HADLOW ASHES LANE TQ 65 SW 3/6 North Frith Farm Oast 19.6.86 GV II Former oasthouse, now a field centre for wildlife and farming studies, Circa 1856, built as part of a model farm; some bomb damage in 1944, converted circa 1984. English bond brick including a large number of burnt headers giving it a banded appearance in places; peg-tile roof. Plan: The stowage faces south and has 4 attached hop kilns, 3 at the back and one on the left (west) end. The end kiln has a narrow projecting chimneyshaft which appears to be original. The stowage is 3 storeys and the ground floor is open. Exterior: The stowage has a symmetrical 5-window front. All have segmented brick arches over and contain iron-framed pivoting casements with glazing bars. At first floor level are loading hatch doorways right and left of centre. Both contain original sturdy sliding plank doors on iron runners. 5- bay open arcade at ground floor level of cast iron columns. These support the outer ends of the crossbeams and above them is a large horizontal plat or lintel across the front. Directly above (at first floor level) is a band of cogged brick. Low segmental brick relieving arches down onto the cogged band below each first floor window and a plain projecting band across the front at window sill level.is interrupted by the loading hatch doorways. An eaves cornice of cogged brick is interrupted by the upper window arches. S-shaped iron ties at second floor level. Main roof is hipped each end. The right end side continues in the same style with similar windows and an arcade of narrow segmental-headed arches is now blocked by windows. The hop kilns are circular in plan and unusually architectural. Around the upper section are sunken rectangular panels with cornices of cogged brick. The small windows with segmental arch heads are original. Windows and doorways inserted circa 1984 have concrete lintels. Originally the conical roofs were much taller and were coated brick. They suffered from bomb blast damage in 1944 after which they were reduced considerably and given conical roofs clad with peg tile. Interior: Has plain but sturdy carpentry detail. 5-bay roof of large scantling tie-beam trusses with raiked iron gussets over the joints and with vertical iron rods between each apex and tie beam. There are sturdy dragon ties across the corners at wall plate level. This is an unusually attractive oast which forms part of a group of contemporary farmbuildings (q.v.) and North Frith Farmhouse (q.v.) which was built as a model farm by the owner of North Frith House. Listing NGR: TQ6242949383