Palace House Stables and Trainer's House Including Fountain, Lamp Standard and Former Dung Pits, Newmarket, Suffolk

Description

TL6463
177-1/0/28
30-OCT-06

NEWMARKET
PALACE STREET (South side)
Palace House Stables and Trainer's House including fountain, lamp standard and former dung pits

GV
II

Racehorse training stables and trainer's house. The western yard of stables built circa 1857-60, on the site of former royal stables, and incorporating some C17 walling from these buildings, for Baron Meyer de Rothschild after he had bought Palace House Mansion, (q.v.), opposite. Stables and trainer's house altered and extended with a second eastern stable yard and ancillary stable ranges further east 1896-1903 by W C & A S Manning for Leopold de Rothschild and his trainer, Alfred Hayhoe. The trainer's house and part of stables badly damaged following a fire in 1989 and re-roofed 2003.
The trainer's house and east stable range facing onto the western stable yard of gault brick with dressings of gault brick painted red, and of red brick in later alterations and additions; gabled slate roofs to house, hipped slate roofs to stable ranges. Outer walls of the south and west stable ranges of flint with gault brick dressings and walls facing onto the stable yard of dressed clunch with dressings of gault brick painted red and of red brick in later alterations; hipped plain tile roofs. Stable ranges facing onto the eastern stable yard of red brick with terra cotta dressings; half-hipped and cross-gabled slate roofs.
PLAN: two, almost square, adjoining stable yards. The entrance gateway from the street on the west side of the western yard. On the north side of the western yard the trainer's house and with recessed wing to right for service and staff accommodation. The house originally a single range enlarged in 1903 by the addition of a taller, parallel range at rear and an extension at west end replacing a conservatory. Facing into the western yard on the west side range of loose boxes, on the south side a similar but narrower range of loose boxes, and on the east side a range of loose boxes with wider block of tack and feed rooms at the north end, passageway to eastern yard at south end, and loft above. The eastern yard on the east side has a range of loose boxes with loft above, and on the north side a range of loose boxes. In the centre of the yard a fountain with circular basin and central feature. To east of the east yard two small, detached, ancillary stable ranges and a large circular dung pit.
EXTERIOR OF TRAINER'S HOUSE: two storeys and cellar; the front originally symmetrical in three bays, and extended to left in 1903. On the ground floor a central entrance porch with Tuscan columns and entablature, to each side of porch a tripartite window with plain sashes, and on the first floor three plain sashes. At west end facing onto street the blank, gabled wall of earlier range to right and later range adjoining to left are both framed by red brick strip pilasters. INTERIOR OF HOUSE: now awaiting complete reconstruction. The lower part of the spine wall up to c1m. above the level of the first floor is of coursed clunch and appears to be the north wall of the C17 royal stable block. Clunch rubble in the upper part of this wall and elsewhere may have been re-used from the same source. A short length of red brick ground floor walling extending northwards from the spine wall is also of C17. The central entrance hall retains evidence of staircase with curtail step and stick balusters. Remains of other decorative features, mostly of 1903.
EXTERIOR OF STABLES IN THE WESTERN YARD: On the west and south sides single storey ranges of loose boxes; in the west range facing onto the yard a stable door with overlight to each box, and in the south range a similar stable door with overlight and with a sash with glazing bars [2x2 panes] to left to each box, all in openings with brick quoining to jambs and segmental arched heads. The outer wall of the range facing the street of knapped flint with eight similar horizontal sliding sashes with glazing bars, [4x2 panes], one to each box at high level, all in openings with brick quoining to jambs. The stable range on the east side of two storeys; in the lower storey stable doors to loose boxes, and on the upper floor a feed loft; on the west front a flight of stone steps to loft doorway approached by a stairway built of re-used, moulded stones, probably salvaged from a window or door openings from a demolished part of the royal palace. To left an inserted carriageway to eastern yard.
INTERIOR OF STABLES IN WESTERN YARD: all loose boxes refitted in 1903 and lined with hoop iron strapping on high, vertical board dado with white glazed tiles above. In the inner corners of each box a quadrant patent ceramic manger each with green glazed tile splash panels above, and patent tile floors.
DUNG PIT: in centre of yard a former dung pit converted to flower bed.
EXTERIOR OF STABLES IN EASTERN YARD: on the east side a two-storey range of loose boxes with loft above has symmetrical front with a central cross gable facing the yard; the wide verge to the gable has plain barge boards braced by a collar supporting a moulded king post with drop; on the ground floor a stable door to each loose box and to right a carriage way with segmental arched head; on the loft storey to either side of gable half-hipped dormers. On the north side of the yard, and abutting the north end of the east range, a single storey range of loose boxes, the symmetrical front with a central cross gable facing the yard; the wide verge to the cross-gable has timber details similar to the cross-gable on the east range; on the cross-gable a terra cotta plaque inscribed 1903; on the ridge of the roof behind the cross-gable an open sided cupola, with corner timber posts and lintels supporting an ogee profile lead roof crowned by a metal wind vane, contains the outlet for the ventilation shafts from the two central loose boxes; to each loose box in both ranges a stable door with overlight. The south side of the yard is enclosed by a brick wall.
FOUNTAIN: in the centre of the east stable yard the circular fountain with basin wall of brick capped by terra cotta blocks; in the centre of the basin a square pedestal with moulded top supporting an obelisk with a recessed panel on each side and crowned by an urn; on each face of the moulded top of the pedestal a spout in the form of a dolphin.
LAMP STANDARD: in the east stable yard an ornate cast iron lamp standard.
INTERIOR OF STABLES IN EASTERN YARD: the loose boxes in both ranges linked by doors in the cross partitions, otherwise the details and fittings similar to the loose boes in the western yard. In the loft storey in the east range an open timber roof; the metal ventilation shafts rising from openings now closed in the ceilings of each loose box to louvred vents on the roof ridge are cased in timber. Similar timber cased ventilation shafts in the roof space of the north range.
DETACHED STABLE RANGES AND DUNG PIT TO EAST: Immediately east of the eastern court 2 small detached stable ranges and a circular brick-walled dung pit.
HISTORY: Baron Meyer de Rothschild bought the former royal palace and stables in 1857. After rebuilding the stables the Baron installed Joseph Hayhoe as his racehorse trainer in 1860. He was succeeded as trainer by his son Alfred Hayhoe. Many famous racehorses were trained at the stables for members of the Rothschild family.
REFERENCES: Colvin, HM ed, History of the King's Works, Vol.V, 214, and Vol.VI, 315.
Hare, JP, History of Newmarket and Annals of the Turf, II.
Longrigg, R, History of Newmarket and Horse Racing.
Chapman, Plan of Town of Newmarket, 1787.

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