Nineteenth century timber framed stable, The Stables, Cotton's Farm, Sculpin's Lane, Wethersfield (EHER 80190)

The Stables is a late 19th century timber framed stable, extensively rebuilt in the 20th century. It has an L-shaped footprint and attaches to the Western elevation of The Essex Barn via the shortest range which is used as a loose box. Inside there are four partitions for horses and a corridor. Reused materials accompany 20th century replacements.

August 2013. Heritage Assessment. The Stables is a late 19th century timber framed stable, clad with 20th century weatherboards, most of which have fallen off or been removed, and stood upon a 20th century brick plinth containing 19th century reused bricks. The roof has been stripped of its slate tiles to reveal late 20th century asphalt and battens. The building has a L-shaped footprint with the longest range oriented WSW-ENE and the shortest range adjoining the West elevation of the The Essex Barn, to the South of its entrance, and used as a loose box. There is a split stable door and four windows in the North elevation, and a split stable door in the Westernmost elevation. The West elevation of the loose box also features a door and a window. Internally, the stable shows extensive evidence of 20th century rebuilding, with most of the structure made from machine sawn softwood and 20th century wall studs. Only the door frame and a few adjacent wall studs are 19th century. The building is split into a corridor and four partitions for horses, using repurposed materials. There is extensive evidence of use by horses, and some modern fixtures. The floor is late 19th or early 20th century red and purple brick with wide shallow frogs, laid on edge and gullied to provide drainage. The loose box is a modern development formed by infilling an older open-sided shelter. It does not provide access to the stable nor The Essex Barn. The 1876 OS map shows a building in the location of the stables, made up of two units. By the 1897 OS map the building had been altered to its present footprint and it is likely that the large bandsawn tie-beams date to the late 19th century. In the mid 20th century, the stables were rebuilt with new walls, plinth and cladding. <1>