Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/05/002 A

Address :
Elmgrove Primary School, Beersbridge Road Belfast County Antrim BT5 4RS

Townland:
Ballymacarret

---

Survey 2:
A

Date of Listing:
02/03/1994 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
School

Former Use
School

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

---

OS Map No:
147-2

IG Ref:
J3629 7350

---

Owner Category

Education Board

Exterior Description And Setting

A two-storey redbrick school complex in Arts & Crafts style dating from 1933 by the Belfast Corporation Education Committee architect R. S. Wilshere. It consists of two main blocks arranged around quadrangles linked by a gabled assembly hall and located on the south side of Beersbridge road. Modern single-storey flat-roof buildings have been added to the west corners of the blocks, while the southeast wing was rebuilt in 1984 after a fire destroyed the original section of this building. Pitched red-clay tile roof with swept valleys, angled red-clay ridge tiles and raised verges. Projecting eaves support cast-iron half-round guttering and circular cast-iron downpipes. Decorated hopper and semi-circular clay-tile detail above. Red brick walling is laid in some parts to stretcher-bond and other parts to Flemish-bond, all with projecting plinth course. A variety of window openings, generally square-headed original timber casements with decorative redbrick lintels and sills (unless otherwise stated). The east elevation consists of a two-storey multiple-bay wing to north, a one-and-a-half storey multiple-bay wing to south, both flanked by single-storey gabled outshots and connected by a double-height gabled building. The north wing is symmetrical with gabled roof and hipped dormers built off the face of the wall to each of the ten bays. Two-storey square-plan projecting gate-tower to central bay with a raised parapet. Round-arched doorway with red brick hood and splayed jambs; square-headed door opening with sheeted timber door leading onto a paved platform with steps and ramp. Original four-part paned timber casement windows and painted sills to first floor and single paned timber casement windows facing north and south. Painted cast stone plaque above the arched door. A projecting single-storey flat roofed corridor with parapet and glazed timber framed double doors runs between the outshots and entrance tower on each side at ground floor level. Clerestorey windows to main elevation behind parapet. The double-height gabled building to the middle of the east elevation has a projecting step-gabled entrance porch with round-arch door opening, moulded red brick hood and splayed jambs. A replacement half-glazed timber door opens onto a single nosed step. Flat roofed corridor links projecting porch to side wings having round-arched full storey height timber windows with panelled lower section and metal framed casement opening to centre. The one-and-a-half storey south wing has a round-arched doorway with red brick hood and splayed jambs to central bay; square-headed sheeted timber door opening onto a platform steps. Projecting flat roofed corridor with glazed doors and clerestorey glazing as north wing. Each of the single-storey gabled outshots has a three-sided rectangular plan bay window with original paned timber casements. The west elevation consists of a single-storey six-bay wing to north flanked by modern single-storey flat-roofed buildings, a double-height gabled building with a projecting single-storey three-sided canted bay to centre with a single-storey flat-roofed outshot to north side and a modern two-storey wing to south flanked by single-storey flat-roofed blocks. The north wing has a seven-part window to each bay with original timber casement windows. The wing to south (of little interest) has a two-storey central part of three bays and two single-storey bays to each side. Projecting two-storey entrance porch with raised parapet and a round-arched door opening to central bay; seven-part timber casement windows to each single-storey bay. The north elevation consists of a three-bay building to east, a three-sided double-height hipped roof canted bay to the middle and a modern single-storey flat-roofed building to west. Square-headed window opening to each bay of the building to east; bay window to central bay. The south elevation consists of a modern flat-roofed single-storey building to west and two single-storey pitched roof buildings of five and three bays to east with original timber casement windows to each bay. The quadrangles are organised as cloister garths with a garden surrounded by single-storey flat-roofed corridors (to three sides) having round-arched full storey height timber windows with panelled lower section and metal framed casement opening to centre. The north quadrangle is landscaped and used as a school garden, the south is concrete paved and used as a play-area. The site consists of the school complex, the two-storey hipped-roof caretaker's house (listed under HB26.05.002 B) to the northwest and three single-storey flat-roofed modern buildings (of little interest) to the southeast. Concrete paved playing areas to rear and lush landscaping to east and northeast. The site is enclosed to north by a low brick wall topped by simple iron railings, rectangular plan piers with plinth and corbelled coping supporting simple metal gates. Tall fencing to south; tall brick wall topped with fencing to west and southwest and hedge to east. Materials: Roof red clay tiles Walling red brick RWG cast iron Windows timber casements

