Milgate House

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Milgate estate was owned by the Coloigne or Coluney family. It was sold to the Stonehouse family in the later 15th century who passed it around 1560 to Sir Thomas Fludd (d. 1607), a courtier to Queen Elizabeth I. It was probably Sir Thomas who had Milgate House built. By 1900, the house was owned by Walter Fremlin of the local Fremlins' brewing family. Following his death in 1925, most of the 2375 acre estate was sold off in lots. The house and the residual estate then passed through various hands. By the late 1960s, only 10 acre remained with the house. In the 1970s, the house was the home of Lady Caroline Blackwood and Robert Lowell.

The house is approached from the north. The main entrance is in the centre of the north wing which was constructed with the left return wing in the early 18th century as an L-shaped addition to the earlier house. Further additions were made in the mid and late 18th century. The red brick north wing is two storeys high with an attic and is seven bays wide with the three centre bays projecting slightly. The left return (east end) of the north wing is four bays wide. Large sash windows on both floors of each are framed with decorative gauged brickwork. The central projection of the north wing is topped by a pediment containing an oval Oeil-de-boeuf window and the main door in its centre is…