Range Of Stables On North Side Of Stable Yard At Heath House Stables

NEWMARKET

TL66SE MOULTON ROAD 177-1/0/20 (North side) 30-OCT-06 Range of Stables on North Side of Stab le Yard at Heath House Stables

GV II Range of racehorse stables on north side and facing main stable yard. 1881. For Edward Wetherby, owner, on behalf of lessee, Matthew [Mat] Dawson, racehorse trainer. Red brick with gault brick and moulded stone dressings and details; low pitched, end-gabled, and central, cross-gabled slate roof. PLAN: long range comprising ten loose boxes on each side of slightly projecting centrepiece enclosing cross-passage formerly leading to paddock, now the entry to large, late C20, covered ride [not included] abutting rear wall of range; at the west end a slightly recessed extension containing feed and tack rooms. EXTERIOR: centrepiece two storeys, over the three loose boxes on each side a loft storey, otherwise single storey with extension at west end slightly lower. Front of main range symmetrical with shallow cross gable over centrepiece; flush, gault brick plinth and quoining to corners of range and to door and window openings, the quoining to door jambs rising from curved shoulders of cut brick; doorways with white rubbed brick flat-arches, capped in the central, higher section of range by dressed stone, cyma reversa hood mouldings. On the apex of the central gable a weather vane with figures of a hare chased by hounds. INTERIOR: timber partitions between loose boxes, the boxes lined with hoop-iron strapping, patent tile floor paving. HISTORY: the range was built to increase the accommodation in the original Heath House Stables which occupied land to west outside present curtilage. These stables and the original Heath House were demolished in 1975. In the late C17 and early C18 they were occupied by Tregonwell Frampton, Keeper of the King's Running Horses, and known as the Father of the Turf. Matthew Dawson, an innovative and successful trainer, occupied the stables from 1862 until 1885, when he retired to Exning. This range forms part of a group with the smaller range on the west side of the yard (q.v.). REFERENCE: (Forest Heath District Council: Newmarket Horse Racing Training Yards: 1992-: 1; Onslow R: Headquarters, A History of Newmarket and its Racing: Cambridge: 1983-: 99-111); Onslow R: History of Heath House: unpubld: 1993.