Former Stable Block immediately east of Wrest Park House

MATERIALS: yellow brick with stone dressings and slate coverings to mansard and hipped roofs.

PLAN: symmetrical courtyard plan, U-shaped with subsiduary extensions to the east and west wings,the plan somewhat disrupted by later extensions.

EXTERIOR: the stable block is two-storeyed and comprises the west, north and east sides of the stable courtyard. The principal north elevation has a pair of mansard-roofed pavilions which flank the the central carriage entrance. This has a segmental arch with moulded decoration to the head, and double doors with moulded panels. Above is a moulded cornice and a shallow stepped parapet. The flanking two-storeyed ranges have inserted C20 casement windows below plain concrete lintels, as has the altered mansard roof extending between the taller end pavilions. These have advanced banded brickwork to the corners in imitation of rusticated quoins, segmental headed blind and glazed window openings, a deep storey band course and a moulded cornice. The courtyard elevation to the main north range has a slightly advanced three-bay section housing the inner portal and three-bay flanking ranges to the east and west. Seven-bay wings to the north range form the east and west sides of the courtyard, and these in turn have five-bay return ranges, each with a slightly advanced central bay. The main courtyard elevations have door and window openings set beneath shallow segmental arches. The upper floor window frames are set within the brick infilling of taller openings which terminate at a narrow storey band. The former ground floor stable doorways have rectangular overlights and flanking windows originally fitted with small-paned cast iron frames. These survive at ground floor level in the east elevation of the west range, and the south elevation of the return range to the east wing. Throughout the remaining parts of the complex, door and window frames have been replaced with late C20 components, and some openings have been adapted to receive narrower frames. The five-bay south elevations of the return have wide segmental arches in which door and window openings, some altered, are set within infill brickwork.

INTERIOR: there are no surviving stable interiors, as the interior of the building has been progressively converted to office use since the mid-C20. There have been significant alterations to the original plan form of the stable range which is reflected in the changes to the external elevations, and the addition of many new window openings throughout the complex.