Former cavalry riding school

Former riding school associated with the cavalry training school at Netheravon, founded in 1904 with later C20 alterations.

MATERIALS: constructed of brick that has been rendered, apart from the plinths, copings and dressings. The pitched roof with cambered metal trusses is covered in corrugated iron; the underside of the roof is of boarded timber.

PLAN: it has a rectangular footprint, measuring approximately 70m by 23m and forms a double-height arena that is open to the roof. At the north end are single-storey brick offices, and at the south end are inserted mid-to late-C20 breeze block structures. There is a two-storey range to the west elevation, with a mid-to-late C20 single-storey addition to the left.

EXTERIOR: a single-storey, 10-bay range, articulated by pilasters, with clerestorey windows that have been replaced; those to the east elevation are half-louvred. Full-height roller doors have been inserted into bay two and nine of the west elevation, and to the central four bays is a two-storey range with a stack to its north end; the windows are later C20 replacements. To the east elevation there is a paved ramp leading to a pair of double, plank doors with strap hinges, and a mid-C20 lean-to towards the south end. The pitched roof has a louvred ridge lantern to the apex of the central four-bays, and to the north end of the roof is a metal canopy, presumably for a bell.

The gabled ends (north and south) are articulated by six pilasters and clasping buttresses to the corners. To the north end, bays two and six have wide openings with brick piers and corbelled capitals supporting a moulded cornice; the openings have been blocked and windows inserted. Bay three has an inserted window and bay four has an inserted doorway. Above, to bays three, four, and five, of both the north and south gable, are three multi-paned round-headed windows with metal glazing bars.

INTERIOR: the wide internal space is spanned by cambered metal trusses with angled struts. At the north end are the former offices, separated from the arena by a single-storey brick wall; there may have been a gallery above.