Former stable, garden and ancillary buildings to Hutton Hall, Guisborough, Redcar and Cleveland

Summary

Former stable, garden and ancillary buildings to Hutton Hall, 1876 by Alfred Waterhouse.

Description

MATERIALS: Brick with stone dressings and slate roofs.

PLAN: asymmetrical. The site runs west-south-west to east-north-east, taken as west to east for the purposes of this report. A group of buildings sit around four sides of an open courtyard, accessed via Pease Court to the west. Stable House (no. 3) sits to the north-west, Saddle House (no. 4) to the north-east, Carriage House (no. 5) to the south-west and Coach House (no. 6) to the south-east. An unnumbered stable block occupies the eastern side of the north wing. A T-shaped block projects north from the north-east corner of the courtyard buildings; this forms Cleveland House (no.2). Smithy Cottage (no.1) is attached to the west side of Cleveland House; together they form a reverse L-shaped plan which creates an additional courtyard area to the north of the main courtyard. A long, thin range runs east from the rear of the courtyard block; this contains Fern House (no. 7) and Conservatory House (no. 8). Garden House (no. 9) sits to the east of this; it is sub-rectangular with a projection to the west and a triangular projection to the south. The garden wall runs along the northern perimeter of the Garden House plot, turning south along the eastern perimeter, then west along the southern perimeter of the gardens as a whole. Two branches run north from the southern perimeter; one connects with the south elevation of Garden House in order to isolate the Gardener’s plot, while the other connects to the south-east corner of the courtyard block. Further boundary walls contain the garden plots to the north of Cleveland House and Smithy Cottage, while to the west a wall connects the north-west corner of the courtyard block with the south-west corner of Smithy Cottage.

EXTERIOR
Courtyard block: this range is a mix of single and two-storey plus attic, with steeply pitched hipped and gabled roofs. The principal, west elevation has a central clock tower with a steep hipped roof over the entrance archway; this retains substantial wooden doors. To the left of the entrance the range is two-storey with a projecting gable and two gabled dormers, while to the right it is single-storey with a corresponding gable containing a pointed-arch stable entrance. Windows are all single one-over-one sashes, aside from the ground floor left which is paired. The three right hand ground floor windows were inserted during the 1990s.

The north elevation has door and window openings to the west, accessing Stable House. This has a yard wall projecting into the northern courtyard, which attaches to the west boundary wall. There are two gabled dormers accessing the hayloft to the central bay and the former Bothy flat to the east; the latter is accessed via a brick staircase over lean-to sheds. Two ground floor windows sit to the left of this.

The south elevation is single-storey to the west with a gable to the east containing paired windows and a decorative roundel. There are two entrances, one to the centre and one to the east, and two windows to the west. The windows are later insertions. A substantial brick chimney stack sits between bays one and two. The garden wall projects southwards from the east corner.
The east elevation is single-storey to the south, with a two-storey range to the north. There is one entrance accessed via brick steps to the south of no.4, otherwise it is taken up by a mixture of single and paired windows. All but one of the original window cills were lowered during conversion, and a paired window was inserted to the south end.

All sash windows have stone cills and flat-headed lintels, with chamfered detailing in the brick reveals. Dormer windows have been inserted to the majority of the former hayloft areas.

Within the courtyard the west side has coach entrances to the left of the clock tower with modern glazing. To the right the two-storey section is domestic in character, with two gabled dormers to the attic. There is a chamfered corner entrance with original door between this and the north range. The north side is of one and a half storeys. To the centre there is a projecting gable with round-headed niche containing a quatrefoil window surmounting a rounded bay. A ridge ventilation turret sits above this. The east side is single-storey with a gabled entrance to the central bay, containing an original door with overlight and decorative roundel above. The south side contains single-storey former coach houses; the four doors to the centre are original, while openings to the sides have modern interpretations. A dentilated brick cornice runs from the right of the clock tower, continuing along the north and east sides. These sections have a number of door openings of varying height and numerous windows, all under flat-headed lintels. All sides save the section to the right of the clock tower have dormer windows. Those to the south and the left of the clock tower are wider and most probably renewed, while the remainder are narrow.

