Monument record TQ 64 NW 33 - Close Brewery, Hadlow

Hadlow Brewery, High St Hadlow. Two large C19 maltings of the former Hadlow Brewery built in 1859 and c1880. Both are square plan buildings with kilns at each end. Built in brick with external pilasters. Rest of brewery buildings demolished, maltings converted to housing in 1988. Listed grade 2. (1) The Close Brewery, est pre 1840 by Mrs Mercy Barton, acquired c1850 Harrison & Taylor; Kenward and Barnet from 1858 and Kenward and Court from 1871. Taken over by Hammerton and Co of London in 1945, closed 1949 and bought by Charrington who cleared some buildings and converted others to housing. (2)

The brewery is first documented in 1710 when it was in the ownership of the Barton family who also owned hop gardens in the village. By 1851 the brewery had been operated by Messrs Harrison and Taylor but was sold to a partnership comprising Edward Kenward, Nelson Kenward, William Barnett and Thomas Simmonds. A maltings, now known as Maltings II, (see Monument HOB UID 1175266) was built in 1859. In 1868 the partnership was dissolved, replaced in 1871 by a partnership comprising Trayton Kenward, Charles Kenward and John Court which was known as Kenward and Court. A second maltings (now known as Maltings I) was built during the 1880s (see Monument HOB UID 1175266)

In 1945 Kenward and Court was acquired by Charles Hammerton and Company Limited. On site brewing ceased in September 1949, but malting continued. The brewery was acquired by Watney's in 1952 and subsequently by Charringtons.

The brewery closed in the late 1960s after being used as a distribution centre. In 1988 the two maltings were converted into flats. Other surviving brewery buildings, include a stable block, the Close and the Master’s House (3-5)

<1> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Listed Building Description (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<2> Norman Barber (Brewery History Society 1994), A Century of British Brewers 1890-1990 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6449.

<3> Peter Higginbotham, Higginbotham, Peter. 2000. The Workhouse. (Website). SKE53741.

<4> Anderson, L., 2010, Strategy for the Historic Industrial Environment: The Brewing Industry (Bibliographic reference). SKE56086.

<5> Richmond L and A. Turton, 1990, The brewing industry : a guide to historical records (Bibliographic reference). SKE56095.