Wiltshire House, Maidstone Buildings

Wiltshire House, formerly known as Kent House, is a former hop warehouse likely constructed around 1840-1850. It is shown on the 1872 Ordnance Survey Map and stands near the Anchor Brewery and the Hop Exchange. The building is constructed of stock brick with a slate roof hidden behind a parapet. It is four storeys high and has two windows and two openings to the front, and two windows to the side elevation. The front of the building features a splay and loading bays with a gantry. The windows are fixed metal casements, with round-headed openings on the top floor and cambered openings on the lower floors. A round-headed arch is present on the ground floor, incorporating modifications to the entrance. The side elevation displays cross-shaped iron ties. Inside, the roof structure includes metal king posts, and the roof itself is of pine with angled braces, purlins, a ridge piece, and dragon ties at the corners. Metal columns support each floor, connected by concertina braces. A steep wooden staircase is situated in a corner of the building. The building has undergone only minor alterations and represents a surviving example of hop warehouses in the area.