19th century stable and dairy at Wolseys Farm, Duton Hill (EHER 81115)

A 19th century dairy and stable.

October 2008. Level 3 building survey. Inside, the main part of the stable contains three bays, the third of which is divided by a stud wall partition. The main two stalls retain their 19th century 8-inch boarding and grilling and gault brick floors at the point of entry. The stalls have Staffordshire blue brick floors, and concrete surrounds that slope towards iron-grilled drains in the centre. The walls are plastered internally and the ceiling vaulted and boarded in pine. The western part contains a modern stall and it is likely this was originally a hay or feed store. The partition is, however, original and is built from heavy reused primary-braced studs. Boarding survives against the studs on the inside of the stall itself and the interiors lime-washed. Flooring is re-laid in concrete with a cleaning area in the south-west corner leading out to a drain. Re-claimed timbers carry the loft above that extends as far as the west bay only. Inside the stores is a large wooden bin on the north side almost covering half the floor area. The walls and ceiling are lime-plastered and the partition studwork continues up to the apex of the roof. Set within the gable is a small hatch leading to a tiny roof space that continues to the east wall. The roof space interior is also plastered, as if this were once the ceiling to the two bays below, which is unlikely. The roof is a simple collar clasped-purlin form built from fresh timber. The interior of the outshot dairy is also lime-washed. It is divided into two parts by a thin stud partition into stores on the east side and workshop to the west. The workshop is believed to have formerly been a dairy, and there is an in-filled drainage channel running along the middle of its concrete floor and under the external door to perhaps corroborate this. Walls and ceilings are plastered and boarded. The wall on the opposite side (east) is later stud infill, suggesting this side was open below the wall plate. The dividing door has a test-tube rack on the dairy side of the door and below the shelf beside it that would presumably have been used to hold milk samples. <1>