Centuries, Hythe

The house named Centuries in Hythe, Kent, England is the birthplace of Hamo de Hethe, b.1275, who became the Bishop of Rochester in Kent, England in 1330. The original house was built in 1107 by a family named Noble, believed to be Hamo's ancestors. The simple two story structure with a large cellar is built of local rag-stone and was, at that time, in a preeminent location on the docks in Hythe, on the corner of the 12th century road to Canterbury called Clyme Hill, via Saltwood Castle.

Built of Kentish rag-stone and wide-joined rubble, the simple two story structure had an exterior staircase made of wood on the east side. The cellar, with it's door facing the docks, was used for storage and trade while the ground floor and first floor were living areas. It is likely that the original cellar door and south-facing windows had rounded arches in the Norman style, that were adapted to the Gothic style at the time of the western addition. There is a large stone that goes several feet into the ground on the southeast corner of the building which is most likely a mooring Bollard.

In 1335 the west wing extension was added along the quayside on Duck Lane, by Hamo de Hethe,by then Bishop of Rochester. He continued to use the house as a summer residence. The west wing is built of roughly squared sandstone rubble with simple Gothic arched windows abd a central door which leads, still today, through a stone floored passage that exits in the back garden. The exterior wooden steps were removed and an interior stair case built, from the cellar up to the ground and first floors. Upon entering the cellar there is an ancient Ambry built into the stone wall, which would have been used for storage objects of a religious nature, holy waters, and the like.

The final addition to the house was in 1811, extending the rooms to number sixteen in all. The house remained an alms refuge until 1949 and it was ordered destroyed in 1950. The property was purchased by a local family and kept as two flats, as it remains today. The house is listed as a Grade II Historical Building and can be viewed from the corner of Church Hill and Bartholomew Streets in the town of Hythe.

Coordinates: 51°4′18.6″N 1°5′0″E / 51.071833°N 1.083333°E / 51.071833; 1.083333