Broad Street: Timber-Framed and Listed Buildings

Historic houses and timber framing

For a stay with an interest in historic architecture, Broad Street offers several specific points of interest. Broad Street Farmhouse is a Grade II-listed building. Pilgrims Cottages at numbers 1, 2 and 3 Broad Street is also Grade II-listed. Brushings Farmhouse is a timber-framed house dating from the early 16th century or earlier, with visible posts and plaster infill. Listed status and specific details of the timber-frame construction thus offer different perspectives. The buildings can be viewed not only through their names, but also through their dates and the architectural features mentioned for each.

Differences in date and construction

The dates offer a comparison spanning several centuries. Brushings Farmhouse dates from the early 16th century or earlier; The Old House is dated to the mid-16th century. Brushings Cottage is a timber-framed house dating from the 17th century or earlier. Wayfarers dates from the late 17th or early 18th century and has undergone later alterations. The wording “or earlier” allows for a broader date range for Brushings Farmhouse and Brushings Cottage than the more narrowly defined dates for The Old House and Wayfarers. This provides an overview of different building phases and date ranges, rather than a list of exact construction years.

Construction methods also add to the chronological perspective. Brushings Farmhouse, The Old House and Brushings Cottage are timber-framed houses; visible posts and plaster infill are also noted at Brushings Farmhouse. Wayfarers adds another aspect through its later alterations. This brings together different questions for consideration: what form of construction has survived, which details are visible, and what alterations are mentioned? This makes the comparison more varied than a simple list of buildings and centuries, without treating the individual examples as identical.

Archaeological traces and walking

Alongside the houses, there is an archaeological clue: several small finds in the area around Broad Street point to an Anglo-Saxon cemetery. This opens up a different historical perspective from that of the timber-framed buildings. The houses foreground construction methods and dates, while the small finds point to a cemetery from an earlier period. If you are interested in the history of a destination, these different traces of the past can broaden your perspective beyond architecture.

Walking offers another, independent reason to visit. A walking route leads to a North Downs Way marker. If you would like to include this walk in your plans, check local path conditions before setting out. This can help you decide whether the historic buildings, the archaeological trace or the walking opportunity is the main draw for your trip.

Considering Broad Street as a destination

When choosing somewhere to stay, it helps to consider these interests separately: the timber-framed houses offer points of interest for exploring construction methods and dates, while the reference to small finds opens up an archaeological perspective. If you place greater importance on being active, you can also consider the walking route mentioned. This way, you can first choose a destination whose historical themes interest you, then see which hotel suits your own travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Sittingbourne, Ulcombe, Edenbridge, Goudhurst, Staplehurst, Staple, Stone, Romney Marsh

For the broader travel overview: Kent.