Stable Block At Rufford Abbey

This is a stable block, now used as shops and a craft centre, situated at Rufford Abbey. It was originally built in the late 17th century and significantly altered and reroofed in the late 19th century. The building is constructed of brick with ashlar dressings and has hipped roofs covered in plain tiles. The design includes a chamfered brick plinth, a band running across the first floor, an eaves band, moulded and dentillated brick eaves, and ashlar quoins. Several rainwater heads feature decorative beast masks. There are two ridge stacks.

The stable block is two storeys high, with a layout of six bays wide by six bays deep, arranged around a square courtyard. The windows are largely paired glazing bar sashes, with blocked chamfered ashlar architraves and mullions. Courtyard archways are each framed by a pair of panelled doors.

The east front has a central doorway with an elliptical headed, chamfered blocked architrave, flanked to the left by two windows and a blocked opening. To the right are three windows. Above the doorway is a cartouche displaying Arms, flanked by three windows. The south front has a single window at each end, with two 20th-century casements and another window to the left above, and to the right. The west front features a central arch flanked by three windows, with a cartouche and Arms above, flanked by three windows. The north side has a central blocked round-headed archway with projecting quoins and keystones, flanked by two blocked windows and a single window. Above, there are three windows to the left, two blocked openings, and a single window to the right. All windows on the north side are topped with rubbed brick relieving arches.

The interior of the courtyard has a chamfered doorway to the east, above which is a 17th-century mullioned leaded casement with a hood mould. A chamfered doorway with an elliptical head and hood mould features on the south side, flanked by mullioned casements of varying sizes. A door in a chamfered surround with a hood mould sits to the right, and above is a 20th-century window with a hood mould. Above that are a gabled, louvred dormer and a louvred vent, both from the 19th century. The west side has a 20th-century door to the left of a central arch, with a mullioned casement beyond. To the right are casements flanked by single doors, all 20th century. A mullioned casement sits above the arch, and two louvred vents are positioned above that. The north side features a central, round-headed doorway with a 20th-century door, alongside glazing bar cross windows with rubbed brick heads. Five 20th-century casements are placed above, with a louvred vent and a gabled, louvred dormer above that.

The north range exhibits oak span beams with ogee stops. The roofs are softwood queen post trusses, incorporating strutted minor king posts and double purlins.