Cabmen'S Shelter

This cabmen’s shelter was built in 1911 by Boulton and Paul of Norwich, a firm also known for supplying huts for Scott’s Antarctic expedition, and was funded by Sarah Carter of Ripon. The building is constructed of timber with ironwork balustrades and guttering, covered by a beechwood shingled roof.

The shelter is a prefabricated structure measuring approximately 2 metres by 3 metres, divided into four bays long by three bays wide. A central door in one gable provides access to the undivided interior. It sits on a wheeled steel chassis dating to 1980, and has been fixed in place since 1999.

The exterior features glazed upper portions divided by thin glazing bars, with lower portions of diagonally boarded panels. Decorative pilasters divide the bays, featuring turned sections interspersed with blocks; the upper portions are fluted and curve outwards to support a narrow shelf at door lintel height. This shelf is protected by a decorative iron fretwork balustrade, described as being in a Chinese Chippendale style, which also fronts a series of small, often-opening ventilation windows. A simply curving eaves cornice supports the overhanging roof, which includes small gablettes and is hipped, with beechwood shingles covering the entire assembly, including the ridge and hips. A maker’s plate is located on one side of the shelter.

The interior is simply boarded with a skirting board, and features built-in benches supported on turned legs.

Originally intended for the use of horse-drawn cab drivers awaiting fares, the shelter was restored by the Royal Engineers in 1980, when it was placed on a wheeled chassis. It was further restored around 1990 after damage from a vehicle impact, and fixed in place in 1999, a few yards south of its original location.

The shelter is designated at Grade II for its distinctive Edwardian design and its rarity as a well-preserved example of a cabmen’s shelter, reflecting the importance of horse-drawn transport in the early 20th century and the reputation of its maker, Boulton and Paul.