Cheney Household

Welcome to the Cheney Household

This page and household was created in 2001, in connection with the hobby "Living History".

The hobby will not continue in its original form, but the pages will remain in a modified form - in memory of Lord Cheney and Shurland Hall.

I'm working on the virtual Shurland Hall, as it probably was in around 1487. You will be able to "walk" through the building and look around. Depending on which room you're in, you'll be able to see equipment and replicas, information about coat of arms, and more...

Virtual Shurland Hall

John, Lord Cheney

John Cheney (Knight of the Garter), Baron Cheney of Shurland (12.2.1447?-Nov. 1499?) in front of Shurland Hall (Shurland Castle), Isle of Sheppey, Kent, circa 1487.
The coat of arms on the wall of Shurland Hall shows Shurland (left) and Cheyne (later "Cheney", right). Lord Cheney's coat of arms is a combination of Shurland and Shottesbroke (mother).
He died without any known children, so his heir was Sir Thomas Cheney, who was to become Knight of the Garter, just like his uncle, Lord Cheney, and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.
Great Hall

Virtual reconstruction of the great hall, probably built by the Cheney's or Sir Thomas Cheney. Henry VIII, King of England, and Lady Anne Boleyn, spent their honeymoon at Shurland Hall. The great hall, with its unique double-roof, offered large space for great feasts, after hunting.
Main Gate

This is the heavy main gate, made from english oak. Shurland Hall was, in its origin, a large gate house. Later it was rebuilt several times. The biggest changes were done by Sir Thomas Cheney, to make room for the king's retainers. The large gate is built in Tudor-style (late 15th-early 16th).
Details of the gate

Some details of the gate...
Chimneys

Shurland Hall got a few more chimneys in Tudor-style in 15th/16th. Each chimney-pair looks a bit different.
Point of view from below

Tudor chimneys
Even more chimneys...

The more chimneys, the wealthier the owner. All rooms could be heated. From the roof, you could even see the french coastline, if the weather was good.
Entrance to the western tower

This entrance was kept as it was. The entrance of the eastern tower was rebuilt by Sir Thomas Cheney, to give more room to that part of the manor. Wooden paneling helped to keep the interior warm and comfy. The floor-tiles were made of sandstone or limestone. Some of them remained till today. In the oldest parts of Shurland Hall, even Roman tiles were found. On the first floor, there was an owl, made of limestone / sandstone, on the wall. It is unknown if it was a remaining part of a Roman building.
Heavy wall

A reinforced wall secured the courts. It was covered with red bricks and parts of it is still there, until today.