Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The Hop Farm - site of the World's largest group of Oast houses and granaries. The buildings now form a museum which is part of the wider Hop Farm visitor attraction. They were built for Whitbread in the late 19th century. The complex consists of Guests Oast, the oldest of all the oasts, named after Henry Guest the chief hop drier. It was here that various drying techniques were carried out. Temporary platforms were built to store the pokes containing green hops. In 1945-7 they were replaced with permanent gantries. The theatrical stage for entertaining hop pickers had to be removed in 1945 to make way for a permanent poke storage gantry. A marquee tent was erected to continue the entertainments. The church and writing room, now an office was situated at the west end of Bell 1. Hoppers accommodations consisted of 10 blocks of 2 storey buildings. Bell tents were used to accommodate the remaining hoppers, but were gradually replaced with blocks of single storey huts having 15 rooms back to back. Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1900 to 1999

Monument Types

• OASTHOUSE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1880 AD to 2050 AD)
• FARM (Post Medieval to Modern - 1900 AD to 1999 AD)

Full description

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(TQ 67404750) Oast Houses (NAT) (TQ 67454750) Oast Houses (NAT) (TQ 67374747) Oast Houses (NAT) (TQ 67424746) Oast Houses (NAT) (1) Oast Houses and Granaries at Whitbreads Hop Farm, Branbridges Road, East Peckham. Grade II*. Oasts and granaries. Early C20. 4 blocks of 5 round red brick oast houses with a weatherboarded granary to the south of each group. The whole group now a museum. The largest groupof oasts in Kent. (2) [For full description see list]. At Beltring, is the largest group of oasts anywhere, thirty-two conical ones, a most impressive site. They were built for Whitbread'sin the late 19th century. (3) At Whitbread Hop Farm, Beltring complex, near Paddock Wood, two of thefour multi-kiln oasts have been set up as rural craft museums, with one of the cooling floors dedicated to hopping. The remaining two multi-kiln buildings continue to be used as working oasts. The complex at Beltring consists of Guests Oast, the oldest of all the oasts, named after Henry Guest the chief hop drier. It was here that various drying techniques were carried out. Temporary platforms were built to store the pokes containing green hops. In 1945-7 they were replaced with permanent gantries. The theatrical stage for entertaining hop pickers had to be removed in 1945 to make way for a permanent poke storage gantry. A marquee tent was erected to continue the entertainments. The church and writing room, now an office was situated at the west end of Bell 1. Hoppers accommodations consisted of 10 blocks of 2 storey buildings. Bell tents were used to accommodate the remaining hoppers, but were gradually replaced with blocks of single storey huts having 15 rooms back to back. (4)

Description from record TQ 64 NE 242:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
TQ 64 NE EAST PECKHAM BRANBRIDGES ROAD (west side)
3/77 Oast Houses and Granaries at Whitbreads Hop Farm 25.8.59
GV II*
Oasts and granaries. Early C20. 4 blocks of 5 round red brick oast houses with a weatherboarded granary to the south of each group. Tiled gabled roofs. To the south west is a further block of more recent date. Composite rectangular building of red brick on ground floor, weatherboarded above with a tiled roof and 5 small square cowls astride the ridge. This block and 2 of the others remain in operation or operating condition. The whole group now a museum. The largest group of oasts in Kent. Listing NGR: TQ6745948382 (5)

<1> OS 1:2500 1962 (OS Card Reference). SKE48204.

<2> DOE(HHR) Tonbridge and Malling RD Kent April 1985 6 (OS Card Reference). SKE41206.

<3> The Bldgs of Eng W Kent and the Weald 1980 267 (OS Card Reference). SKE50140.

<4> Oasts in Kent 1984 58-63 104 107 illus (RAE Walton) (OS Card Reference). SKE47854.

<5> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading