The Ostler's Hut

Amongst the chambers, halls, and squares of Lincoln’s Inn, amidst the beauty and bustle of London's legal district, stands the diminutive Ostler's Hut. This unassuming cabin, built in 1860, is the remnant of an essential employment of a bygone era.

Lincoln's Inn is one of London’s four Inns of Court, professional associations for barristers, serving their educational, social, and professional needs. Built in the mid-19th century for the Inn’s "ostler," who was responsible for tending the horses of Lincoln Inn’s lawyers and guests, the hut, complete with a charming fireplace, sheltered those horse handlers during inclement weather. However, the advent of automobiles swiftly rendered the ostler's role obsolete, and the hut's purpose shifted over time.

Thanks to its modest dimensions, measuring a mere 13 feet by 10 feet, and its significance, story, and style, the Grade II listed Ostler's Hut holds the distinction of being the smallest listed building in London. (Though there is some contention with the policeman's box in Trafalgar Square for this title.)