Medieval stables at Abbey Farm

Medieval Stables at Abbey Farm

This timber-framed stable dates from the 14th or 15th century and was built as part of the Home Farm of Faversham Abbey. It was extended to the south east in the early 19th century. The building now comprises three bays remaining of a larger structure which certainly extended further eastwards and may also have extended further westwards.

The stable is timber framed, clad in weatherboarding on brick and flint footings with a hipped roof. The roof was formerly thatched but is now covered in corrugated iron sheeting. The three-bay building sits on an east-west axis, facing north onto a medieval route through the medieval home farmyard. It is currently divided into three compartments separated by boarded partitions. The west compartment has a west doorway in the west end wall with an 18th century door on pintle hinges, while the other two compartments have doorways on the north side. A loading hatch exists between the west and central compartments, though there are no traces of a hayloft. The west end wall has been rebuilt in the post-medieval period but the other walls retain medieval carpentry.

The original frame is constructed from oak of relatively large scantling. A half of a probably original scarf joint survives in the sill on the south wall, a simple edge-halved scarf with square vertical abutments. The northern wallplate has a variation of the same joint but with a vertical bladed arrangement to the lower tongue, an unusual form of scarf joint. The main posts are rebated for horizontal butt-boarding with the infill frame set behind the rebate. In the main bays there was a central stud with arch braces on each side springing from the main posts to the soffit of the wall plate. All main timbers have pegged mortise-and-tenon joints. The eastern bay is narrower and has a single arch brace. On the south side there are single arch braces in the centre and eastern bays; the king studs have sufficient room between them and the main posts to accommodate original doorways.

The main posts have natural flared jowls with normal assembly between the post, wallplate and tie beam. Both existing and evidence for curving arch braces survive. The truss west of centre was originally open, while the one east of centre was closed with some original studwork surviving. At the east end the tie beam indicates this was built as an open truss. The structure appears to comprise an original two-bay section to the west (with a possibility that the building once extended further west) and a one-bay section to the east which certainly extended at least one further bay in that direction. A timber manger with tethering rings against the east wall of the central bay is consistent with its use as a stable in post-medieval times.

The main section of the roof is medieval, comprising sans purlin common rafters of relatively sturdy scantling. The couples have high collars with dovetail-shaped lap-jointed collars fixed by pegs. The hips at each end are made up from reused common rafters.

An inventory of 1499 refers to stables and horses in the "nether court" at Faversham Abbey, mentioning four stables housing variously six, five, four and two horses, along with four mares and harness for four carts. It is likely that the existing stable is one of those mentioned in this inventory.