The barn at Westenhanger Castle in Kent was built in the late sixteenth century by Customer Smythe, Queen Elizabeth I’s excise and customs collector.
It is a stone-built barn with a gabled roof and two hipped-roof wagon porches. The magnificent hammer-beam roof, indicates the first owner’s high status. It is one of the many “prodigy” barn from the Tudor period like those at Waxham and Hales Hall.
Over the centuries the castle and barn fell into disrepair. It was bought by the Forge family in 2006 and they restored it with the help of English Heritage. The castle and grounds are now available to hire for weddings and other events.
