Little is known about the history of this house. The oldest known maps of the parish show it with a number of large outbuildings, giving the appearance of a farm. The earliest detailed tithe map, still in the possession of the church at Elham shows that it was the vicarage in 1844, and it continued to be so until 1967. The house itself is a very imposing building, and it stands in extensive grounds. Fragments of ancient flint and stonework at the rear of the house indicate that a house of importance stood here in medieval times, of which a small cellar at the western end was part.

The main part of the house was built in the 17th century, and was lengthened, and considerably altered in the 18th century. Further extensive alterations were carried out by the Rev. A. C. de Bourbel in 1900·1901, the architect employed being F. C. Eden. The fine appearance of the front of the house dates from then, and it seems that the central Jacobean stairacase was removed to enlarge a room 'there, and this would explain the curious fact that the main cellars can only be reached through a small opening outside the east end of the house.

The house possesses many other items of interest. There are a large number of old blue-and-white Delft tiles, now obviously not in their original positions, but which date from the 17th century. The walls of the older part are very thick - another indication of their great age, and there are some old floorboards and fittings, and some fine marble flooring.