Richard Heron Bart This gentleman under the authority of an Act of Parliament had himself purchased the Honour Manor and Castle of Chilham with their appurtenances from the Colebrookes who in the year 1724 had bought them of Colonel Thomas Digges a descendant from the celebrated Sir Dudley Digges the latter of whom had married one of the four daughters and co heiresses of Sir Thomas Kemp of Ollantigh and in her right became possessed of one fourth of these demesnes in 1607 and shortly afterwards had the whole conveyed to him by the respective husbands of his wife's sisters Sir Dudley Digges erected the present mansion which was completed for his residence about the year 1616 it is a venerable brick edifice but singular in its form which is an irregular polygon The upper windows command some fine views over the vale of the Stour and adjacent country The Beauties of England and Wales: Or, Delineations, Topographical, Historical, and Descriptive, of Each County. (1808). United Kingdom: Thomas Maiden.

From a 1790 book, the Court Lodge was let to a Mrs Coleman.

1 GODMERSHAM PARK IN KENT The Seat of THOMAS KNIGHT Esq GODMERSHAM PARK is about eight miles from Canterbury and fifty seven from London The house is situated in a pleasant valley formed to the west by the park which has its acclivity and surfaces pleasingly broken and inter spersed with different clumps of trees and its summit crowned with a very large wood To the south it is terminated by a sheep down which rises in a bold form at a quarter of a mile from the house and commands an extensive pros pect towards Romney and Lid Castle and over the Weald of Kent towards Tunbridge Wells and the Sussex hills Along the range of the eastern and north east boundary where the ascent is at a greater distance and more gradual an agreeable diversity of outline is produced and the contrasted appearances of agriculture and scattered farm houses enliven the scene The river Stour though not of a navigable depth and breadth with a clear and no sluggish current winds its course through the village and fertile meadows in the bottom This place was for many years the residence of the family of Birdnax who came into England with William the Conqueror and who were the lineal ances tors of Mr Knight Their first settlement was at Salwood Castle in this county from whence they removed to Godmersham The change of name took place upon a devise of property by parliamentary authority in the life time of Mr Knight's father who first laid out the park and rebuilt the mansion house Very considerable alterations and improvements have been lately made in the approach to the house and pleasure grounds contiguous Godmersham Park on the death of Thomas Knight Esq who as above owned the estate when our plate was engraved became by will the property of his relation Thomas Austen Esq The mansion which is a handsome edifice consists of a centre with wings and was built in the year 1732 by Mr Knight's
father as stated who about ten years afterwards enclosed the park which was before called Ford Park from the original appellation of this manor well stocked with deer It is The manor of Godmersham belonged to the priory of Christ Church Canter bury as early as the year 822 the priors of which in the thirty eighth of Ed ward the Third obtained the privilege of holding here a weekly market After the Dissolution it was granted to the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury to whom it still belongs


More info: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/65df7835178a9d2b20f8d501/t/6776d12fb30f3e74255e355f/1735840047428/magazine-009-16-godmersham-court-lodge.pdf

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