Cleveland House: this building is single-storey plus attic, with a three-storey plus attic central tower with brick and stone banding under a gabled roof; this has a projecting octagonal stack to the east. There are substantial ridge stacks to the north and south. The west and east elevations have aligning entrances to the south of the tower with moulded brick pointed arches and stone hood moulds. A projecting entrance porch sits to the south-west corner, accessing the former workshop. There are gabled dormers to the north and west, with a shed dormer to the east. All windows and doors are original, save for inserted paired windows to the left side of the west elevation.

Smithy Cottage: this is single-storey under a gabled roof and mostly double-depth; the westernmost bay is one bay deep. The north elevation was originally open lean-tos to the east; these are now filled in with modern fabric. The south elevation has a central projecting gable with hayloft access; this is flanked by numerous stable entrances and windows. All glazing is modern.

Fern House and Conservatory House: these buildings are mostly single-storey, with lean-to roofs off the central spine wall. A cross gable of one and a half storeys has been inserted to the centre of the range; this belongs to Fern House and is entirely glazed to north elevation. The remainder of this elevation is of brick with numerous small windows and some entrances; all windows and doors are renewed. There are some inserted modern garage lean-to buildings to the west. The south elevation is entirely modern; the majority of its length is formed by conservatories, interrupted by the central brick gable and a projecting gabled brick bay to the east. The spine wall of Fern House and Conservatory House continues to abut the south west corner of Garden House; there is access between the two sections via an original door to the east of some garages. These utilise some brickwork from the former potting sheds, however they are largely modern.

Garden House: this is of two-storeys with gabled roofs incorporating stone finials and substantial brick chimney stacks. There is a dentilled brick cornice to the eaves. The main entrance lies to the centre of the north elevation via a wood-plank door with overlight under a gabled dormer (modern). A secondary entrance sits to the right side of this elevation via a matching door. The south elevation is abutted by the garden wall; where this joins there is a two-storey, triangular projection allowing views over both the east and west sides of the wall. Windows are a mixture of single and paired; all are one-over-one pane sashes, although those to the extension are modern.

Garden walls: the southern boundary wall retains its original gateway, stone urns, cast iron railings and copings, all at a lower level to the other walls to give views and access to the parkland, and access to the walled garden from Hutton Hall.

The eastern boundary wall is plain, with stone coping to the south. It appears to have partially collapsed to the north, reflecting the sections where greenhouses were once attached.

The northern section of boundary wall has brick pilasters to its north side and is flanked by brick piers with stone caps. A large arched opening sits to the west.
The section of wall running north-south attached to Garden House has two openings. That to the north is inserted, while that to the south, giving access between the walled and the main garden, is original and retains its wood plank door. The section of wall running north-south attached to the courtyard range has a flat-headed opening to the south with a wrought iron gate. Both these sections have a stepped brick cornice.

A new section of wall has been built to the south west of Garden House, abutting the original garden wall and the potting sheds’ spine wall to create a courtyard area.

Subsidiary items: boundary walls to the north, east and south of Smithy Cottage are of brick with stone capping. The section surrounding the garden plot to the north and east incorporates brick buttresses to the exterior; this has entrance piers with stone caps to the north-east and adjacent to Cleveland House. The section to the south has two piers flanking either side of the entrance to the northern courtyard; this retains a wrought iron gate.

INTERIOR
Courtyard block: Stable House has been largely modernised internally. A stair hall with an open well stair with chamfered newels sits off the corner entrance. Access has been knocked through on both storeys to the stables to the west, as well as the former workshop to the south, in order to increase the residential area.

Carriage House and Coach House: these buildings have had modern staircases, partitions and new openings inserted during the conversion to residential use. Aside from some exposed timbers, no historic features relating to their former use remain in-situ. Both have had access knocked through to their adjacent two coach houses to provide garage and storage space. The central section of the south wing is taken up by additional garages.

The central section of the north wing remains in original condition, with stall dividers, tiled walls, mangers, brass rings, pine panelling, metal grilles, a pine ventilation duct connecting with the roof ventilator, pine lined hay shute, stone floor and a derrick crane to the hayloft.

Saddle House: not inspected internally, however floorplans indicate that partitions have remained in-situ to the ground floor south, while some have been altered to the north. The first floor of the Bothy flat once accessed Cleveland House to the north and extended across half the first floor area of what is now Coach House to the south; access between the properties has been blocked.

