Bloodstock Stables And Farmery With Walls And Gate Piers

Bloodstock Stables and Farmery with Walls and Gate Piers

A substantial range of stables and farm buildings built in 1830 for Sir Tatton Sykes, 4th Baronet, with later additions and alterations. The structures are constructed in reddish-pink brick laid in English garden wall bond with pantile roofs.

The buildings are arranged in a U-plan formation with two central ranges enclosing a courtyard. The north-west side features a prominent two-storey centre with a single bay, flanked by two-storey ranges; the left range has three first-floor openings and the right range has two. Outer ranges of two storeys extend to either side, with seven and five first-floor openings respectively, while the centre section is single storey and spans twelve bays, creating two separate yards.

The architectural detailing is substantial and carefully executed. The north-west centrepiece displays a tall round-arched opening with a gauged brick head (now infilled with corrugated iron) and ashlar imposts, surmounted by an ashlar datestone and clock face, topped by a pyramidal roof with central cupola. Mirrored ranges flank this centre, each featuring four basket-arched cart openings beneath gauged brick heads with ashlar imposts and keystones. Elliptically arched stable entrances flank the central bays; the right-hand range retains its board door. Diamond-shaped breathers provide ventilation to the upper sections. First-floor openings include elliptically arched details with ashlar sills; the left range contains two board pitching doors and a 21-pane unequally hung two-light Yorkshire sash, while the right range has a casement window and board pitching door. Swept and hipped roofs cover these sections.

The south-west yard's outer wing contains four round-arched stable openings with ashlar keystones and imposts (three now blocked, one retaining a board door), supplemented by an inserted straight-headed opening. Elliptically arched slatted and glazed openings with ashlar sills and keystones fill the intermediate spaces. First-floor elliptically arched pitching doors with ashlar sills and keystones provide access. The street facade of this yard features a slatted ground-floor opening and first-floor board pitching door, both set beneath elliptical arches with ashlar keystones and sills.

The inner range facing this yard displays predominantly basket-arched cart openings with gauged brick heads, ashlar keystones and imposts. Two round-arched stable openings occur at the fourth and ninth bays; the fourth bay opening retains its board door with ashlar keystone and imposts. A hipped roof surmounts this range. Its street facade contains a slatted opening under an elliptical arch. Oculi appear to the rear of this range and its facing counterpart, with walls between them forming pens.

The north-east yard's inner range mirrors the southern yard's configuration, while the outer range is similar to the southern outer range but includes board doors and fanlights to stable entrances. Like the other yards, the north-east yard now features corrugated-iron roofing over parts of its area. Its street facade shows a slatted ground-floor opening and first-floor board pitching door, both beneath elliptical arches with ashlar keystones and sills.

The street frontage is defined by walls and gate piers of considerable formal presence. From the south, the sequence begins with a square pier on plan topped with ashlar coping, followed by approximately 2 metres high wall of 10 metres length leading to a pair of gate piers with peaked caps and ball finials. A curved wall extends a further 8 metres to an identical pair of gate piers, the right-hand pier abutting the southernmost wing. Between the wings stand walls with a basket-arched entrance fitted with a board door and ashlar keystone to the left, and an equivalent set of gate piers with board gates at the centre. Between the inner wings lie a gate and matching walls, gates, piers and basket-arched entrance to the right. The north-east end features a similar set of piers, then a curved wall of approximately 8 metres to another pair of piers, followed by an inserted entrance and a curved wall of approximately 15 metres. All walls feature ashlar copings.