Orpines (1876)

Post date: Aug 13, 2012 1:45:33 PM

The Orpines was Lot 2 in the particulars issued by Debenham, Tewson and Farmer in connection with the 1876 sale of Wateringbury Place (Kent Archives Office reference CKS-P385/28/3). In Maidstone Museum there are architects' plans for additions to Orpines commissioned by Leney in the 1897 including a new corridor and billiard room (see Drawer 11: Collection of Architects sketches of various buildings from c.1900 item 1(m)).

It was described as follows:

A

VALUABLE FREEHOLD ESTATE

known as

"ORPINES"

and

THE PELICANS FARM

SITUATE IN THE PARISH OF WATERINGBURY

Adjacent to the preceding Lot and comprising

A FIRST CLASS MODERN FAMILY RESIDENCE

very substantially built of brick and stone with slted roof, from the designs of the eminent architect,

the late Philip Hardwick , Esq., R.A., and having a handsome elevation. It is approached from the

Maidstone Road by a long carriage drive, and contains:-

On the UPPER FLOOR-Two servants' Bedrooms, five capital Bedchambers, three Dressing Rooms

Bath Room with Lavatory and hot and cold water supplies, w.c. , and Housemaid's

Closet

On the GROUND FLOOR-A good square Entrance Hall with Outer Porch, Principal and secondary

Staircases, a well proportioned Dining Room , a pair of elegant Drawing Rooms, com

municating by folding doors, and with French casements opening to a stone Terrace,

a w.c., two Kitchens, Pantry, Store Room, and Gun Room.

On the BASEMENT-A Larder with spacious Wine, Beer and coal cellar.

A paved yard adjoins the Residence in which are a Knife House, Wood House, and Servants w.c..

THE OUT OFFICES

Comprise a FOUR-STALL STABLE, LARGE COACH HOUSE and Harness Room, with

BILLIARD ROOM and Hay Loft over (brick and slate), a second Coach House, Loose Box, Loft,

Potting Shed, and Apple Room (all brick and tile), Dog Kennels, COACHMAN'S COTTAGE (brick

and tile ) containing four Rooms, with Wood House and Garden

VERY ATTRACTIVE PLEASURE GROUNDS,

finely shrubbed and timbered; with LEVEL and SLOPPING LAWNS, LARGE KITCHEN

GARDEN, walled on two sides; VINERY, in two compartments; Forcing Pits etc

THE FARM BUILDINGS

Are conveniently placed, and include a large Oast and Malt House (brick and slate) with two kilns,

sreening room, barley loft, etc, ; another ditto (brick and tile) with onec kiln; Blacksmith's shop with

two forges and large travice, Workshop extensive ranges of Cattle Sheds, Cow Houses and yards,

suitable for breeding stock, large Barn brick, timber and slated, Cart Horse Stable for three, another

for six, Coach House, Piggeries, Meal House, Hay lofts, Granary, spacious enclosed yards etc

There is

AN OLD FARM HOUSE

(Brick and tile) now divided into FOUR COTTAGES with good gardens,in one of which is

a fine old walnut tree

TWO OTHER COTTAGES AND GARDENS

also the rich and remarkably productive Orchards, Hop and Fruit Plantation, Riverside Meadow,

Pasture and Arable lands described in the following

[schedule of plots totalling 110 A, 3R., and 2 P.]

Let on lease to Mr. F. Leney , for a term of 15 years from 11th October , 1869 at the very inadequate

Rent of

£500 PER ANNUM

Also

A BRICK BUILT HAY STORE

Let to Mr. Henry Allwork, as yearly tenant at a rental of £6 per annum

Note- The Granary on the Upper Floor of this building is in occupation of Mr. F. Leney

The house is described above as "from the designs of the eminent architect, the late Philip Hardwick, Esq., R.A." He had died in 1870. Describing Hardwick as "eminent" is no marketing gloss as he was the designer of the Euston Arch (demolished in the 1960s - ironically very close in time to the demolition of the Orpines in 1970), at the old Euston Station, and Birmingham Curzon Station. He was a fellow of the Royal Society and a founding member of the Institute of British Architects (1834) - later (1837) the RIBA - and was a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He was elected an associate of the Royal Academy in 1839, and became a Royal Academician in 1841. In 1854 he received the seventh Royal Gold Medal for architecture. It is believed he may have lived in the house in Wateringbury for a short period after its construction. Elsewhere in the catalogue in respect of Wateringbury Place itself it is said "It is in good substantial condition, an outlay of many thousands of pounds having been made upon it by the present proprietor, under the superintendence of P. C. Hardwick, Esq., the eminent architect." P.C. Hardwick (Philip Charles Hardwick) (1822 – 1892) was the son of Philip Hardwick and also a noted architect so it might have been the case that the father worked for Mathias Lucas and the son for Matthias's grandson, Samuel.

The father was a close friend of the artist J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851), who had been a pupil of his father. In 1851 Turner chose Hardwick as an executor to his will.

Steven McDougall in his ebook People of Wateringbury, 1650-1841 charts the previous history of Abbs House, the predecessor house, which had been occupied by the Stone family over many generations. The first known was Thomas Stone: An early eighteenth century inventory of this property shows it had 3 upstairs chambers and included a buttery, milkhouse and cellar with an outside oasthouse; his goods were valued at £274 10s 6d in total. Thomas was followed by John Stone (d. 1712) during whose time there was a mill house and granary documented. Then another John Stone (1737-1828) lived all his 91 years in the house and is reputed to have introduced the cultivation of potatoes to Wateringbury. Abbs house was bought by Matthias Lucas and then destroyed to make way for the Orpines, built about 1843.

See also: Burglary at Orpines (1850) ; Wedding (1859) ; Leney's Farm (1870); Herts and Essex Farmers visit Orpines (1872); Sale of shorthorns (1874); Hunting (1877); Sale of shorthorns (1888).