Little Pavilion

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Formerly known as the ‘Elderly Mens’ Shelter’ in Botanic Gardens, Belfast, this modest, single storey flat-roofed brick structure was constructed by William Scott & Sons in late 1933. The shelter is located along the North East boundary of Botanic Gardens, approximately half way between The Palm House to the NE and boundary of Botanic Primary School to the SE and is surrounded by mature planting. The rear of the former shelter abuts the boundary wall of the main library of Queen’s University.

Materials
Walls: Red/brown Brick
Roof: Roofing felt
RWGs: plastic
Windows: uPVC

Front (SW) Elevation:
Symmetrical single storey brick building with flat roof with an advanced, raised Art Deco-type entrance to each end, with painted rendered infilled central section with high level ribbon windows.
Entrances either side consist of a central flush timber door with applied metal sheet within staggered brick piers, stepping back and rising up with flat concrete coping stones. There has been some alteration to the brickwork above the door; the original brick herringbone detail is no longer extant and has been replaced with plainer brick detailing, incorporating a rectangular opening beneath the central section.
The lower half of the infilled section is painted rough render with ribbon PVC windows to upper section on a continuous painted concrete cill. Metal grilles have been attached to the walls, protecting the windows. Roofing felt to flat roof. No rainwater goods to front elevation.
A concrete ramped access has been formed across the front, rising to the entrance on right side and with a simple painted metal handrail forming the ramp edge. Three concrete steps rise to the right side landing at the top of the ramp. Former original ‘game’ formed at base of ramp with concrete paving slabs with indented numbers.

Side (SE & NW) Elevations:
English garden wall bond brickwork with a row of brick soldiers at floor level. Centrally located single plastic downpipe. Terracotta ventilation bricks at high level beneath concrete coping stone with overlapping roofing felt.

Rear (NE) Elevation:
Built up against boundary wall. Small brick chimney at central position with flat concrete coping stone. Former raised sections of brickwork, as seen in historic photographs, now removed.

Historical information

Formerly known as the ‘Elderly Mens’ Shelter’ in Botanic Gardens, Belfast, this simple structure was constructed by William Scott & Sons in late 1933 and opened early the following year. Intended primarily for the use of elderly folk, Belfast Corporation built a number of these shelters in various public parks throughout the city in the mid-1900s. Most have since been demolished, and this may be the only example to have survived.

Historic photos show the shelter in its original form; as well as the walling-up of the previously open arcaded section, which was carried out in the 1960s or 70s due to vandalism, the brickwork above the end entrances has also been replaced in a different form, whilst the raised sections of the rear wall have disappeared entirely.

An anonymous letter to the editor of the Northern Whig in January 1934 describes the new building in unflattering terms as ‘too small for the purpose, and the elaborateness of its internal design is unnecessary in so small a structure. It will, I believe, be a dark, comfortless little place, and not to be compared to the old wooden shelter it has displaced…. In the old shelter I have seen as many as 120 grown-ups, and also half a dozen perambulators with babies therein, sheltering from a sudden downpour of rain. The new shelter would not hold half that number…’. The ‘old wooden shelter’ mentioned by the writer appears to have stood in exactly the same location as the present building, and judging from map evidence, seems to have been built sometime between 1873 and 1883 (although it is possible that it this was itself replaced some time prior to the 1930s).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Formerly known as the ‘Elderly Mens’ Shelter’ in Botanic Gardens, Belfast, this modest, single storey flat-roofed brick structure was constructed by William Scott & Sons in late 1933. While the structure is of local and social interest, it has been altered thus losing much of its original original character and does not therefore meet the legislative test for listing.