NHER 45516 (Building record) - The stables and outhouses to the hall, Shotesham Park

December 1983. Listed, Grade II.
Listing Description excerpt:
"Stables, cart shed and outhouse. From 1784 by Sir John Soane. Gault brick with pantiled roofs. Four ranges around a square courtyard. Open cart shed to north, stables to east and west and outhouse to south."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
Amended by J. Cullis (HES), 29 November 2019.

April 2021. Building Survey.
Level 2 survey of stable block ahead of proposed change of use and associated internal and external alterations.
As noted in the Listing Description this group of buildings were also the work of Sir John Soane and are set out on the same orientation as the Hall and incorporate many of its architectural motifs, including the use of arcading. The first cartographic source to show these buildings in any details is a tithe map of 1841 (S2), which is of interest as it shows the north range to be of equal width to the western and eastern ranges and with an unroofed gap at its eastern end. By the time the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25-inch map was published in 1882 (S3) the northern range had acquired their present form. The southern range is shown as 'L'-shaped, with a long extension (now removed) extending to the south of its eastern end. Other structures that no longer exist include a small internal projection at the southern end of the western range and two lean-to-structures along the external, western side of this range, one of which was a toilet block (as indicated by the existing line of the Victorian sewer).
The southern range is separate from the other buildings and appears to have originally been constructed as offices or outbuildings. An angled wall scar indicates the former position of the extension shown on the early Ordnance Survey maps, which was apparently demolished during the 1980s. It is noted that several of the tie beams in the 'A' frames of the roof exhibit evidence of having been in use as structural timbers elsewhere. These include one lavishly carved timber that displays several orders of rolled carving along its length. It is likely that this and other timbers came from the earlier hall that was replaced by the one built by Soane. Apparently, an identical carved timber has also been identified in a nearby barn, suggesting many such timbers were retained for reuse in lower-status contexts.
The west elevation of the western range bears the roof scars of the former lean-to toilet buildings depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition map. Although most of the window glass in this range has been replaced, the northernmost of the ground floor windows on the eastern elevation contains several panes of bottled glass that are likely to be original. The interior of the ground floor contains stabling, with one original loose box surviving at the norther end of the range. A room which forms the lower ground floor of the northern end of the range is clad in timber, with the thick, heavy timber planking on the eastern wall thought to be original. Historical, mid-19th-century graffiti was noted on the left-hand jamb of the eastern window. Large parts of the roof have been repaired in the recent past, although a substantial number of the timbers date from its original construction in the late 18th century, including several that show evidence of having been reused from an earlier structure.
Architecturally the eastern range mirrors the western range, although unlike this range its original loose boxes all survive within the ground floor. The roof of the eastern range is though entirely modern, having been replaced in 1990s.
The exterior, rear elevation of the northern range was clearly not intended to be viewed from a distance, being the most functional and architecturally poor executed of the stable block's elevations. The roofless opening shown on the tithe map corresponds with what is now a cobbled passageway that provides access to the courtyard. This widening of this range in the mid 19th century means that the northernmost blind openings of the western and eastern ranges are now cut by the extended line of the roof. Internally, the original southern edge of the roofline is supported by a row of vertical timbers set into cobbled surface of the cart shed. The northern half of the roof represents its original pitch and construction; the southern half having been replaced during the construction of the cantilevered extension (much of which was then replaced during the recent restoration of the roofs). Traces survive of the raised brick pavements that demarcated the bays of the original cart lodge.
See report (S4) for further details, including full, detailed descriptions of these buildings. See also digital photo archive (S5).
P. Watkins (HES), 26 May 2023.

February-June 2022. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of groundworks associated with internal and external alterations to the existing 18th-century stables (NHER 45516).
A trench excavated as part of work to convert the open-sided cart shed block revealed a sequence of late 18th-century make-up layers beneath the well-worn brick floor of this northern range. The east wall of the north range was shown to be associated with a remarkably deep construction trench, with stepped brick footings extending beyond 1.4m below the surface. The top of a brick vaulted structure was also discovered at the western end of the trench, which proved to be a large greywater cistern contemporary with the stable block. Various other contemporary drains were also noted. The cistern was left intact and filled with concrete.
The removal of the brick stable flooring from the west, east and southern ranges revealed only levelling/trample deposits. The only find was a clay marble.
During this work it was possible to take a further set of photographs of the reused late medieval to early post-medieval timbers within the southern range, which were now uncluttered by decorative hangings. One timber with several orders of rolled carving is identical to a timber seen in a nearby barn and it is suggest that these timbers had been reclaimed from an original hall for use in lower-status contexts.
See report (S5) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 19 October 2025.