Description

William Smith, 1857, and later sympathetic additions and alterations. Substantial, symmetrical, Scottish Jacobean stables, retaining fine early fittings, and coach house comprised of 4 linked ranges; 2-storey U-plan outer ranges (N and S) with single storey central range and linking screen walls to W and 2-storey bothy to E, dividing courtyard areas. Squared and coursed granite, polished dressings, probably re-using masonry from earlier castle, demolished in 1856.

W (principal) elevation: facing Castle, 13-bay. Short returns of U-plan N and S ranges as mirrored 3-bay offices with corner towers. Each with gabled entrance bay at centre; short flight of granite steps to boarded door with 2-pane fanlights, 1st floor jettied on corbel course overstepping door, with window and Jacobean curvilinear gable with ball finial. Window to each floor or flanking bays. Round towers breaking eaves to inner corner with arrowslit windows, blind and glazed, winding around; conical roofs with finials. Single bay gabled returns to outer and inner elevations with window to each floor. Parapets to screen walls linking central loggia, each 2-storey in height, with Tudor carriage arch, abutting E corner of offices. Central range (former riding school) headed on W elevation by 3-bay Tudor-arched loggia, advanced beyond screen walls; stop-chamfered arrises to arches, stepped parapet with clock at centre.

E elevation: end returns of N and S ranges mirrored, former groom and stablehand accommodation. Each 5-bay with gabled bay at centre, window in recessed panel at ground and 1st floor jettied slightly on corbel course with window and ball finial. Doors in flanking bays, that to centre blinded; 1st floor window above; window to each floor in flanking bays. Gabled return of S block blank. Gabled return of N block with 2 windows at ground and 2 blind windows at 1st floor. Free-standing block at centre with 4 bays to E, louvred hayloft windows at 1st floor and tall open lean-to at ground; door flanked at ground by windows to centre of 3-bay W, courtyard elevation; hayloft door above with gabled dormerhead; window to each floor in widely spaced outer bays; blank gabled returns; pedimented and louvred ridge ventilator at centre.

N (stable) range: E and W return blocks described above. Long central range with lean-to later timber store/workshop addition spanning ground floor to N, near-filling recess; 6 small windows above; courtyard elevation 9-bay with 3 regular groups of stable door with hayloft above (1 now blocked as window) with gabled dormerheads, and windows at ground in flanking bays (segmental-arched doorway to right of centre group), windows or louvred openings at 1st floor.

S (coach house) range: E and W return blocks described above. S elevation with flat-roofed, later timber fire appliance garage and covered port set in recess masking ground; 9 windows above. 7 segmental coach arches to courtyard, 5 retaining chevron-boarded 2-leaf doors, 2 with fixed boarding and small doors; window above to each bay. Circular metal ventilators to ridge.

Centre range: W loggia described above. Largely blank with later French windows to S; door and blind door to E gable. Now converted as exhibition space with long glazed lantern to W ridge, capped by original pedimented, louvred timber ventilators.

Small-pane glazing in sash and case windows. Grey slates. Crowstepped outer, chimneyheaded gables; gablet coped bay gableheads. Scroll-bracketed skewputts. Coped ridge, wall and gablehead stacks.

Granite setts to courts.

Statement of Interest

A group with Venison Larder, Ice House, Game Larders, Pony Stables, The Surgery and Iron Ballroom, Joiners' Workshop.

The free-standing surgery and pony stables to E are listed separately. The Queen's archives reveal that new stables and coach house were begun in 1857. Well detailed group in estate livery with finely cobbled courts.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17574618

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990