Downingbury Farm Oast

TQ 64 SW PEMBURY MAIDSTONE ROAD

5/387 Downingbury Farm Oast

14.4.86 GV II

Former oasthouse, now (February 1989) being converted into 2 houses. Probably mid C19. Stowage is mostly weatherboarded timber-framing on brick footings but some is brick to first floor level with peg-tile roof. Hop kilns are red brick with peg-tile roofs. Plan: Former oasthouse facing south south west, say south. T-plan stowage. The main block has a cart entrance in the right (east) end. A narrow block projects forward from the centre of the main block. It is lower than the main block. To left the main roof is carried down over an outshot. 3 hop kilns across the back of the main block.

Exterior: Attractively irregular 1:1:1-window front. C19 windows have iron- framed casements containing leaded glass and are being replaced by timber casements without glazing bars. Main stowage and front block both have half- hipped roofs. Hop kilns are circular in plan. They have eaves cornices of cogged brick and tall conical roofs.

Interior: Has plain but sturdy carpentry detail.

This oasthouse is unusually attractive and also forms part of a group with nearby Downingbury Farm Barn (q.v.) and the good early C18 Downingbury Farmhouse (q.v.).

Listing NGR: TQ6365742895