Architects

Historical Information

Elmgrove Primary School, a predominantly red brick school complex located on the south side of the Beersbridge Road, was constructed in 1930-33 to designs by Reginald Sharman Witshere. In the late 1920s the Belfast Education Committee (established under the 1923 Education Act) planned the construction of a new school that could accommodate 800 pupils and would replace the inadequate schools at St. Donard’s Church (HB26/10/003), Simpson’s Memorial, and the former Beersbridge Road School. Shortly before Elmgrove was completed, the Belfast Newsletter noted that ‘the problem of school accommodation in this densely populated area has escaped the attention of the Authority for some time, but it is expected that it will be satisfactorily solved’ with the erection of a new school. A Belfast-based English planner, Wilshere (1888-1961) was appointed architect to the Belfast Corporation Education Committee in 1926 and designed 26 new schools before the outbreak of the Second World War. The Irish Builder wrote that ‘Wilshere’s own idea ... is that if the children of a district have no beauty in their daily surroundings, they need beauty all the more in their schools’. His typical technique was to construct large schools along quadrangles with corridors open to the air (Irish Builder, pp 1089-1091). The layout of Elmgrove Primary School is a good example of Wilshere’s basic design, consisting of two main blocks arranged around quadrangles and possessing classrooms with large windows to admit light. In 1932 the Belfast Newsletter included a quote by Wilshere who stated that ‘every one of [my schools] has something distinctive about it architecturally, though all follow the same line in planning, and in that respect are in conformity with the best modern practice.’ The roof of Elmgrove Primary School was slated with plain red tiles with swept valleys that did not require the application of lead; the Newsletter noted that the distinctive roof, and the inclusion of a sundial in one of the walls, were unique features that are not to be found in other Wilshere schools. Larmour adds that the ‘very Danish looking stepped gable’ at Elmgrove was also a unique feature (Larmour, p. 84). Upon its completion, Elmgrove Primary School was the largest school yet built by the Belfast Corporation Education Committee. The newsletter noted that ‘the building is an example of what can be achieved without the use of elaborate architectural detail. It depends for its effect solely on grouping, colour and proportion … it is another of those buildings on which the Education Committee and their architect must be congratulated and one in which the Belfast people will take pride for many years to come.’ Elmgrove Primary School was officially opened on 9th March 1933. The school was originally divided into a senior school and junior school, each of which consisted of ten classrooms. The red brick caretaker’s house, located to the north-west of the school complex, was also designed by Wilshere but was not erected until 1936. Dean states that the design of this ‘porter’s lodge’ was influenced by the work of Edwin Lutyens (Dean, p. 75). The total rateable value of the new school was set at £800 under the First Revaluation in 1935, although this was increased to £1,500 by the end of the Second Revaluation (1956-72). In 1976 a fire caused major damage to the junior block of the school and a portion of that quadrangle was demolished and subsequently reconstructed in 1984 at a cost of £250,000 (Elmgrove website). Elmgrove Primary School was listed in 1994 and continues to be utilised as a school for primary education. The NIEA HB Records note that the school buildings were refurbished and extended in 2008. Larmour states that Reginald Wilshere’s schools including Elmgrove, as well as the nearby Avoniel (HB26/06/010) and Nettlefield (HB26/06/011) were ‘the first modern schools to be built anywhere in Ireland’ (Larmour, p. 84). References Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/3/3/5 – Fifth Edition Ordnance Survey map (1931) 2. PRONI VAL/3/B/3/12 – First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1935) 3. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/30 – Second General Revaluation of Northern Ireland (1956-1972) 4. Irish Builder (19 Dec 1931) 5. Belfast Newsletter (25 Apr 1932; 13 Aug 1932; 9 Mar 1933) 6. Belfast Telegraph (8 Aug 1932) 7. First Survey Record – HB26/05/002 (1991) 8. First Survey Image – HB26/05/002 (No Date) 9. NIEA HB Records – HB26/05/002 Secondary Sources 1. Dean, J. A. K., ‘The gate lodges of Ulster: A gazetteer’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1994. 2. Larmour, P., ‘Belfast: An illustrated architectural guide’ Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1987. Online Resources 1. Dictionary of Irish Architects - http://www.dia.ie 2. Elmgrove Primary School website - http://www.elmgroveprimary.co.uk/index.asp

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form E. Spatial Organisation G. Innovatory Qualities I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

V. Authorship W. Northern Ireland/International Interest X. Local Interest R. Age S. Authenticity T. Historic Importance

Evaluation

An accomplished example of one of prominent architect R S Wilshere's schools in Arts & Crafts style. Two-storey redbrick school complex dating from 1933, it consists of two main blocks arranged around quadrangles and linked by a gabled assembly hall. One of the original wings was destroyed by fire and was replaced in 1984 by a new building of little interest. Despite some loss of original fabric, and the modern toilet blocks compromising the school's architectural character, it is a fine example of Wilshere's design demonstrating his ingenious layout and unique architectural style. The school has group value with the caretaker's house (listed under HB26.05.002 B) to the northwest. It also has group value with the other Wiltshere designed schools in Belfast.

General Comments

Date of Survey

30 January 2014