Langdon Abbey

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Langedon

In the civil parish of Langdon. In the historic county of Kent (Modern Authority of Kent, 1974 county of Kent).

Premonstratensian abbey founded in 1189 and dissolved in 1535. The abbey buildings survive partly as ruins incorporated within a later house built in red brick in the 1590s. Elsewhere the abbey survives in buried form. Excavations revealed the church to be aisled throughout its length, with a chapel to the North, but without transepts. The claustral range lay to the South, the chapter house, refectory, and slype being excavated. The infirmary lay to the East of the claustral range.There are two associated fishponds. The Abbot and Convent of Langedon were granted a licence to crenellate in 1348.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 178468)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TR32634696

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 467498
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is TR 34 NW 7 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Books
  • Newman, John, 1983, The Buildings of England: North east and east Kent p369
    Knowles, David and Hadcock, R. Neville, 1971, Medieval religious houses in England and Wales (Longmans) p166
    1926, VCH Kent Vol2 p169-72
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p415
    Hasted, Edward, 1800 (2edn), A History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent Vol9 p401-5 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63581
• Journal Articles
  • Coulson, Charles, 2007-8, 'On Crenellating, in Kent and Beyond - A Retrospection' The Castle Studies Group Journal Vol21 p189-201 esp p196
    Coulson, C., 1982, 'Hierarchism in Conventual Crenellation: An Essay in the Sociology and Metaphysics of Medieval Fortification' Medieval Archaeology Vol26 p69-100 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Harrison, W.C., 1961, Archaeologia Cantiana Vol76 pLVII
    Clapham, A.W., 1923, 'The architecture of the Premonstratensians, with special reference to their buildings in England' Archaeologia Vol73 p132, 139
    Hope, W.H.St John, 1883, Archaeologia Cantiana Vol15 p59-67
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Calendar of Patent Rolls (1348-50) p38