Listed Building record MDR4447 - Stable Court Riding School, Calke Abbey

The stately brick stables at Calke Abbey were built in 1712-16 by William Gilkes of Burton. They are two storeys high, and thirteen bays wide, the centre three bays projecting under a pediment with a big segmental carriage arch. The symmetrical five-bay wings have bolection moulding round the central doorways. There are quoins at all angles. Above the pediment there is a quite large octagonal cupola with an onion dome. (1) A grade II* listed stables and riding school. The stables were built in 1712-16 by William Gilkes of Burton-on-Trent. The riding school is probably mid-late 18th century. They are built of red brick and sandstone ashlar, and have a hipped Welsh slate roof and a plain tile roof. The stable block consists of four ranges around a courtyard. It is two storeys high. It has a moulded stone plinth, chamfered quoins, and a moulded first floor band linked to the keyblocks of the lower windows. The south elevation is of 5-3-5 bays, the centre three advanced and pedimented, with a clock face in the pediment. The weather vane is a replacement of 1750 by Robert Bakewell. There are also four lead downpipes with a boar on the hopper treads. The east elevation is of twelve bays, and the west elevation is of thirteen bays. The rear elevation is much plainer, with stone bands and segment headed openings. The interior of the courtyard has plain first floor band and moulded cornice, and segment headed doors and windows, but is otherwise similar to the external elevations. There are extruded bays in the angles on the south side. The interior has late 18th century stalls, and fireproof construction of iron with brick vaults. In the east range the brewhouse retains some of its machinery. The gabled riding school is attached to the north west, it's south elevation partly engaged with the stable block. It has a broad segmental-arched entrance with impost blocks and rusticated arch, containing panelled doors. The west elevation is of five broad bays divided by pilaster strips. The east elevation is blind and has attached at the south end a later two storey gabled building. The north elevation has a blind segmental arch and a Diocletian window above, all set within a blind round arch. See list description for more details. (2)