Building record 3320/3/2 - The Stable Block, Castle Ashby

Stable block. Mid/late C17, altered C19 and C20. Coursed limestone rubble, slate roof, brick and stone ridge stacks.

{1} Stable block. Mid/late C17, altered C19 and C20. Coursed limestone rubble, slate roof, brick and stone ridge stacks. F-plan originally, now L plan. 2 storeys. Surrounds 2 sides of a stable courtyard, with slightly longer range facing east. Round-arched doorway to through passage at right end of longer range facing east, otherwise panelled doors with Tudor-arched heads, some with hood moulds. 3-light stone mullion and transom windows to ground floor, some with hood moulds. Mostly 3-light stone mullioned windows to 1st floor. Windows to rear elevations are more irregular and chiefly casement windows with wood lintels. A short wing probably late C18 or early C19 projects to rear of range facing court to south containing a staircase and with small square open cupola to ridge containing bell and with domed lead roof. Stone-coped gables with kneelers. A single-storey link with Estate Office (q.v.) houses tack-room and is probably C19. An estate map of 1760 shows that a range formerly extended behind Estate Office (q.v.) and was joined to the Laundry (q.v.) to form a formal composition opposite west range of Castle Ashby (q.v.). (Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: 1973, p144; Castle Ashby Archives).

{4} West of the house are C17 and later service courts with stables (most listed grade II). With the exception of Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt’s water tower of 1865 (listed grade II) these are well hidden from the house and gardens.

{5} Undated photo;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 13/24 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F12 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.144 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> English Heritage, 1994, Register of Parks & Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England (1994, Northamptonshire), (unchecked) (Report). SNN1324.

<5> Photographs of buildings in Castle Ashby (Photographs). SNN111838.

Record last edited

Aug 4 2021 3:57PM