West Range, Stable Courtyard, Charterhall

West Range, Stable Courtyard, Charterhall

A substantial stable courtyard designed by John Lessels in the mid 19th century, with later additions and alterations. The complex comprises single storey and single storey with attic ranges forming a near square plan courtyard of gabled, Tudor-detailed stables. The buildings are constructed predominantly of squared and snecked tooled cream sandstone with harl-pointed rubble in places; sandstone ashlar dressings are used throughout. The stonework features stugged quoins and stugged long and short surrounds to chamfered openings with chamfered cills. Stable cottages are located within the West range, and an early 20th-century two-storey, three-bay former groom's cottage adjoins the southern end.

The West Range's eastern (courtyard) elevation comprises a single storey with attic, five-bay range. A boarded timber door sits at ground level in the leftmost bay, with boarded timber doors in regularly spaced segmental-arched cart openings in the remaining bays to the right. A small single window breaks the eaves offset to the left of centre, followed by a gabled window breaking the eaves in the next bay, and a bipartite window in the outer right bay. A small single window at ground level appears in a single bay addition to the right. A two-storey wing adjoins to the left, featuring a single window centred at first floor and a bipartite window at ground level in one bay, with a boarded timber door in the outer left bay. The western (outer) elevation displays a two-storey range at centre with a single window at first floor in the outer right bay. A single storey with attic and single storey two-bay wing to the left contains a part-glazed boarded timber door at ground in one bay and a bipartite window breaking the eaves above, with a single window at ground in the outer left bay. A large square-headed opening sits offset to the right of centre. The former groom's cottage adjoins to the outer right.

The North Range's southern (courtyard) elevation features a single storey with attic two-bay central block comprising single windows at ground in both bays and gabled windows breaking the eaves above, surmounted by sandstone finials. A boarded timber door sits in a single storey wing adjoined to the left, with a segmental-arched opening in a single storey wing adjoined to the right. The northern (outer) elevation displays a single storey with attic two-bay range at centre with a central wallhead ventilator and gabled boarded timber openings breaking the eaves in the flanking bays. Two square-headed openings link a single storey wing to the outer left, each with a single window centred at ground. A projecting single storey single bay is offset to the right of centre; a single window in a lean-to addition is recessed to the right, with bipartite and single windows in a single storey wing recessed to the outer right.

The East Range's western (courtyard) elevation is symmetrical, presenting a single storey with attic three-bay range with a segmental-arched opening centred at ground; a boarded timber door breaks the eaves above with a corbelled cill to the front and a sandstone finial surmounting the gablehead. Single windows at ground appear in the flanking bays, with gabled windows breaking the eaves above. The eastern (outer) elevation features a full-height gabled wing advanced at centre with single windows at both floors. A lean-to addition occupies the left bay; a boarded timber door sits at ground in the penultimate bay to the outer left, with single windows at both floors in the outer left bay, the upper gabled and finialled window breaking the eaves. Blind elevation occurs to bays recessed to the right of centre. A boarded timber door appears in a single storey wing to the outer right.

The South Range's northern (courtyard) elevation comprises a single storey three-bay range with a boarded timber door centred at ground, a six-pane fanlight above, and single windows in the flanking bays. The southern (outer) elevation features a timber bracketed canopy offset to the right of centre and a gabled bay to the outer right with single windows at both floors. A cobbled drive runs to the front.

Throughout the complex, windows predominantly feature 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows, with some six-pane timber casements. Roofs are covered in grey slate with gablet and ashlar stone skews, bracketed skewputts, and cast-iron rainwater goods. Coped ridge stacks in various forms feature circular cans and ridge ventilators.

The stable interiors feature boarded timber stalls and boarded timber doors, iron railings (some ball-finialled), stop-chamfered piers, boarded timber dado panelling in places, and setted floors.

The courtyard itself is cobbled. Gate piers of square plan comprise coursed cream sandstone with stop-chamfered, corniced profiles and square caps, flanking the courtyard entrance. Two-leaf boarded timber gates with decorative iron hinges hang between them, with coped sandstone flanking walls on either side.

The Groom's Cottage, an early 20th-century addition, is constructed of squared and snecked stugged sandstone, harled at the rear. Raised quoins and raised long and short surrounds frame all openings, which feature sandstone mullions and projecting cills. The eastern (entrance) elevation displays a boarded timber door centred at ground with a plate glass fanlight and carved sandstone panel above, flanked by bipartite windows at ground level. Gabled bipartite windows break the eaves above these bays. The western (rear) elevation contains a part-glazed timber door centred at ground and a single window at first floor, with a bipartite window at ground in the outer right bay and a lean-to addition to the outer left. Windows predominantly feature four-pane upper and plate glass lower glazing in timber sash and case windows, though modern glazing appears at the rear, and a skylight lights the front. The grey slate roof features timber bargeboards, stepped and corniced apex stacks, and circular cans. The interior was not seen at the time of survey in 1998.