Scadbury Manor archaeological site, Kent

Scadbury Manor was a medieval moated manor house, located near Orpington in Kent. It is now an archaeological site. I'd never heard of it until I read they were having an open weekend in September 2020 so I went to have a look.

The site is being dug by the Orpington and District Archaeological Society (ODAS). Scadbury Manor estate was first settled around 1200. The remains of the early manor-house complex, surrounded by a moat can be still be seen. The estate has been held by a limited number of families over the years.

From the bus it was a short walk through Scadbury Park, a local nature reserve, and then across some open countryside and through some woods.

Visitors were able to follow a trail around the site and go onto the island to see the foundations of the Tudor Manor House (including the Great Hall and Kitchen). Social distancing rules against Covid-19 were quite strict, with visitors being kept well apart, and there was a queue to get in. Photos taken whilst queuing -

Main hall in centre and apple store to the right

Once inside, visitors followed a marked route. Looking at the main hall with the apple store behind. Note the corbels for the bridge across the moat in the foreground -

This is the remains of the undercroft, a cellar or storage room, often brick-lined and vaulted, and used for storage in buildings since medieval times. This dates to the Walsingham house, 1424. It was probably used for storing beer brewed locally and wine imported from France. The structure was repaired in the 1920s but much of the original remains -

Staircase from the mail hall -

Main hall with fireplace on left

Next to the great hall is the kitchen, though I didn't take any photos.

Tudor brickwork of the farm buildings - the bricks are original, from around 1500. They were made locally and held together with lime. Flemish brickmakers brought the techniques to England in the 15th century. Bricks were more fire resistant than wood. 

Going back through the woods

Scadbury Manor on Google Earth -

See more on Scadbury Park and a Wikipedia entry. Also the ODAS page on Scadbury.