The Artichoke public house, Chartham, Kent (A medieval hall house)

This building has been in the ownership of Shepherd Neame, Kent's oldest brewery, for over 300 years. Repairs to the property began, in the summer of 1994, with the removal of a thick layer of cement render from the exterior. Far more of the original fifteenth century timber-frame of the building was revealed beneath this render than had been expected. The exposed fabric revealed that the historic building comprised two distinct phases of work. The earliest phase, the remains of an open-hall house, lay at the centre of the property. A later phase, a three-bay cross-wing, had been built against the south-east end of the building.

Unfortunately the timber-frame of the Artichoke was in very poor condition beneath the render and the extent and expense of necessary repairs considerable. With this in mind it was suggested, that with a little more effort the medieval facade could be restored and left exposed. Missing timbers could be reinstated and the building brought back to its original appearance. An archaeological survey of the building was undertaken prior to these repairs to gather the information needed for an accurate and sympathetic restoration.

Restoration of The Artichoke is now complete. It proved possible, due to the limited nature of later alterations and the survival of so much of the original framing, to reinstate the entire facade of both hall and later cross-wing. Traditional limewash was applied to the elevations of the building to complete the 'medieval' appearance, providing Chartham with a unique glimpse of past times.

More information can be found in CAT's Annual Report 1994–95

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