Restoring Netherby Hall
"A model of conscientious restoration."
The Stables Restoration Project
To bring the Victorian stables at Netherby Hall back to life in the original style to be used not as a museum piece, but as a working stable.
The project included restoring the stables complex to be used again as working stables, coach-houses and grooms quarters' and to house all the facilities required for the maintenance and upkeep of the horses and carriages.
The Stables complex has now been restored to be used again as stables and to house the facilities required for the maintenance and upkeep of the horses. The guiding conservation principles for the repairs and restoration of these various buildings are, where applicable, to reinstate and restore as closely as possible to the design of the most recent historic evidence available of when they were in working use. With these proposals for the Stable Block efforts have been made to retain as much of the historic fabric as possible to produce a scheme which avoids any detrimental impact to their character and significance.
It is hoped that by reintroducing the stables original use the legibility of the historic buildings will also be improved. The project was a labour of love for heritage, sustainability and local culture for the whole team, recording, documenting, testing, researching and implementing tonnes of reclaimed slates, stone, cobbles and stables equipment that were repurposed as part of this project.
"A model of conscientious restoration."
Netherby Hall was chosen for a special Commendation by judges at the 2021 Historic Houses Restoration Award. The judge called it “most impressive and a model of conscientious restoration” and was especially delighted to see some former stables now being reused…. As stables!
Our Legacy
"Hopefully what we are starting in a corner of North East Cumbria will inspire others to appreciate the value of preserving historic buildings in a way that allows them to continue to function for the purpose for which they were constructed. One of the attractions of Netherby Hall for me when we bought it in 2014 was the chance to take a stand against this well-meaning destruction of our past. Included in the plans for the stables was to create a meeting room to accommodate pre-booked parties coming to learn about how the stables of great houses such as Netherby Hall work and as a conference centre, named the Moot Hall, which is available for hire.
We are thrilled to say we have achieved this goal and look forward to what 2021 brings"
Gerald Smith
