Upper Ansdore Guest House

Upper Ansdore is a small medieval farmhouse situated in a very quiet valley with wonderful views, yet only 6 miles from Canterbury.

Get away from the chain hotels and hustle of life, and try a short break in this beautiful part of the Kentish countryside. Here we will ensure you get that personal touch. Great tasting locally sourced bacon and eggs The house stands between 2 old railways, which were used less and less when the new road between Petham and Waltham was built in the mid-18th century. These roads are now only public footpaths leading to the church in Waltham and the village itself. Upper Ansdore was probably a first floor hall house. In rural areas, this form of house was favoured for defence purposes. Generally, they are not large. The ground floor was probably used as storerooms or as subsidiary living accommodation. Above the first floor is a hall of 2 bays, originally open to the roof, with a single bay solar adjoining, which was always sealed, providing an attic. 200 years later, in the 16th century, a chimney was built in what was called the screen's passage. This chimney, built of Tudor bricks, is large by today's standards but it allowed 2 fireplaces on the first floor and 2 on the ground floor, so that all rooms could be heated. Also, note the bread oven to the side of the fireplace. One fireplace has stone supporting pillars with an oak lintel, which is moulded in the Tudor Arch or the Four Centred Arch. A newel stair was built at the side of the chimney in place of the early ladder type. The roof is constructed in oak in a style common in the South-East. The walls, originally, constructed of oak timber framing with wattle and daub infilling, have been bricked round in the early 18th century, when bricks were more readily available and in fashion. Brickwork is laid in the Flemish bond style, and extends only to the first floor, with the original timber framing covered with hanging tiles.