Stables At Ugbrooke

CHUDLEIGH SX 87 NE 4/30 Stables at Ugbrooke 4.4.78 II

Stable block, partly converted to cafe and visitors' centre at Ugbrooke Park. 1793 by Joseph Rowe. Local grey limestone rubble with brick dressings; tiled roofs, hipped at ends; axial stack and left end stack to accommodation range which has a slate roof, 4 ranges round a central courtyard with an entrance in the centre of the north west range opposite the south east accommodation range with stabling and coach-houses in the north east and south west ranges. The conversion to a cafe and visitors' centre has not affected the exterior of the buildings. The north west range has a 7 bay symmetrical north west elevation with a slightly projecting gabled porch with an elliptical brick arch springing from imposts and plain pilasters. On either side of the central archway 3 blind round-headed recesses with brick arches. The interior of the courtyard is particularly attractive. The front elevation of the 2-storey accommodation block is symmetrical and 5 bay with a platband at first floor level and the central bay slightly broken forward. Central front door with rectangular fanlight in a blind segmental-headed recess springing from pilasters, further doorways to left and right with round-headed fanlights, round-headed sash windows in the outer bays with margin glazing. 5 first floor 3 over 6 pane sashes. The 5-bay courtyard elevation of the south west range has 3 large elliptical-headed coach house doorways in the centre with brick arches and keystones springing from plain imposts and pilasters; the double doors have good hinges, slightly recessed outer bays have a round-headed doorway in the left bay and a similar blocked doorway replaced by a window in the right hand bay. The courtyard elevation of the north east elevation is similar but the coach doorways are blocked with 2 smaller doors and a window inserted in the recesses. The courtyard elevation of the north west range has 6 round-headed sash windows inserted in blocked doorways. Interior not inspected. James Paine produced an unexecuted design for a grand Doric mews at Ugbrooke, the choice of Joseph Rowe's more modest design is entirely in keeping with the character of the subsidiary buildings at Ugbrooke Park. Rowe worked on a number of parson houses in Devon, including Kentisbury, Cornworthy and Shillingford St George. Rowan, A., "Ugbrooke Park", Country Life, vol 142, 1967, pp. 138-141, 203-207, 266- 70, 790-793. Devon Nineteenth-Century Churches Project.

Listing NGR: SX8777578220