Ranges Round The Stable Yard West Of Hadlow Tower, Hadlow Castle

Ranges round the Stable Yard West of Hadlow Tower, Hadlow Castle

Former stables, service building and walls around a stable courtyard north-east of Hadlow Tower, now converted to housing. These buildings are remnants of Hadlow Castle, a large Gothic house of late 18th-century origins that was dismantled in 1951. Dating to the early to mid-19th century—with one building dated 1856—the ranges retain 20th-century alterations. They are built of cement-rendered brick matching Hadlow Tower, with roofs set behind embattled parapets in the Gothic style.

The plan comprises an approximately rectangular courtyard with ranges of buildings on the north, west and east sides, and walls on the south side that adjoin Hadlow Tower, positioned at the south-west corner of the courtyard. The main house once lay to the west of the courtyard; part of its west end wall, now freestanding, links Hadlow Tower to the west courtyard range. Two archways provide access into the courtyard: one through the north range and another through the east range.

The outer elevations have been substantially altered during conversion to houses, while the courtyard-facing elevations remain less altered, though they incorporate 20th-century windows and doors alongside almost certainly re-used early 19th-century features. The north range's courtyard elevation is asymmetrical and embattled with a roughly central archway beneath a gable decorated with fleurons. To the left of the archway stands an early 20th-century door with Gothic panelling and two traceried windows, with 20th-century first floor windows above. To the right, the elevation becomes symmetrical, breaking forward at the centre with tall two-light Gothic traceried windows on either side.

The east range's two-centred archway has a stepped gable, carved spandrels and bears the date 1856. The east range is embattled and includes a two-storey tower to the right of the archway featuring an embattled first-floor oriel with a timber traceried window; a tall two-light Gothic traceried window stands to the left of the archway.

The west range is picturesque and irregular, incorporating a four-storey and two-storey tower to the left of centre. The elevation presents an asymmetrical fenestration pattern (1:1:1:1:4) within a gabled wall section that formed part of the main house, containing a large three-light Gothic window with an ogee hoodmould filled with stained glass. Adjacent to this is an embattled block with a 20th-century flat-roofed porch. To its right stands a four-storey tower with four Gothic windows bearing hoodmoulds, the ground floor window preserving early 19th-century tracery. A two-storey tower to the right has a stepped gable and a two-tier embattled projection on its front with two-light 19th-century Gothic windows. A lower four-bay block to the right is buttressed with 19th-century Gothic windows and a 20th-century door.

Early 19th-century walls on the east and south sides of the courtyard are included in the listing. Although the outer elevations of the ranges have suffered some severe alterations, they preserve some 19th-century features including windows and buttresses. The west range in particular forms a good asymmetrical group at the base of Hadlow Tower.

The ranges are listed as Grade II* for their contribution to the setting of Hadlow Tower, an outstanding Grade I building.