The stables were originally situated behind London House in the old main street and were reached by a lane down the side of the shop and were probably Livery Stables for people visiting the town. In the late 1800s, apart from “Shank’s Pony” (walking) the main mode of transport in Cromwell and District was by horse or horsedrawn conveyance. Livery Stables provided casual stabling for horses and wagons so that when you came to town to buy your weekly provisions and do some visiting, you could put your horse out of the sun. Overnight travelers to the town also stabled their horses and wagons in these buildings. The horses would be rested, fed and well-watered by the stable boy, ready for the next day’s journey. London Stables has one loose box with drainage in one corner, two stalls with hay and chaff boxes and a wagon bay. The floor is of small “schist” rocks laid on their side to provide purchase for the horse’s hooves. There is a drain built into the floor from the loose box and along the front of the stalls. The windows in the back wall are designed to refract the light inwards and are above the stalls.
The London Stables is open to the public as a display stable.