Stables And Walled Garden To Mersham-Le-Hatch

The stables and walled garden at Mersham-Le-Hatch, dated 1825 for Sir Edward Knatchbull, are now used as classrooms and workshops. The main stable courtyard is constructed of ragstone with brick dressings and features a plain tiled roof. An entry tower has a plinth and cornice leading to a pyramidal roof, with a cartouche displaying arms above a moulded semi-circular carriage arch. This arch is supported by imposts and features a cornice keystone with a carved horse's head, flanked by ornately scrolled cast iron lamp brackets with curved twisted stems. The horse head keystone is also found on the interior face of the arch. The outer wall has boarded doors and casement windows.

Inside the courtyard, there is a two-storey range opposite the entrance, made of brick with stacks at both ends and a central tented cupola with a clock dated 1825. The first floor has glazing bar sashes, while the ground floor features an open glass-roofed pentice, mostly covered with a row of carriage doors. There are single-storey ragstone wings with glazing bar sashes and boarded doors.

To the east of the stables, there are walled courtyards with single-storey outbuildings, some of which are older than the stables, along with a large walled garden to the south made of red brick, measuring approximately 100 yards by 100 yards, though not in a true rectangular shape.