12, BIRD-IN-HAND STREET
12, BIRD-IN-HAND STREET
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1356672
- Date first listed:
- 20-Oct-1954
- List Entry Name:
- 12, BIRD-IN-HAND STREET
- Statutory Address:
- 12, BIRD-IN-HAND STREET
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2003-04-03
- Reference:
- IOE01/07373/33
- Rights:
- © Dr Ray Hawkins. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1356672
- Date first listed:
- 20-Oct-1954
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 24-Aug-1990
- List Entry Name:
- 12, BIRD-IN-HAND STREET
- Statutory Address 1:
- 12, BIRD-IN-HAND STREET
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- 12, BIRD-IN-HAND STREET
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Kent
- District:
- Tunbridge Wells (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Speldhurst
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 52944 37746
Details
TQ 53 37 SPELDHURST BIRD-IN-HAND STREET, OLD GROOMBRIDGE 16/457 No 12 (formerly listed as 20.10.54 The Cottage)
GV II*
Cottage. Late C16, probably C18 stair block, minor C19 and C20 modernisations. Footings and entrance front up to first floor level of coursed sandstone. Rest is timber-framed and mostly exposed; it is brick- nogged at ground floor level and plastered infill above; the entrance front is hung with peg-tile above first floor level. Brick stack and chimneyshaft. Peg-tile roof.
Plan: House is built off the lane behind No 11 (q.v.). It faces uphill to the north west and has a 2-room plan. The larger main living room to left (north east) has a large projecting gable-end stack. Unheated service room to right now contains the present kitchen and entrance through right end behind the kitchen. Probably C18 stair block projects to rear of the service end.
2 storeys with attics in the roofspace and cellar.
Exterior: Attractive 2-window front, mostly C19 and C20 casements (some of the frames may be C18) containing diamond panes of leaded glass. Ground floor right window (to the kitchen) a C20 casement with no glazing bars. Exposed large framing with evidence that it once had curving tension braces at first floor level. Tall roof is gable-ended. The left end gable is timber-framed and the chimneyshaft rises from the stack free-standing. The right (south west) end is the entrance front and the doorway to right contains an old, probably C19, plank door with coverstrips. The stair turet is probably C18 brick. Some repaired closed studded framing in the rear wall.
Interior: Is very well-preserved. Main room has a chamfered axial beam with canted step stops and joists are chamfered with step stops; similar in chamber above. Large fireplace with chamfered oak lintel. Right (south east) side contains a large brick oven; its tile-roofed housing projects externally. 2- bay roof of tie-beam trusses with clasped side purlins and queen struts. Probably C18 winder stair.
No 12 is the oldest house in Old Groombridge (apart from the C15 Court Lodge but that was re-erected in the village in 1912). It also forms part of the superlative group of buildings associated with Groombridge Place (q.v.) in Old Groombridge village.
Listing NGR: TQ5294337744
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 438600
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 24-Jun-2026 at 23:46:24.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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