Stables at Ugbrooke

The stables at Ugbrooke Park, near Chudleigh, were built in 1793 by Joseph Rowe. They form a stable block, partially converted into a cafe and visitors' centre, arranged around a central courtyard. The building is constructed from local grey limestone rubble with brick dressings, featuring tiled roofs, hipped at the ends, and two stacks – one axial and one at the left end of the accommodation range, which has a slate roof. The four ranges surrounding the courtyard include stabling and coach houses. The conversion has not altered the exterior.

The symmetrical north-west elevation has seven bays. A slightly projecting gabled porch with an elliptical brick arch springing from imposts and plain pilasters is centrally positioned. Flanking the arch are three blind round-headed recesses with brick arches. The two-storey accommodation block features a symmetrical five-bay front with a platband at first floor level, the central bay broken forward. The central bay contains a front door with a rectangular fanlight recessed within a blind segmental-headed surround, supported by pilasters. Further doorways with round-headed fanlights are located to the left and right, while round-headed sash windows with margin glazing are in the outer bays. The first floor has five 3 over 6 pane sash windows.

The courtyard elevation of the south-west range displays three large elliptical-headed coach house doorways with brick arches and keystones springing from plain imposts and pilasters; the double doors have good hinges. The recessed bays have a round-headed doorway in the left bay and a similar blocked doorway replaced by a window in the right bay. The north-east courtyard elevation is similar, but the coach doorways are blocked with two smaller doors and a window inserted into the recesses. The north-west courtyard elevation is characterized by six round-headed sash windows inserted within what were previously blocked doorways. The interior of the courtyard is particularly attractive. The interior of the building remains uninspected.

A design by James Paine for a grand Doric mews at Ugbrooke was never executed, and Joseph Rowe’s more modest design is consistent with the character of the other subsidiary buildings at Ugbrooke Park. Rowe also worked on several parson houses in Devon.