Bifrons

History laid bare at park house dig

Andy Linklater digs into the foundations of Bifrons Park house near Partixbourne, watched by Tim Allen (left) and Bichard Cross as vaulted cellars under the drive are revealed.
THE foundations of historic Bifrons Park House — demolished in the late 1940s — have been uncovered during a "* dig by ‘archaeologists.
The large and rambling house near Patrixboume
fras pulled down after it ell into disrepair following its use as a billet for Canadian servicemen and a home for displaced persons.
Now landowner Lord Conyngham has funded a ecial dig of the remains experts can find out ore about his former family home.
The dig has been carried out by staff Canterbury Archaeological Trust under the direction of Mr Tim Allen -JaasdJMr Richard Cross.
Elegant
They have laid bare the foundations of the front of the house and revealed in a series of trenches the various stages of the building’s development.
Bifrons — it takes its from the Intin for — was in the
two centuries later the Jacobean house was demolished by the new owner, John Taylor, to make way for an elegant Georgian house.
Some of the materials to build the new Bifrons came from Bridge Place, winch Taylor also owned andjtadjralied down.
The Conynghams took over Bifrons' in the early 19th Century and soon
started an extensive re-furbishment and remodelling. The property was expanded outwards and upwards.
The ground level was raised by more than a metre round the property to turn the old servants quarters into cellars. Barrell — vaulted cellars were built oat, under the drive, and a new and much-embellished front elevation and porch built.
The larger house was 180ft wide and 60ft deep, and faced an impressive avenue of trees which still exist today.
The dig has shown up some traces of the Jacobean house, although Tim and Richard are convinced the main part of the older building is still buried to the north.
The trust would like to hear from anyone who remembers the building I before it was demolished or has any photographs.
Staff are now studying
Convneham famMw papers which were saved from a bombed building in Canterbury and are now at Ramsgate Library.
They also want to to trace what happei to some Juroituru. the house which disappeared after the Canterbury repository was bombed.