One of the most remarkable oasts identified in 1960 was at Kenward Farm, Yalding (ME18 6AG) close to the River Medway. As the plans show it had 10 kilns, each of them 14 foot square. The drying floors were in poor condition; the kiln walls of rough plaster. The vent holes in the roof had been filled in. Locally it was also known as a malthouse. In 1960 the building was used for fruit storage and there were more recent oasts in the vicinity to serve the intensive hop growing in the area. The Kenward oast was an exciting find but regrettably I failed to photograph it and a recent search has not turned up any archive photos. In the 1980s it was demolished and replaced by a modern industrial dryer.

Kenward, Yalding. 1970’s picker and dryer on site of 17thC oast

Categories: 17th Century