Cobham Hall, Kent

Hi folks,
at the weekend we had a chance to tour this interesting building which had previously belonged to a local distinguished family, plenty of local history from the year 300 until the present day.

North entrance now the reception area and leading through into the estate.

This building stands in 150 acres of parkland and abuts Cobham Golf course, the main A2  road, woods which incorporates a Mausoleum which had been built for the family but never used and a Public Park.

Whilst lived in by the family the building was used during the 1914-1918 world war as a military hospital for the British Army and Australian Officers and in the 1939-1945 war as a home for evacuees and for RAF Officers from the Battle of Britain fighter squadron based at an aerodrome in nearby Gravesend.

The second and the seventh windows show the Darnley Crest with a Griffin and the others are related family member crests.

Due partly to Death Duties, spending and costs the Darnley family had to leave Cobham Hall in 1957 and it was purchased by the Ministry of Works who spent alot of money in repairs.  In 1962 it opened as a Girls Private School with 50 students, at present it has boarders as well day pupils and the following picture reflects this.

 

The paneling covers up the original windows which enabled more works of art to be displayed, these were over time sold.  This next picture shows part of the wall and window behind the Cobham Hall Guardians plaque which our Guide opened for us to see.  (The Guardians are the schools' Head Girls). 

Family motto, Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense which means basically "Shame be to him who thinks ill of it" or "Shame on him who thinks evil" depending on where you look.

Walkway from the North Wing to the South with the boarding to the left due to a film being made.

This room originally had handmade wallpaper the same as the next room but it was taken down, rolled up and sold by the family.

Handmade wallpaper covered this room which had been a bedroom.

Thanks for looking, I will continue shortly with part two.

Regards Mike