Romden Hall House, near Smarden, Kent (A 15th century Wealden)

One of the most ambitious building recording projects undertaken by Canterbury Archaeological Trust during the 1980's took place at Romden Hall House, near Smarden, Ashford. This fine medieval farmhouse was devastated by the storms that struck the south of England in October 1987. It was literally torn apart and reduced to a pile of broken timbers. The Trust was commissioned to produce a survey of the collapsed building. We had to identify, draw and number all the components of the original timber-frame before removing them to a temporary dry store in a nearby barn. A set of drawings was then prepared reconstructing the building on paper. The building has remained in store ever since. However its reconstruction on a new site a short distance away is due to start in the near future.

Romden Hall House is of a building type known as a Wealden. Kent has the highest concentration of Wealdens in the country (relatively few have been identified elsewhere). Many lie in an area of Kent known as the Weald after which they are named. The characteristic feature of a Wealden is a recessed open-hall centrally placed between floored and jettied wings.

It seems likely that Romden hall house was built during the first half of the 15th century by the Guldeford family who owned the land and much of the surrounding countryside from 1421–1509. Surprisingly the building was only in domestic use until the seventeenth century when the construction of a brick farmhouse led to its abandonment as a dwelling. Fortunately it survived as an ancillary farm building, being converted to stables and cow-house with an inserted hay loft occupying the former open hall. Following the construction of a kiln during the nineteenth century it acquired the status of an oast-house complete with drying rack, hop-press and associated fixtures and fittings.

Despite the amendments the house remained largely unspoiled, perhaps less altered than if it had remained in domestic use. The dismantling of the collapsed building provided a unique opportunity to record the fabric of a medieval in the greatest detail. Our thanks to Ashford Borough Council, Kent County Council, English Heritage and the Kent Archaeological Society for funding the survey work and to Mr and Mrs Windibank (owners of the property) for their help during the recording process.

More information can be found in CAT's Annual Report 1988–89

Romden Hall House: View of the collapsed building after the storm of 1987.	Hall crown-post and collar purlin assembly.

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