Hall Cottages And Stables At Melbourne Hall

Hall Cottages and Stables at Melbourne Hall date from the 16th century, with significant development in the early 17th and 18th centuries, and an early 19th-century addition and alterations. The buildings are constructed of red brick with stone dressings, and feature a deep, chamfered stone plinth to the west range. They have plain tile roofs, a large brick ridge stack to the west range, and an octagonal cupola to the north range. The cupola has small-pane windows to all sides, an ogival leaded roof, a weathervane at the top, and a leaded base. A dentilated eaves band is present on the north range, and the southern bay of the west range has an 18th-century stone cornice.

The layout is L-shaped, with two storeys and four bays to the north range and five bays to the west range. The north range is largely early 19th century and features two wide, depressed segmental archways to the east, each containing a double plank door. To the west is a three-light recessed and chamfered mullion window, and beyond that, a line of quoins. A 17th-century chamfered four-centred arched doorcase is situated to the west, with a returned hoodmould beyond. Above are four two-light flush mullion windows with diamond-paned metal casements, the window above the western arch being painted and housing a dovecot. The western range’s southern bay is recessed and features a three-light casement window in a flush 18th-century surround to the ground floor, and a three-light flush mullion window above. To the north of this range are two chamfered four-centred arched doorcases: one with a studded wooden door, the other with a two-light casement window. Beyond is a small glazing bar sash window, followed by two larger similar sashes below plain stone lintels, flanking a similar four-centred arched doorcase with a studded wooden door. A divided overlight is set in a recessed and chamfered surround, with an inserted 20th-century window to the far north. A two-light small-pane casement window is located in the northwestern corner, and two similar sashes are positioned above the sashes flanking the doorcase. A three-light 20th-century casement window sits beyond. The west elevation of the western range is stone to ground floor with stepped buttresses, and brickwork above. The western bays of the north range contain 19th-century stable fittings.