Oast House in East Malling, Kent

A regional landmark, Oast Houses have been a part of England’s history for hundreds of years. Housebuilder, Hillreed Residential Developments installed Sandtoft’s Alban clay plain tile to retain its original character and charm.

CASE-STUDY: Oast House at Oast Court Farm, East Malling, Kent
PRODUCT: Alban Plain Tile in Sussex Blend
RENOVATION BY: Hillreed Homes Ltd

Hillreed Homes Ltd, a leading property developer in the South East of England specified Sandtoft’s Alban clay plain tile in Sussex Blend for a landmark home on its Oast Court
Farm development in East Malling, Kent.

The centrepiece of a private, gated development of eight bespoke properties, ‘The Offham’, a brand new Oast House was built to create a superb, individual family home. The Oast House’s three roundels topped with conical white cowls look stunning using Sandtoft’s Alban clay plain tiles.

A rich heritage

An Oast House is a building used traditionally for drying hops as part of the brewing process and in recent times many redundant Oast Houses became popular conversion projects, creating a unique residential property.

Clive Pickard, design manager at Hillreed Residential Developments, said: “Oast Houses are a significant part of the history of this area of Kent and seen by many as a landmark of the region. The new Oast is built on the site of a former Oast and we wanted to make sure the new building truly reflected the architectural style of its predecessor.

Oast house roof using Alban Plain Tile in Sussex Blend
“As the three roundels of the Oast House are such a prominent part of the property, it was essential that we used the most appropriate tiles.
“The Alban tiles matched the colorings and reflected the heritage of the property perfectly and provided us with a durable, cost-effective solution.”

Crafted with care

Made from Sandtoft’s extensive clay reserves formed from the alluvial plain of the river Humber over 10,000 years ago, the Alban is the latest handcrafted clay plain tile from
Sandtoft who have been making traditional clay plain tiles for more than 100 years.

The Alban is carefully sanded using recycled foundry sands that are pressed into the tile,
creating a varied and rustic surface texture. Once dried the tiles are set into the kiln by hand and fired vertically which further adds to their character as it results in each tile adopting a slightly different shape during firing.

The Oast Court Farm development is a great example of the Alban’s flexibility. The heritage aesthetic of the tile is a perfect fit for the the new development yet sits comfortably and
reflects the vernacular style of traditional Oasts in the area.

Alban Plain Tile in Sussex Blend Sandtoft has developed the Alban with traditional projects like this in mind. It’s ideal for people looking for a reclaimed appearance at an affordable price. The specialist sanding techniques add real charm and character to the roof. The Alban is available in two colours – the Sussex Blend and Vintage Blend.

Press release and images supplied by Weinerberger Ltd – Sandtoft Roof Solutions.