Holland-on-Sea: The Oakwood Inn

Image: © Nigel Cox Taken: 27 Oct 2018

At first sight this is a somewhat incongruous, and obviously old, building to be found in the middle of all the residential development of Holland-on-Sea. In fact it was the original farmhouse of the farm whose land was swallowed up by that development. From information gleaned from old large scale Ordnance Survey mapping it was Cant's Farm in 1876, then Kent's Farm from 1897 to 1939, Oakwood Hall by 1952 (but with Kent Farm Nurseries nearby), Oakwood Hall Country Club in the edition dated 1955 - 1968, and finally the Oakwood Inn in 1968. It is a Grade II Listed Building and the Historic England website describes it thus:- "C17 or earlier with later alterations and additions. Timber framed and rough rendered. Red plain tiled roof. No chimney stack visible from road. 2 storeys and attics. 4 window range of small paned vertically sliding sashes. Iron support brackets to gutter. C20 enclosed gabled porch, C20 plank and muntin door, side lights. Internally part of a heavy timber frame is exposed with chamfered bridging joists, flat ceiling beams and wall studs." So the fact that it was once a farmhouse is surprisingly not mentioned.

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