Covered Ride

NEWMARKET

TL6463 THE WATER COURSE 177-1/0/37 (West side) 30-OCT-06 Covered Ride

GV II Covered ride for exercising racehorses and linked stable ranges. Circa 1835. For Brownlow Cecil, second Marquess of Exeter, adjacent to his Exeter House Stables, Exeter Road (q.v.). The stables mid C19 for Baron Meyer de Rothschild. A swimming pool for racehorses formed within the central open area of the ride is late C20 and not of special architectural interest. Flint cobbles and red brick in Flemish bond, low-pitched slate roof. PLAN: a large rectangular area with quadrant corners defined by an outer wall enclosing the circuit of the riding alley. Across the southern end of the open area is a yard of stable ranges with slate roofs and ventilators. EXTERIOR: the outer wall on the west side and the south west quadrant built of flint, the east side rebuilt in brick, probably C20. The outer wall without openings other than an entrance at the southern end through a segmental-arched doorway framed by brick pilasters and cornice. Around the inside, the ride has an open arcade on a low rendered brick wall with chamfered timber posts with cornices and segmental wooden arches. Stables have doors with over-lights. INTERIOR. Tie-beam and principal rafter roof trusses. The stables have mainly open stalls. HISTORY. This was the first covered ride in Newmarket. Lord Exeter's horses were trained at the adjacent Exeter House Stables (q.v.) by a Mr Harlock from 1820 to 1855. Lord Exeter was a prominent member of the Jockey Club and bred and owned many successful racehorses. This ride gave his early season runners a fitness advantage, particularly in hard winters when they could exercise at a canter, while horses from other stables were confined to light work on straw beds. From 1857, Baron Meyer de Rothschild's horses were trained at the stables until he acquired Palace House Stables, Palace Street (q.v.), and the stables here at the south end were built for him. The covered ride and stables have now been re-united (2002) with Exeter House Stables.