Oxen Hoath

Oxon Hoath
Oxon Hoath, showing the mansard dome
Location within Kent
Alternative names	Oxenhoath, Oxen Hoath, Oxonhoath, Oxenholt
General information
Type	Manor house
Architectural style	Châteauesque
Location	West Peckham, Kent, UK
Coordinates	51°14′43″N 0°20′05″E / 51.24528°N 0.33472°E / 51.24528; 0.33472
Construction started	c.1372
Renovated	1757, 1846, 1878
Technical details
Floor count	3
Renovating team
Architect	Anthony Salvin (1846) Burn and McVicar Anderson (1878)
Other designers	William Andrews Nesfield (landscaping, 1846)
Website
www.oxonhoath.co.uk/

Oxon Hoath is a Grade II* listed Châteauesque-style former manor house with 73 acres (29½ hectares) of grounds at West Peckham, Kent. The spellings Oxenhoath, Oxen Hoath and Oxonhoath are common alternatives. The spelling Oxenholt was also used in the past. The manor is a former royal deer park. Oxon Hoath has been the seat of two baronetcies, and of five High Sheriffs of Kent. It has a surviving example of parterre gardens in its grounds.

Oxon Hoath (sometimes rendered as Oxenholt) was built by Sir John Culpeper during the reign of King Edward III, as a Royal Park for oxen and deer. The Culpepers had been in West Peckham since around 1355; a date of 1372 is claimed for the house. On Sir John's death in 1416, the manor passed to his son Sir William Culpeper, who was High Sheriff of Kent in 1426–27. On Sir William's death, the manor passed to his son Sir Richard Culpeper. Richard died without male issue in 1484, and his estate passed to his daughters Elizabeth, Joyce, and Margaret. Oxon Hoath passed to Margaret's husband, William Cotton. On his death, Oxon Hoath passed to his son Sir Thomas Cotton, who alienated the estate to John Chowne of Fairlawne, Plaxtol.

Oxon Hoath then passed to Nicholas Miller of Wrotham, and on his death in 1640 to his son Sir Nicholas Miller, who enlarged the house. On the death of Sir Nicholas in 1658, the estate passed to his son Humphry Miller who died in 1709. The estate then passed to his son Sir Borlase Miller. Upon his death in 1714, Oxon Hoath passed to his sister Elizabeth Bartholomew, and via her, to her husband Leonard Bartholomew. On his death in 1720, the estate passed to his son Philip Bartholomew, who died in 1730. Oxon Hoath then passed to his son Philip, who died in 1757 and left the estate to William Geary, second son of Sir Francis Geary of Polesden Lacey, Great Bookham, Surrey.