5.2 Walled Garden and Stables

5.2 WALLED GARDEN AND STABLES 1. Condition: Many of the structures within this area were not included within the 2018 or 2013 QI and there is therefore only limited understanding of their condition. An initial visual assessment has found many to be in fair condition overall, with some redundancy and ‘meanwhile’ uses with repairs required. Those to the north are identified as being in somewhat worse condition, with moderate dilapidation, redundancy and need for substantial repairs. See plan on page 15 for more detail. Only the Laundry has been identified as being seriously dilapidated, requiring major works. Another concern is the declining condition of vacant upper spaces within many of the structures. Reuse, repairs and major works are required to improve condition, preceded by detailed condition and scheduling surveys to establish baseline repair needs, programming and budget costs.

2. Redundancy: Beyond the main stable block, the majority of structures within the study area are redundant or in basic ‘meanwhile’ use for storage. This redundancy puts the heritage assets at risk of further decline and the lack of use (including public access) does not reflect their potential cultural and commercial value.

3. Character and appearance: The character of each character area and structure has been assessed and identified as being sensitive to change. The vernacular and functional character of the elements requires careful consideration as part of proposals for regeneration. This is contrasted against the polite structures facing the Castle. New uses will need to understand the palette of existing materials, plan form, colours, features etc in order to incorporate new design in a sustainable way. The forge is an example of this, retaining an interior that would preclude many new uses, and many structures are linear in nature, which will demand creative design responses to ensure viability. 4. Existing uses: The Walled Garden and stables area is an intense and focused complex of heritage assets, contained within a tightly bound site. Future structural development will need to be contained within this area and careful thought given to the zoning of uses to avoid conflicts. Tenanted dwellings in particular may be at odds with other proposed facilities until circumstances change. Current use is restricted to the tearooms and shop, which have limited room for expansion due to the constraints of the historic internal features, boundaries and routes.

5. Setting and views: The setting and views to and from the Walled Gardens are one of its key assets. However, this prominence within the Parkland and its proximity to the Castle is a constraint as well as a virtue. The unusual dominance and proximity of the Gardens to the Castle underlines its significance and any new development or alterations should not adversely impact on key views.

6. Access and circulation: The Walled Garden and stables area is linear in character (east-west), with a single spine road running north to south, and another east to west. This original route of the Old Raby village road has been restricted to the west and has lost relevance, which could be returned. Routes run all around the boundary of the site and there is permeability to the north, but this is restricted by current uses. There are access issues with historic surfaces but also modern surfaces that are not in keeping with historic character. 7. Routes and parking: The car parking to the east of the site is visually intrusive in views from the Castle and the stables area. It is currently at capacity and is inadequate for larger events. Current access into the site is via the North Lodge, which does not provide the best experience of the views. Entry and exit via the same route also causes congestion, as noted within the context of the wider landscape

8. Interpretation: Existing interpretation within the Walled Gardens and stables area focuses on the carriages and the harness room. There is limited understanding of the gardens and their connections to the Castle, the maintenance yard or the stables. There is a lack of historic planting and understanding of this, and there is no visibility and activity of the garden maintenance team, which might be of interest to visitors. The redundant northern areas of the site are generally not accessible to the public and there is no interpretation to explain historic significance or use.

9. New development: New development within the Walled Gardens and stables area will be marshalled by the existing structures, their historic character and key views. There will also be archaeological implications of new structures, particularly on areas associated with Old Raby village. Lost structures within the area may provide exciting precedents for new development. Substantial works are likely to be required for conversion of many of the existing structures to viable new uses due to lack of infrastructure, services and facilities. Previous internal renovation of the residential dwellings (Byre House and Raby Park House) has not been sensitive to historic character and is detrimental to significance. 10. Viability and income generation: As designated heritage assets, there is a requirement to find the optimum viable use to justify their conservation, enhancement and future maintenance. This will require dedicated resources to make use of skilled craftsmanship, appropriate materials and achieve high-quality new design. Restoring these structures in a single phase or short period would represent the most substantial project within the Estate since the eighteenth century, which should be carefully considered. New uses will need to generate some form of income, in whole or in part, in order to sustain the future maintenance of the buildings and contribute to the health of the estate. Viability will need to be tested through market research and business planning alongside more comprehensive masterplanning at the next stage of the project.