Building record 2838/2/13 - Stables & Attached House & Granary c.30m North-East of Apethorpe Palace

The stable block to Apethorpe Hall; 3 (originally separate) buildings in the stable yard have their origins in the mid 16th century, the stables were expanded during the 17th century with 18th, 19th and 20th century additions. It is L-shaped in plan, of one and two storeys and constructed of limestone with Collyweston (i.e. Lincolnshire limestone) slate roofs. The building has partly been converted into a dwelling. The stable block is a listed building.

{1} Stables and attached house and granary now partly modified to form ancilliary accommodation. C17, C18 and C19 for Apethorpe Palace. Squared coursed limestone with Collyweston slate roofs. Together forming an irregular U-shaped plan. One and two storeys, parts with attics. North range is mainly C19 with central carriage arch now enclosed with C20 doors. 2 casement windows under stone lintels, to left of courtyard elevation and C20 openings to right. West range, also mainly C19, is a 7-window range acing into the courtyard. Leaded casements, under stone lintels, at ground floor and similar casements, under wood lintels, at first floor. 5 hipped eaves dormers to left. Various plank and C20 doors between window ranges. Central wooden octagonal cupola. North elevation of this range has various C19 and C20 windows. 3-bay stable attached to far left breaks forward from main range and has central doorway, with hayloft door above set in gablet. The south range of the courtyard is formed by a C17 attached house and granary of 2 storeys with attic. 2-window range with gabled cross wing to right. 2- and 3-light stone mullion windows and casement windows under wood lintels. C20 door, to right, is under flat hood. First floor door in cross-wing. 2-storey lean-to at junction of cross-wing and main range. Ashlar gable parapets and ashlar stack at ridge. Interiors not inspected. These buildings were modified after 1948 when Apethorpe Hall became an approved school.

{2} C17th & C18th & C19th stables; squared coursed limestone with Collyweston slate roofs; irregular U-shaped plan; wooden octagonal cupola; modified after 1948 when Apethorpe Hall became Approved School.

{4} 2nd Earl of Westmorland rebuilt stables in 1653; C17th single storey structure extended by 2 storey addition of stabling & tack room & coachhouse in early C19th.

{5} Undated photo.

{6} Investigations carried out by English Heritage in 2005-2006 suggest that elements of the stables at Apethorpe Hall may have their origins in the mid 16th century: at that time these elements were three seperate buildings. The English Heritage report details the complete building history of the stables, which had previously recieved scant attention compared to the main hall.

{7} Block A South-West Stables. Now attached to an adjoining Stables range to the north but formerly a separate stable block providing space for around 8 horses. The building retains fabric from around the mid 16th century although it's outward appearance is largely 17th century. It seems likely that this building was the 'Coachhouse Stable' of 1626 which house the best quaility horses to pull the coach. The building was remodelled in the 17th century which included the addition of a sculpture of a horse to the new south gable wall; further alterations were made in the 19th century. Around 1950-60 the stable was converted to a school workshop with a large opening made in the north wall to link it to the adjoining block.

Granary/House Block. The Granary may pre-date the House. It has think original rubble walling which had steeped-out thickening to the lower parts. The window head to the west front seems to be the only remaining 16th century stone feature. The original building may have had a single fireplace on the north wall. The original first floor was set circa 300mm higher than now. The House was built in circa 1563. The first floor was divided into 3 rooms by closed partitions. It may have had stables on the ground floor with grooms' rooms above. The building was remodelled in the 17th century and by 1721 the House was in full use as a dwelling. There were various later alterations during the 19th and 20th century. During the school era the Granary was used for storage and the House remained in residential use.

Block B West Stables. Only the west wall seems older than 19th century. The whole range however is shown on the 1778 plan suggesting it was rebuilt in the 19th century keeping only the rear west wall. The 19th century range was divided into 4 rooms in use a stabling, tackrooms and perhaps a blacksmith/shoeing area. The first floor may have served as grooms' accommodation, plus storage. The range was coverted to school use around the 1950s with the ground floor used as workshops and the first floor for staff accommodiation.

Block C North-West Stables. A third freestanding stable block dating to around the mid 16th century. This inside was a single space and would have accomodated about 10 horses with stalls five feet wide. In the 17th century the west part was divided off. In the later 18th or 19th century a plaster floor and loading door were added to the east wall for hay. The south wall was rebuilt in the 19th century and the east ground floor room was used for storing harneses, tack or similar. Few changes were made in the school era.

Block D: North-East Stables. This block dates to the 19th century and was probably built as a coach house to the north west, cart shed to the south east and store to the north east.

Block E: East Stables. All post 1901 and probably built as extra garaging plus service end.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 18/7 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G12 p.7 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<3> 1799, The Westmorland Papers, Misc.Vol.4 (unchecked) (Document). SNN42177.

<4> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1984, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.7 (checked) (Series). SNN77384.

<5> Photographs of buildings in Apethorpe (Photographs). SNN111852.

<6> Cattell, J. (Ed.), 2007, Apethorpe Hall: Survey, Research and Analysis Volume 1, p. 343-361 (Report). SNN106269.

<7> Hill, N, 2006, Apethorpe Hall: The Stables Courtyard Historic Buildings Inventory (Report). SNN114910.

<8> Historic England, Apethorpe Hall, Apethorpe, BF061840 (Archive). SNN114909.

Record last edited

Mar 27 2023 1:01PM