Model Farmbuildings At Stalls Farm

Model farm buildings and a sawmill at Stalls Farm were constructed in 1859 by W. Wilkinson for the 4th Marquess of Bath. The buildings are made of dressed limestone with a tiled roof and yellow brick stacks topped with ashlar cappings. The layout consists of five parallel ranges that include covered yards and stock sheds, connected by a covered way to barns, offices, and sawing sheds on the north side.

The central covered yard features a higher roof with coped verges and high moulded round-arched cart entries at both ends, each with a louvred oculus above and an axial louvred vent with a leaded roof. The two pairs of flanking ranges, which were originally stables, piggeries, cartsheds, and cowsheds, are now entirely used for cattle. These ranges have hipped roofs, with the eastern end having been replaced by gables in the 1980s. They include chamfered segmental-headed planked doors and shuttered windows, with square-headed openings replacing some at the east end. An open-fronted cart shed has also been closed off.

The covered way features a hipped roof and round-arched openings, with original sliding doors leading to the north barns and south ranges that connect to a central feed passage. The north ranges contain 8-bay barns with segmental-headed openings and sliding doors, as well as loophole vents and V-strut tie-beam trusses. Attached to the west end are two-storey offices that have 4-pane sashes and horizontal sashes, all with segmental-headed openings.

The two-storey sawmill consists of three parallel ranges, featuring a large round-arched opening in the central range and segmental-headed openings with pivot-hung or 2-light casements. An exterior gallery supported by cast-iron brackets is present, along with tall stacks that have moulded cappings, which were formerly used for a steam engine for the threshing machine and sawmill. The interior of the sawmill remains largely unaltered, although the south range was remodeled internally in the 1980s. This site is a fine example of a Victorian estate model farm.