Former stable block at Dingestow Court

Cadw's description

Location

On the W side of the stable courtyard at Dingestow Court.

History

Built as part of the Stable Court created in 1859-60 by Prichard and Seddon for the Bosanquet family of Dingestow Court.

Exterior

A boldly-modelled building with strong architectural character belying its relatively modest size. The front is of pink sandstone ashlar, with a half-timbered gable and red tiled roof hipped at the SW corner; the rear of mixed random rubble. It has a rectangular 5-unit plan on a N-S axis facing east, and is single-storeyed except for a broad gabled loft over the 1st and 2nd units. The front, in Tudor style with finely-crafted detailing, has four irregularly-spaced doorways with one 2-light window between the first and second, two between the third and fourth, and one at the right-hand end. All the doorways have shallow Tudor-arched heads with two orders of cavetto moulding tapered down by tongue-stops to a simple chamfer from about two-thirds of the height; that at the S (left) end provides access to a through-passage, and the others all have board stable doors with long strap hinges. All the windows have chamfered surrounds, recessed chamfered mullions and diamond lattice leaded glazing. Jettied out over the first and second units is a broad timber-framed gable which has an almost square hay-loft door in the centre of stud-and-rail panelling ornamented in the outer corners with curved struts, and at the junction of this roof with that of the main range is a lead-clad cupola with a square base and domed cap. The rear wall is blind.

Interior

Not inspected.

Reason for designation

Included as a finely-executed exercise in Vernacular Revival style applied to a utilitarian structure with an inventive flair anticipating that of the Arts-and-Crafts Movement by several decades; and for group value with Seddon House School (q.v.: the former coach-house) and with Dingestow Court itself.