The Manor House, High Street, Fordwich

Image: © Jo and Steve Turner Taken: 7 Jul 2016

Grade II Listed house dated in 2003 by dendrochronology to mid 16th century, the trees having been felled in 1556. It is called The Manor House because it was once occupied by a family called Manners and it was not the original Manor House. It was reportedly built as warehouse and home for a rich merchant. An 1899 picture in the Francis Frith collection shows the rear, north south wing with different fenestration and pine barge board cladding as on the south gable walls and apparently no oriel window on the east gable wall. Cox Restorations carried out restoration in 1997 following an electrical fire the year before when much of the first floor was burned and the ground floor damaged by water. The blue plaque reads 'Alfred Palmer 1877-1951 Artist and founder of the East Kent Arts Society lived here 1910-1951'. His daughter then resided here until the fire, selling it in 1997.

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