20 Gun Lane is a Grade II listed 19th-century building in the town of Strood, in the Medway unitary authority of Kent, England.[1] It was constructed in 1856 as a charnel house (mortuary building) for the adjacent St Nicholas churchyard. Historic England describes the structure as built in an Italianate style of the mid‐Victorian period, using red brick with ragstone dressings and a Welsh slate hipped roof. The building’s two‐storey rear (toward the churchyard) and single‐storey front (street) elevations feature round‐headed arches, pilasters, and recessed panelled bays characteristic of its design. Its official listing on 2 December 1991 notes this unusual purpose and fine brickwork as reasons for its designation.
The street name Gun Lane reflects its early use as part of a historic route in Strood. In the 19th century History of Strood, the lane is noted as continuing from the “Gun Inn” at Strood through Frindsbury to Hoo St. Werburgh,[2] following an ancient track (the Pilgrim Road) from Surrey into Kent. This suggests that the name derives from the old Gun Inn public house that once stood at the western end of Strood (now demolished) and the Roman/Pilgrim route it served.
The building at No. 20 itself dates from 1856.[3] It was erected after the demolition of Strood’s earlier parish workhouse (1721–1853) and its mortuary, which were located at St Nicholas’ churchyard. The new charnel house at 20 Gun Lane replaced those older facilities. There is no evidence in surviving records of a specific owner or resident; it was built by church/parish authorities for ecclesiastical use. During the First and Second World Wars, no specific military use of the building is recorded in available sources, suggesting it remained in local community or ecclesiastical service (rather than becoming a depot or barracks).
Historic England’s official listing (List Entry Number 1119627) confirms that 20 Gun Lane is designated Grade II.[4] The designation date is given as 2 December 1991.[5] The listing entry describes the building as a “former charnel house (to St Nicholas graveyard), dated 1856”.[6] It notes the building’s construction materials and details: “Red brick, ragstone rubble; Welsh slate hipped roof. Italianate. 2 storeys to former churchyard, single storey to Gun Lane. Rubble plinth … with brick dressings”.[7]
The MDCCCLVI date plaque on the side of the building
The Gun Lane (street) elevation has “3 blank recessed panelled bays with pilasters and a recessed round-headed entrance with raised and fielded panel doors”.[8] The return on the south side (S) bears a date plaque (“MDCCCLVI” for 1856), and the north side has an end chimney stack.[9] On the churchyard side, the first floor has four round-headed windows (boarded up in 1989 survey) and the ground floor features a central doorway flanked by tall round-arched windows.[10] These ornate brick and masonry details – especially the arched openings and pilasters – contribute to its architectural interest and listed status.
The building remains essentially as constructed in 1856. The Historic England listing implies it has not been significantly enlarged or altered in external form since the 19th century. The interior original fittings (if any) are not described in the public listing; given its function as a mortuary/charnel house, internal features were likely utilitarian (emptying of coffins, etc.) and have not been documented.
Modern use and significance
In the late 20th century the building ceased functioning as a mortuary and entered general commercial use. Contemporary records (such as local business directories) show that by the 21st century 20 Gun Lane has been occupied as a commercial property. The current occupant (as of 2025) is SENterLight Childcare, which operates an early-years nursery on the premises.[11]
References
↑"Wayback Machine"(PDF). www.medway.gov.uk. p.40. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2025-12-14. Retrieved 2025-12-14. 20 Gun Lane .... II
↑Smetham, Henry (1899). History of Strood. University of California Libraries. Strood: Sweet. The Gun Inn, Strood.* It continues via Gun-lane, through Frindsbury into Hoo St. Werburgh; many Roman remains have been disinterred in the latter named village.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
↑"St Nicholas Church Historical Marker". Archived from the original on 2025-12-14. Retrieved 2025-12-14. This unusual building, also known as number windows and main entrance 20, Gun Lane, is thought to have been a mortuary or charnel house serving the workhouse .... It was built in 1856 presumably because the old mortuary was lost with the demolition of the old workhouse.
↑"20, GUN LANE, Non Civil Parish - 1119627 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 2025-12-14. Churchyard elevation with 4 round-headed 1st floor windows (boarded up at time of re-survey, February 1989), and central entrance below flanked by tall windows, all under round headed arches.
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