8 Palace Street

One of Canterbury's best half-timbered buildings. 8 Palace Street is a 13th-century building with later additions. It may have been built as the rectory for the nearby church of St Alphege.

The building is constructed with two projecting upper stories over a ground floor, each upper story projecting further than the last. The upper floors may be 15th century. It is also possible that the frontage we see facing onto Palace Street may have been brought in from another building.

The exterior is beautifully carved, with intricate floral and geometric designs rimming the jetties. The most intriguing features, however, are the carved brackets that support the jetties. These are in the shape of grinning demons, or grotesques, holding their bulging breasts in a pretty suggestive manner. Though one may be a female figure, the other is most definitely male. See our photos for a close-up view of these carvings.

NB. The house is private property, and is not generally open to visitors, though the carvings can easily be viewed from the street in front of the house. There are at least two further historic buildings further along Palace Street; Conquest House, and Sir John Boys House.