Former Riding School Of Syon Park

The following building shall be added:

SYON PARK PARK ROAD TQ 1776 787-/33/10007 Former riding school of Syon Park II

Riding School, now garden centre. c1819-1826. Built for Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland (1785-1847), who succeeded in 1817. Brick. Roof of slate. The west elevation of nine-window range, above a bare ground-floor plinth. Each bay articulated by broad pilasters in contrasting brick and with a Diocletian window; blocked round-arched window in north gable end. Tudor effect to parapet coping. East elevation largely obscured by a C20 shed; faced in yellow brick and having no pilasters; battlemented section to the centre. The most noteworthy feature is found on the side, a 28-bay iron roof of composite truss construction. Although it is difficult to arrive at a precise date for this structure, its tentative design suggests one early in the history of iron construction. It can be attributed with a degree of certainty either to Charles Fowler, an advocate of all-iron roofs who was active at Syon later on, or to Thomas Cundy I, who recased Syon House in Bath stone in the early 1820s. The school reflects the late C18/early C19 revival of tightly controlled dressage and forms a group with the near contemporary stable block (q.v.). Alterations at the time of conversion to a garden centre, c1967, have obscured the north end where it joins the stable block; the floor is believed to date to the early C20, when the riding school was used as a war hospital.

Listing NGR: TQ1716876761