The Poet at Matfield

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 13 June 2023 to update the name and address and to reformat the text to current standards

TQ 64 SE 6/144

BRENCHLEY MATFIELD MAIDSTONE ROAD (west side) The Poet at Matfield

(Formerly listed as Standings Cross Public House)

GV II Public House. Circa 1700 with C19 and early C20 additions. Ground floor Flemish bond brick, first floor tile-hung; peg-tile roof; brick stacks.

Plan: the pub faces west south west. The front block was originally two rooms wide with a larger heated room to the left, the parlour, and an unheated service room to the right. The rear block was a service block and includes a rear lateral stack, said to have served a bakery in the rear part of the building. Probably C20 one-room plan additions at both ends of the front block. The partition between the parlour and unheated service room has been removed.

Exterior: two storeys. Symmetrical three window front, the roof of the main block gabled at ends with one window single-storey additions to left and right. Central open gabled porch with lattice panels to the front and a C19 or early C20 half-glazed front door preserving its original glass etched with the name of the pub. Three first floor and two ground floor early C20 windows with square leaded casements, two-light to the first floor, three-light to the ground floor windows which have high transoms. One three-light transomed window to each single-storey addition.

Interior: the left hand room retains a circa 1800 timber chimney-piece with a cambered arch flanked by contemporary cupboards. C19 matchboarded dado. Plain exposed carpentry.

Roof: not inspected.

Listing NGR: TQ6609042106