Listed Building record MDO9169 - Wolfeton Riding House, Charminster

Riding House. Late C16. Ashlar stone walls on the east, south and west, squared and coursed rubble on the north. Later alterations are in coursed rubble of poor quality. Slate roof with gable ends.

Wolfeton Barn, a probable 16th century ashlar building divided into six bays by buttresses of two weathered stages. <2> SY 67869225. Riding House, situated north of Wolfeton House was originally two storeyed; the lower storey very high and the upper, little more than an attic. The walls date probably from the last quarter of the 16th century and are of ashlar on the east, south and west, and squared and coursed rubble on the north. The south elevation has a plinth with chamfered footing course and is divided into seven bays by buttresses of two weathered stages. Traces of two subsidary ranges at right angles to the building suggest that an open-air manege lay formerly on the north side of the riding house. The whole building represents the earliest surviving riding house known in England and is of considerable architectural importance. Pevsner considered that the combination of string-courses and hoodmoulds suggested the 17th century rather than the 16th century for the building with a date of circa 1610 likely. <3-4>

Record last edited

Sep 9 2023 7:29AM