Welcome to Milton’s historic Court Hall, one of the oldest buildings in Milton
Why do we attach so much importance to this medieval building which English Heritage has accorded Grade II* listing?
The Court Hall was the town’s civic centre and served both as a court and administrative centre for the Hundred covering much of the Isle of Sheppey and the mainland between Milstead, Newington and Bapchild. It was central to Milton’s market, being the guildhall and trading standards office in the charge of an annually elected Portreeve. The Portreeve, with his assistant called a Borsholder, exercised some of the functions of a mayor in mercantile and day-to-day affairs of the market, setting the price for goods coming into the port of Milton. There was also a Manorial Steward who held territorial jurisdiction on behalf of the Lord of the Manor through the Court Leet and Court Baron, both of which were held in the Court Hall. The Court Hall also had two small gaol cell. The Court Hall was also used as a school for 9 or 10 boys.
In appearance, the building is very similar to the Town Hall at Fordwich, with timber framing and plaster infill, topped with a tiled roof and whereas at one time most towns would have had such a building, today these are the only two left in Kent.