A chance to own a piece of Kent’s history
An historic Kent farmstead, which is being sensitively transformed into a mix of new family homes, will open for viewings later this month.
Tatlingbury Farm Spring Open Day will take place on Saturday, April 22nd 2023 from 10am with potential buyers invited to make an appointment with agents Knight Frank. It’s a perfect time to showcase the progress on site against a backdrop of apple blossom in the surrounding orchards.
The Hadlow Estate is behind the restoration and redevelopment of the 15th Century farmstead, which is breathing new life into the buildings by creating six stunning new homes.
Situated close to both Five Oak Green and the hamlet of Capel, Tatlingbury Farm is an historic corner of Kent, with records dating back to the 1400s.
Set around a central courtyard, all the existing historic buildings have been retained. The Stables, Granary and Dutch Barn are being sensitively remodelled to create three beautiful family homes.
Hop Barn House, and 1 and 2 Hop Barn Cottages are newly built in a striking larch weatherboarded barn-style terrace, inspired by the large Kent threshing barn opposite which has stood at Tatlingbury for generations.
Once owned by the Knights Hospitaller, a medieval Catholic order linked to the Crusades, before it was surrendered to Henry VIII, Tatlingbury Farm has long been a local landmark in the area.
It is a powerful reminder of Kent’s agricultural past, with its Grade II* listed farmhouse, and large Kent barn, featuring Kent peg roof tiles, which are traditionally made from locally dug clay and give many of the county’s houses and farm buildings their distinctive appearance.
Kate Teacher of the Hadlow Estate explained: “Tatlingbury Farm has always been one of my favourite places on the Estate – you can feel the centuries of history in its old buildings. It’s a fascinating record of how farming has evolved through the centuries. Over generations new buildings were added to the farm, designed with their function in mind, built in local materials which were best suited to their purpose. The Dutch Barn illustrates how farm buildings changed to reflect the materials available the time and is a classic example of this evolution.
“That’s why it was so important to get this project right – to celebrate and preserve the history of the farm whilst giving it new purpose for the future.”
Each house at Tatlingbury Farm has been thoughtfully designed to combine the character of a traditional building with the comfort of a modern family home. This attention to detail can be seen throughout, for example in the fitted kitchens with quartz worktops and Bosch appliances, with traditional Shaker styling in the converted buildings and a sleeker modern feel for Hop Barn House and Cottages. The homes have also been designed with an eye to the future with superior energy efficiency, and provision for EV charging for its private parking.
To write the next chapter of Tatlingbury’s history, the Estate called upon a team of experts to transform the buildings whilst at the same time respecting the site’s history.
The Hadlow Estate selected Canterbury-based Clague Architects to design the scheme, a firm with experience restoring historic buildings, as well as planning new buildings which work in harmony with older ones.
George Esdaile, a Partner at Clague Architects, said: “The joy of a farmstead development like this is you can take an historical, redundant site and give it an exciting new use. There aren’t many Dutch Barn conversions around either, which makes that element of the project particularly exciting.”
Sales Agent for the development, Ross Davies of Knight Frank, said: “There are new build developments and barn conversions, but then there is Tatlingbury. You simply don’t get farmsteads coming up like this and it represents one of the last opportunities to live in something of this kind.
“What makes the development special is the sympathetic approach to the restoration, the commitment to history and conservation, and the thoughtfulness given to the layout.”
Canham Homes, a division of A B Canham & Son based in Tonbridge, were chosen to undertake the work, having been building high-quality homes in and around Kent for the past 48 years.
Managing Director Michael Canham added: “This is a truly exciting project to be part of. These homes have been meticulously planned, inside and out, and finished to the highest specification to provide a luxurious living experience on a site that is brimming with character – farmstead living at its best.”
For more information about Tatlingbury Farm, visit https://tatlingburyfarm.com/ or contact Knight Frank on 01892 515035.
