Building 88

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey brick building in 1930s Arts and Crafts derived style. H-shaped on plan and aligning east west.

Central door on north elevation up 5 steps with projecting flat topped brick surround. Double 5 pane doors flanked by two casement windows with wide hipped roof dormers above. Bays of 'H' to each side project 300mm. Hipped roof above aligning north-south with two windows symmetrically placed below. That to the lower floor taller. Ground slopes across site. To east, single storey hipped roof brick building attached. Symmetrical about its façade, two narrow blanked casements at centre, wider casements to each end all align. Brick cills, natural slate roof. Main building has two tall chimneys rising from each end.

East elevation reveals two chimneys of similar design symmetrical about the façade and both quite close to the opposite corners. Fire exit stair (more recent) protrudes behind the northern chimney to a metal garage beyond the single storey building described above. Hipped roof building of shorter length aligns also with southern chimney. Flat roof between.

To rear south elevation. Main roof extends much further down the façade to leave the two large hipped dormers half way up the roof in a Lutyens-like composition (Lambay Island). Otherwise the elevation replicates that to the north but is marred by timber-clad escape stairs. A central chimney is located just below the ridge of the roof.

The west end has a single chimney with projecting gabled (toilet?) return below. Two small windows have semicircular reveals formed in tile. The eaves similarly are supported at the gable by a kneeler built out in tile. Slate flush with end. Cast iron rainwater goods and natural slate throughout the building. Some original timber casement windows remain on façade, the rest are PVC.

Historical information

Building first indicated on the 1955 Ordnance Survey Map. From its architectural design it is clear that it was built in the 1930s, but it is not indicated on the 1933 map. It appears to have been purpose built as a library building with office accommodation on an upper floor.

References- Primary sources

Ordnance Survey Maps 1904, 1933, 1955

Secondary sources

History of Ebrington Barracks (Anonymous, circa 1970’s) EHS files
Site officer 2003.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Two storey brick building in 1930s Arts and Crafts derived style. H-shaped on plan and aligning east west.

Picturesquely composed it is complimentary to the architectural character of the main buildings of this part of the base. It is a good example of a building from this period, but it is not an outstanding example as required in criteria for statutory protection.