The Colonnade

The Colonnade is a row of shops dating to the early 19th century, located on Rye Road in Hawkhurst. It comprises five blocks, with the central and fourth blocks projecting and being taller than the others, all with individually hipped roofs and rear stacks. The building is timber-framed and weather-boarded, with slate roofs. A colonnade of fluted cast iron columns runs along the front, supporting a flat roof with decorative hoods and boxes.

The ground floor contains plate glass shop fronts, which largely retain the original decorative window and door surrounds. The original panelled doors remain, some with chinoiserie-traceried rectangular fanlights. The upper floors have three glazing bar sashes per block, except for the right-hand end which has four; the end two feature single-leaf louvred shutters. The mid-20th century front of Baldocks Bakers is considered to be out of character with the building’s design.

The return elevations have further glazing bar sashes. A single-storey extension to the left return features a tripartite glazing bar sash and a panelled door. The Hawkhurst Pharmacy (No 11) was established in 1830; construction of the site may have begun around 1793.