Former Stables And Coach House To The Old Palace

The former stables and coach house to The Old Palace, now converted into dwellings, were likely built between 1719 and 1723, although they may have earlier origins, possibly including a 13th-century wall at the rear. The building has undergone later additions and alterations, including work around 1850 and conversions in the 1980s. It is possibly designed by William and Francis Smith of Tettenhall, Staffordshire, for Bishop Hough.

Constructed from pinkish-red brick in Flemish bond, the building features an ashlar plinth, quoins, bands, and a cornice. It has a hipped plain tile roof supported by cast-iron brackets. The structure is two storeys tall with an attic beneath a pediment, and it has a symmetrical arrangement of windows with three in the center and one on each side on the first floor. The central bay projects slightly and is topped with a pediment. The ends and the projecting bay have quoins.

The chamfered plinth, first-floor band, and crowning cavetto-moulded cornice add to the architectural detail. On the ground floor, the outer bays contain tall casement windows in original stable openings, each topped with cambered arches. The center features a plank and glass infill beneath a wide cambered arch with a keystone. The pediment includes an oculus with a cavetto-moulded surround and four voussoirs. The returns of the building have two additional windows, and there are four carriage lamps mounted on scrolled brackets.

The interior has not been inspected. The building was likely constructed during the time of alterations and rebuilding of The Old Palace for Bishop Hough and contributes to the overall setting of The Old Palace.