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Civic leaders have been pressured under much criticism, most
notably from a number of prominent historians, including Dr David
Starkey who once labelled the palace as in “the ten most important
Tudor buildings in England”.
A spokesperson from the council recently commented to the
Sevenoaks Chronicle, stating: “We have always maintained
this heritage site but we share the community’s aspiration to
improve and open the former palace to the wider public. We are
currently looking at the options to take this forward.
“We are in the process of researching companies which can
conduct surveys to the high expectation of English Heritage
and it’s likely, when the time is right, we will enter talks into
transferring the building to the community, which is something many
of the residents are asking for.”
The council’s interest in preserving the building has come as a
relief to a number of villagers who have campaigned to save the
sixteenth century palace.
However, some have commented that this has been the third time in
four years that any promise to save the building has been made.
A number of major issues would need to be dealt with before any
other work could go ahead, including fixing the leaking roofs,
stabilising the crumbling walls and preventing any more plants from
growing inside of the building.
Rod Shelton, a historian of the local area of Otford, has said:
“With every rainfall the roof is pouring water inside the tower,
eating away all the time at the mortar.
“We have to be optimistic though. There is now a new team at the
council, supported by Pav Ramewal the chief executive. They are
certainly making positive moves toward repairing the fallen masonry
and installing new roofs.”
Members from the Otford and District Historical Society have spoken
of the palace’s issues, with Phil Clucas commenting: “It’s
encouraging to know that, after decades of indifference and
neglect, the council finally realises that it has in its
guardianship a building of national and international
importance.
“It is to be hoped that the council matches its words with action
and the palace finally receives the care and respect it
deserves.”
Although the building in question is referred to ‘Otford Palace’,
it is in fact the surviving north-west corner of a large Tudor
building which was built by William Warham, the Archbishop of
Canterbury, in 1513. The building was thought to have been at least
a hectare in size, and held much influence over the surrounding
area.
Since its creation in 1513, the building became a key example of
Tudor architecture. It was owned by the church and the Crown before
being neglected and falling into disrepair after Henry VIII’s death
in 1547.
What is left of the building has been under the ownership of the
council since November 1935.
More recently, author and historian Alison Weir and Siobhan Clarke
from Historic Royal Palaces unveiled a number of new information
boards about the building on Palace Field for visitors to view.
Photo credit: abridgeover via photopin
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