Former Coachhouse and Stable Complex, including associated Service Court Walls, at Coed Coch

Cadw's description

Location

Immediately to the rear (NW) of Coed Coch.

History

Coach-house and stable complex built c1804 to serve Coed Coch with which it is contemporary; the architect was probably Henry Hakewill. Part of the stable range was converted into a chapel in 1962 by Gerald R Beech and J Quentin Hughes, architects, for the then Heronwater School.

Exterior

L-shaped 2-storey former coachhouse and stable complex built around two sides of a cobbled stable yard, with the third and fourth sides, to the S and E, closed by a 3m rubble wall, and with further rectangular former cart bay block in the SE corner. Of local limestone rubble construction with rough-dressed stone voussoirs and hipped slate roofs; plain squat chimneys, one rendered. The shorter eastern wing was the coachhouse. This has a 3-bay symmetrical outer (N) facade, with a pedimented, slightly projecting central bay and a centrally-placed square, wooden clock tower; this has painted clock faces to its lower stage and a slatted upper stage with surmounting pyramidal roof. Each bay has a full-height round-arched recess with continuous, plain stringcourse at the springing; blocked central window and wooden cross windows to flanking bays with projecting sills, exposed wooden lintels and C20 glazing. The Inner (S) side has a large, full-height segmental opening to the L and 2 similar though lower cart bays to the R, the latter with boarded doors. Above the lower entrances are two 6-pane windows under the eaves.

The long S wing originally formed the stable section. The upper (N) part of this has an entrance with flanking windows and a further entrance and window to the L. The ground-floor openings have cambered heads with rough-dressed voussoirs and modern doors and windows; there are 4 square windows to the upper floor, under the eaves, those to the N retaining their C19 6-pane sash glazing. Between the southern pair is a large blind oculus. The lower (S) third of this wing is now a modern chapel conversion with 4 tall windows and a plain buttress-like bellcote to the S, entrance, end; here there is a short single-storey hipped-roofed return with modern, part-glazed doors to the E and a 12-pane C19 sash window to the N. Here, beyond an opening, the eastern stretch of rubble enclosing wall stretches for some 15m at a height of approximately 3m where it returns northwards to terminate in a plain square pier opposite the coachhouse section. In the inner SE angle is the cart bay block; this has a modern steel-framed door and large windows to the inner side and a cambered entrance with boarded door to the outer; in the centre of the northern stretch of wall, on the inner side, is a small 5-step rubble mounting block.

Interior

Modernised interiors.

Reason for designation

Included for group value with other listed items at Coed Coch.