This is another  of Canterbury's much photographed timber framed houses, but as with 8 Palace Street most of what we see from the street - in this case an elaborate half-timbered front with wood carvings and curved braces - is a 19th century addition.  Pevsner's Buildings of England describes this as a front 'of unpromising-looking phoniness'.  Conquest House has a bonus attraction in its supposed links with the four knights who came to Canterbury in 1170 to kill Thomas Becket - one is depicted on the hanging house sign.  The interior, not accessible to the public, confirms that this is indeed the site of a much earlier house, with a Norman undercroft, flint walls, and first floor hall.  For numerous images of the interior see Canterbury Buildings web site.

 

 

What to see:

 

• elaborate but totally recycled half-timbered front (Image 1)

• hanging panel showing one of the four knights (Image 2)

• leaf images on carved brackets (Image 3)

• curved braces (Image 4)

• dragon motifs on house number plate (Image 5)

 

Access:  no public access to interior

 

Sources:  Bateman (2001);  Newman (1983);  Quiney (1993)

English Heritage Images of England web site at http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/;  Canterbury Buildings web site at http://www.canterburybuildings.com