A lot of our public buildings have historic value and as such afford the protection given to our heritage assets. It is vital to maintain these assets and in order to provide them with a sustainable future we need to adapt change and encourage ways to keep these assets alive.
Heritage Unlimited were contacted in April 2023 by Tonbridge & Malling Council who were undergoing a review of their operations at Tonbridge Castle and grounds. The castle is a heritage hub with a tourist information centre, attraction, meeting rooms, castle lawns and offices providing existing income. However, the council needed to find new strong revenue streams and had completed a public consultation on potential and desired uses for the site. To take their plans forward they needed a Heritage Assessment completed by an experienced consultant and HUL were appointed to complete the works.
Tonbridge Castle is a valuable asset as one of the best examples of an 11th century Motte & Bailey Castle in the south of England. It is grade I listed and a Scheduled Monument with the 18th century offices also grade I listed, although the offices and modern additions are excluded from the scheduling, the ground beneath them is included. It is also located within the Tonbridge Conservation Area.
The focus of the Heritage Assessment were the ground and first floors of the later additions forming Tonbridge Castle Offices. However, to give a comprehensive overview and understanding of the site and heritage assets, a summary of the site as a whole was completed to further provide context for the grounds and setting.
The commission required HUL to complete archival research and historical mapping, assess and identify the original parts of the structure of the building, consider and advise how any proposed works could impact on the significance of the building or setting, and provide a comprehensive gazetteer and morphology plans to reflect the evolution of the site and current materials present. This report provided guidance to the council on how to direct their future proposals and provides an opportunity for them to improve the significance of the heritage asset by removing modern materials thus revealing areas of historic fabric covered over by previous development.
