Moatenden – Breathing New Life into an Old Building
A unique heritage building on the Hadlow Estate, which once served the health needs of the community, has been given a new lease of life as a showroom for a luxury furniture and interiors business.
The former Moatenden Isolation Hospital and Doctor’s House on Vauxhall Lane, near Southborough, was built in the 19th century to care for children and young people suffering from infectious diseases. It closed after World War One.
Misura Furniture, the UK’s leading manufacturer of luxury and bespoke furniture for both residential and commercial use, has now moved into the beautifully refurbished hospital building, creating a showroom for their luxury products, including sofas, beds, dining chairs, stools and benches.
The striking single storey building and imposing doctor’s house were retained and developed by the Estate when the adjacent parcel of land was sold to independent housebuilder Wedgewood Homes. Five luxury homes set around a courtyard have been built on the land next door.
Now five years of careful restoration work have turned the former Moatenden Hospital into a modern commercial building fit for 21st century use with upgraded insulation, double glazing, air source heat pumps and new wiring and plumbing.
Kate Teacher of the Hadlow Estate said refurbishing the former isolation hospital to such a high standard while retaining its original character was a continuation of the Estate’s policy of bringing old buildings up to modern standards and finding appropriate tenants ready to adopt them for a range of uses.
“It’s great to have brought such a unique heritage building back into use and to provide a place for young, successful business,” she said. “We now have a wonderful mix of tenants across the Estate, particularly in some of our recently renovated buildings, from carpenters, to musicians, to interior designers, and blacksmiths to beauticians.”
Jessica Robinson of Misura Furniture said during the four years she had been running the business, she had experienced strong demand from customers for an open, dedicated place where they could physically see a selection of products and receive one-to-one expert guidance on choosing the best fits and styles for their homes or projects.
“It was incredibly important to me to find the right space – one that would reflect the needs of our clientele,” Jessica said. “We required a quiet, beautiful environment that would showcase our products elegantly while providing a calming, bespoke experience for our clients.
“When I stumbled across The Old Hospital, I immediately knew it was perfect. The exterior is striking, with its beautiful brickwork, and while we admired the original features inside, we undertook a full refurbishment to create a serene and welcoming space that truly reflects our brand’s ethos.”
She said there had been positive feedback from clients after their visit, describing the “breathtaking building” and “stunning surroundings” of Moatenden. “It’s a truly special place, and we are so pleased to share it with our customers,” Jessica added.
The attractive brickwork detailing, under a hipped and pitched tiled roof, has been retained and restored, while the building sits in an idyllic rural setting with views to the former farm pond and across the surrounding countryside, close to the High Weald National Landscape.
The building was transformed with the help of Kent-based architects Theis + Khan and Mathew Carpenter of builders Wedgewood.
The project included a painstaking process to strip back the original Victorian building without compromising its unique architectural features – and there were some interesting discoveries along with way. Award-winning roofer Karl Terry, who inspected the slate roof, found horsehair under the slates – thought to be an early form of Victorian insulation.
The successful completion of the restoration, which gives the building a new lease of life as modern commercial premises, reflects the Hadlow Estate’s commitment to its heritage, while at the same time ensuring Estate properties remain relevant and fit for the future.