Stables and stable blocks are one of the building types most evocative of the spirit of bygone times. This book examines the architecture of stables of all kinds from humble farm buildings to the ornate and stylish courtyard blacks of great country houses. Among the endless variety of building shapes and forms are curiosities like circular stable blocks for canal horses and multi-storey stables for urban draught horses. This book illustrates a wide range of examples and relates them to a broad pattern of building development.