Stoneacre, Manor house in Otham, England
Stoneacre is a timber-framed manor house in Otham that displays medieval building traditions with rooms arranged around a great hall and a parlour. The structure features thick wooden window shutters and heavy timber elements throughout, showing how houses of this period were built to be sturdy and practical.
The house was built in 1480 by John Ellys and remained a family residence for centuries. During the 1920s, it underwent major restoration work that brought in architectural elements from other Tudor buildings across Kent to preserve its character.
The rooms display 17th-century furnishings and decorative metalwork collected by a former owner interested in artistic craftsmanship. The hand-made stained glass windows scattered throughout reflect the owner's passion for detailed decorative work.
The property is managed by the National Trust and opens to visitors on Saturdays during the warmer months. A small parking area sits beside the house, making arrival straightforward for those driving to the location.
The house takes its name from an ancient limestone quarry beneath the site, which supplied the stone for its original construction. This hidden history reveals how buildings of this era were often shaped by the natural resources that lay beneath them.
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