Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II listed building. Main construction periods 1400 to 1989 15th Century timber framed building it has been an Inn since at least 1600 (The Black Spreadeagle) and was a haunt of the Hawkhurst Smuggling Gang. A tunnel is said to run form the Inn to the parish church of St. Mary's.

Monument Types

• BUILDING (Medieval to Modern - 1480 AD to 2050 AD)
• INN (Post Medieval to Modern - 1600 AD? to 2050 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)
15/189 Star and Eagle Inn and 9.6.52 wall attached GV II Inn. C15 and mid C20. Timber-framed and exposed with plaster infill on red brick and sandstone base, the rear elevations tile hung on red brick ground floor. Two staggered principal ranges, the front, entrance elevation originally C16, altered c.1800 and C19 late 1980's. Two storeys and garret on sandstone plinth, with jettied gabled wings to left and to right, with recessed central bays. The ground floor built out with balustrade over. Covered and jettied gable to right, gables with moulded bargeboards. Stacks to right and at end left. Leaded wooden casements in gables and to fist floor, and mullioned and transomed canted bay to left, to centre, with flush window to right. Central half-glazed door, with basement openings to centre. Rear left range: C16, continuous jettied 2 storey range, with moulded bressummer supported on dragon post, with projecting pentice to re-entrant angle, and stacks to end left and end right. Four and 3 light mullioned windows. Across the re-entrant angle joining the 2 wings is a brick wall, part of the churchyard wall, about 6 feet high, of red brick, with segmentally headed boarded door to centre. Single storey wing to left, entered by rear courtyard, of red and blue brick, with central stack. Rear elevation of 1 storey with boarded door and 2 glazing bar sashes. The C16 range of 2 storeys, attic and basement to rear, with irregular fenestration of sashes and casements, with central canted bay, and projecting wings of various dates. Interior: fully exposed frame in part reconstructed, with turned baluster stair (with detailable "burglar's terror" newel), remains of C18 shop front (carved wooden post and window heads exposed in Ladies' Lavatories), and stone newel stair to cellar (reported) passage to adjacent church). An Inn at least since 1600 (recorded as the Black Spreadeagle). See Igglesden, Vol 12, 26-27; see also Kent Life, 1969, December issue).
Listing NGR: TQ7233537785

Description from record TQ 73 NW 21:
Inn. 15th century and mid 20th. Timber-framed and exposed with plaster infill on red brick and sandstoen base, the rear elevations tile hung on red brick ground floor. Two staggered principal ranges, the front, entrance elevation originally 16th century, altered c.1800 and late 1980's. Two storeys and garret on sandstone plinth, with jettied gabled wings to left and to right, with recessed central bays. The ground floor built out with balustrade over. Covered and jettied gabel to right, gables with moulded bargeboards. Stacks to right and at end left. Leaded woodedn casements in gables and to first floor, and mullioned and transomed canted bay to left, to centre, with flush window to right. Central half-glazed door, with basement openings to centre. Rear left range: C16, continous jettied 2 storey range, with moulded bressummer supported on dragon post, with projecting pentice to re-entrant angle, and stacks to end left and end right. Four and three light mullioned windows. Across the re-entrant angle joining the two wings is a brick wall, part of the churchyard wall, about 6 feet high, of red, brick, with segmentally headed boarded door to centre. SIngle storey wing to left, entered by rear courtyard, of red and blue brick, with central stack. Rear elevation of 1 atorey with boarded door and two glazing bar sashes. The 16th century range of two storeys, attic and basement to rear, with irregular fenestration of sashes and casements, with central canted bay, and projecting wings of various dates.

Interior:Fully exposed frame in part reconstructed, with turned baluster stair (with detailable "burgar's terror" newel), remains of 18th century shop front (carved wooden post and window heads exposed in Ladies' lavatories), and stone newel stair to cellar (reported) passage to adjacent church. An Inn at least since 1600. (Listing description).

This Inn was used by the Hawkhurst Smuggling Gang and a tunnel is believd to run from the nearby parish church of St. Marys (TQ 73 NW 1) to the Inn.(1)

A timber framed building containing two medieval phases. The first phase is a fully floored rear range of uncertain function built around 1500. The second is the additioin of a formerly open 2-bay hall of the early 16th century. These phases are associated with a medieval type upper end and service rooms which have since been demolished. Existing lower end accomodation built in the form of a wing in about 1600 while the present upper end wing dates from later in the 17th century. Another 17th century wing lies behind the hall. (2)

Historic England, Archive material associated with Star and Eagle Hotel, Goudhurst, Listed Building (Archive). SKE57236.

<1> Hufton, G & Baird, E., 1983, Scarecrows Legion: Smuggling in Kent and Sussex, Page 92 (Monograph). SKE7997.

<2> Pearson, S., Barnwell, P. S. & Adams, A. T., 1994, A Gazetteer of Medieval Houses in Kent (Monograph). SKE8010.

Sources and further reading