19th century outbuildings at The Greys, Maldon Road, Kelvedon (EHER 80270)

The stables are a standard example of a c. 1800 agricultural building which became multi-purpose. The cart lodge was most likely built in 1858 after a catastrophic fire destroyed the original house and the mill.

March 2017. Building survey. The stables are a standard example of a c. 1800 agricultural building which became multi-purpose. Originally it may have been only the stabling for the house horses. Poorly made, of reused materials it is a typical building of the Napoleonic War Era – a war which ignited the rush for farms to convert to grain production to capitalise on the grain embargo imposed during the hostilities from 1799 to 1815. During this time there was much money to be made in the milling business. Built of largely reused timbers, some quarter and half poles the varying section studwork is nailed to slightly curved primary braces in the walls and partitions. The northern room in the stable has been whitewashed and equipped as a milking parlour with timber racks to contain the cows and a small calf pen to contain the young ones during the milking sessions. The cart lodge was most likely built in 1858 or shortly afterwards to serve the needs of the much enlarged and modern house built by George Docwra for his milling business. Built of standard components including off the shelf trusses it too is a typical example of its era. Some interest lies in the complexity of the roof connection to the old building but again this is commonplace. A catastrophic fire destroyed the original house and the mill in 1858. The cart lodge was built around this time and extended across the northern end of the stables and the two roofs conjoined. The Cart Lodge is built from machined softwood to a Victorian standard. <1>