Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II listed building. Main construction periods 1400 to 1499

Summary from record TQ 73 NW 22:

Range of houses, some time Inn and shops. Dates from the 15th century. Timber-framed and part exposed with plaster infill. Spways was used as a lookout by the Hawkhurst Gang and was the principal headquarters of the gang under Thomas Kingsmill.

Monument Types

• SITE (Medieval - 1400 AD to 1499 AD)
• TIMBER FRAMED BUILDING (Medieval to Modern - 1400 AD? to 2050 AD)
• HISTORICAL SITE (Headquarters of the Hawkhurst Gang, Post Medieval - 1746 AD? to 1747 AD?)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
GOUDHURST HIGH STREET TQ 7237-7337 (south side)
15/190 Former Lloyds Bank, 20.6.67 Eight Bells Inn and Spways
GV II Range of houses, sometime Inn and shops. C15. Timber framed and part exposed with plaster infill, otherwise tile hung, part painted, on red brick ground floor. Plain tiled roof. Two storeys and attic with half-hipped roof at right stacks to rear centre right and clustered to centre left, with 3 hipped dormers. The former Lloyds Bank to end left with 4 and 3 light leaded casements on 1st floor, and boarded door and 80 paned window to ground floor extension, with open passageway to right (with cusped woodwork). Former Eight Bells to centre, with 4 lights mullioned and 3 light mullioned and transomed windows on 1st floor, 4 light casement and paired glazing bar sashes to right on ground floor, with half-glazed doors to left with flight of steps, and to centre right. Shuttered basement Spways with paired sashes and 3 light casement on 1st floor and tripartite sash on ground floor, with projecting bay to right, the upper section glazed and bracketed out, with half-glazed door in left side. The basement with boarded door with grille, louvred side opening, and water tank with spout set flush with wall, said to have been a lock-up at some stage. Projecting hipped framed rear wings to whole range. Although of more than 1 build, the interlacing tenures give the range same unity. Heavily framed interims and inglenooks reported, the framing reportedly early in character.
Listing NGR: TQ7230637777

Description from record TQ 73 NW 22:
Range of houses, some time Inn and shops. Dates from the 15th century. Timber-framed and part exposed with plaster infill. Spways was used as a lookout by the Hawkhurst Gang and was the principal headquarters of the gang under Thomas Kingsmill.(1)

<1> Hufton, G & Baird, E., 1983, Scarecrows Legion: Smuggling in Kent and Sussex, p92 (Monograph). SKE7997.

Sources and further reading