Cleveland House: the stair hall sits directly south of the north wing and has an S-shaped, partly cantilevered winder stair with chamfered newels. The kitchen sits to the south of this accessing the east-west passageway. To the north there is a dining room and living room; no original features remain in-situ. The passageway divides the original section of the house to the north from the formerly separate workshop to the south; access has now been knocked through to provide additional residential space. The first floor houses bedrooms and a bathroom. The third floor of the tower houses one bedroom. One late-C19 fireplace remains in-situ.

Smithy Cottage: the interior has remained partially faithful to its original internal arrangements; rooms to the eastern section of the house reflect the former partitions. A spine corridor has been created however, which has necessitated knocking through original partitions and the insertion of new walls. The northern lean-to area has also been incorporated into the main house through inserted doorways, while the formerly open area to the west has been subdivided.

Fern House and Conservatory House: the divisions between the original potting sheds have remained largely in-situ. The larger sheds have however been subdivided to form bathrooms and utility rooms, while a corridor has been inserted running parallel to the spine wall. Numerous openings have been knocked through the spine wall in order to access the modern conservatory buildings to the south.

Garden House: there are stair halls to the north and the west. The former has a winder stair with square newels with ball finials and chamfered balusters. The latter is similar in style, although with turned newels. Doors to the original section are four-panel. Dado rails and skirting survive, although no original fireplaces remain in-situ.

History

This range of buildings was commissioned by the industrialist Sir Joseph Pease to serve Hutton Hall (1866, Grade II). It is likely to have been designed by the nationally prominent Victorian architect, Alfred Waterhouse, who designed the hall itself. Although thought to be contemporary with the hall, Waterhouse’s granddaughter lists the stables to Hutton Hall as having been constructed in 1876 at a cost of £5,673.

The rectangular block surrounding the courtyard was constructed as a mixture of stables and carriage houses, with accommodation to Stable House (no. 3) and a workshop and Bothy flat occupying Saddle House (no. 4). Cleveland House (no. 2) was the stable manager’s house. Potting sheds and greenhouses, including a fern house with sunken basement, occupied the area which now forms Fern House (no. 7) and Conservatory House (no. 8). Historic maps indicate the brick potting sheds lay to the north, while most of the conservatories lay to the south. Garden House (no. 9) was constructed as the head gardener’s house. It incorporated a back stair and maids’ accommodation, as well as an angled window so that staff could be monitored. A path was constructed from the southern boundary of the garden in order to allow Lady Pease access from the hall to carry out her weekly inspection of the gardens and greenhouses. Cleveland Bay Cottage (no.10) was constructed as a secondary stable block with a cart shed and hay store to the north; this is excluded from the list entry.

A number of free-standing greenhouses were demolished some time after 1952. These included at least three large ranges to the north side of the main plot, two to the north of Smithy Cottage (no.1) and one which abutted the eastern perimeter wall. A section of the perimeter wall which would have connected its northern section to Garden House has also been removed and replaced with car parking facilities.

The range of buildings was converted to almost wholly residential use in 1999. Original floorplans and elevations were generally incorporated into domestic use, with some additional windows and dormers added in the existing style and some cartshed openings in-filled with brickwork and glazing. The converted buildings were dry-lined, although the original plaster surfaces may survive beneath. During this period the derelict greenhouses were reconstructed on the original footprint as domestic properties. The intention of the scheme was to create an interpretation of the originals on the same scale. The central spine wall was retained, and the majority of the potting sheds to the north of the wall are original. It is not known whether the foundations for the fern house remain in-situ under later flooring. The north-east corner of Garden House was reworked so that a C20 flat-roof single-storey extension was replaced with a two-storey gabled extension in a style matching the original building. This necessitated the insertion of a new entrance to the north, while the original entrance became the internal door to the living room. The north side of the stable yard was preserved in unaltered condition and was the only section not to be converted at this time; this range is likely to have always contained the most elaborate fixtures. A conversion scheme has now been approved for this area which retains all historic fittings, walls and floors as existing. No work had commenced at the time of inspection.

Reasons for Listing

The former stable, garden and ancillary buildings to Hutton Hall, 1876 by Alfred Waterhouse, are designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural interest: as a good example of Gothic style buildings designed by the prolific Victorian architect Alfred Waterhouse;
* Historic interest: as a group of structures which clearly demonstrate the functionality of buildings in service to a large country house;
* Intactness: for the survival of elaborate horse-related fixtures and fittings, befitting of the prized status of horses housed within this range;
* Group Value: these buildings have group value with the associated Hutton Hall (Grade II).

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.