History
Historic Interest
All Saints Church was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and is Statutorily Listed Grade II as a Building of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. In addition, it is in our view a key building in townscape terms in the designated Hawkhurst Conservation Area. Its 115 feet tall spire is widely visible and forms a significant landmark from within the village and beyond.
Gilbert Scott
Gilbert Scott (1811 – 1878) is regarded as one of the foremost 19th century architects, and certainly one of the most prolific. His church work epitomizes the zenith of Victorian ecclesiastical design. His masterpiece is widely regarded to be St. Pancras Railway Station in London (1866 – 1876), but he is also especially remembered in London for the Albert Memorial (1864- 1871) and the Foreign Office (1862). Four of his smaller new village churches have always been considered as being amongst his best designs; All Saints Church, Hawkhurst is one of these.
Transformation
The Church was declared redundant in 1997 and, we understand, deconsecrated at around this time. It was used as a function venue for a short period before being sold to a local developer who, having received consent from the Church authorities, began a decade long journey in preparing for an acceptable transformation into residential use. The property was purchased by Freelands in 2017, who took up the baton and, with some sympathetic changes to the proposed design, began transforming the building into what is a unique development of just five exclusive dwellings.