Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/36/007

Address :
Edenbrooke Primary School 230 Tennent Street Belfast Co Antrim BT13 3GG

Townland:
Town Parks

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
09/02/1994 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

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OS Map No:
130-09SW

IG Ref:
J3221 7542

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Owner Category

Education Board

Exterior Description And Setting

A freestanding two-storey modernist school constructed in 1934-38 and located in an urban
setting to the western side of Tennent Street in west Belfast. Essentially quadrangular on plan comprising four rectangular blocks orientated around a central open air courtyard; flat-roofed, parapetted links connect the four blocks at the corners of the quadrangle. A caretaker’s house is located to the north boundary, a double height assembly hall abuts to the north-east corner of the main building and a flat-roofed mid-late 20th century addition (of no interest) abuts to the south-west. Hipped pan-tile roof with roll-moulded clay ridge and hip-tiles; black/grey corrugated pitched roofs to north and south blocks; all roofs are generally parapetted (excluding eastern block). Half-round cast iron rainwater goods with decorative hopper-heads. Walling is rusticated red brick laid to Monk bond with reconstituted stone dressings to parapets, string courses, window details and door canopies. Windows are generally flat-headed timber casement with horizontal glazing bars; some are metal particularly to north elevation; reconstituted stone sills and lintels (often continuous) with plain reveals and surrounds. The plan comprises four separate blocks, the gables of which have flat-roofed, and parapetted enclosed corridors linking the four corners of the quadrangle, containing stairs and service rooms. To the inner courtyard elevation, each block is abutted by a projecting two-storey flat-roofed enclosed perimeter corridor with a clerestory over; circulation space is therefore generally orientated around the inner courtyard with rooms arranged around the outer perimeter (except for the northern block). The principal elevation faces east and comprises the main eastern block with parapetted links to each side. The elevation comprises continuous windows to the ground floor with six equally spaced windows to the first floor; both with metal grilles, continuous sills and lintel strips. Three windows to first floor of right gable; ground floor of gable has three panes of continuous window; right side abutted by single storey parapetted link block which extends north and east abutting to the north block and assembly hall to the north east (see later). Link block has three-recessed timber and glass doors entrance doors to right with curved windows and wall to left. Modern sign with school name to rebuilt parapet. Left gable of main east block is similar to the right and abutted by a single storey flat roof link connecting to the south block (see later). The connecting link has two lattice paned windows to right, timber door and single window to left; south elevation has two plain paned windows to centre and right, vertical window to left. Flat roof extends west abutting to east gable wall of south block. Main elevation of the south block comprises four large multipane windows with double-leaf doors to the centre and single doors to each side; 21-paned replacement metal windows to first floor level on left side; ground floor having abutting covered walkway to single-storey, flat-roof south extension, with metal windows (of little interest). Right gable contains continuous window with square brick chimney to left side. Multipane window to first floor of westerly connecting link; restricted view of remaining south block and right gable. Restricted access to west elevation; view is obstructed; roof is completely flat. North block has four openings of ten adjacent windows to first floor; single window and rectangular window to right of main block. In line at ground floor are central double leaf timber doors with large windows to each side; continuous rendered lintel; each opening surmounted by a clerestory window. Flat-roofed single storey projection to far right side with two windows and timber door to eastern cheek; lean-to addition to re-entrant angle at left side, blank except for skylight. North east block containing assembly hall abuts to the far left-side; north gable has parapetted projection with curved corners; right cheek has four brick pilasters separating four windows at two levels with reconstituted stone canopy (previous additional windows to right blocked up and door to left on ground floor); cement rendering beneath windows. Quarter turn steps with winders in recess, up to door on left; surmounted by reconstituted stone/concrete canopy. Left cheek has similar window pattern five openings wide; window to recess on right side; left side abuts to entrance block. Elevations of the inner courtyard each vary; the south elevation is the same as that of the main north block and similarly the north courtyard elevation is a copy of the main south elevation. The west elevation has three central doors to ground level with clerestories above and to outer edges; surmounted by wide window with two angled projecting panes to centre. East elevation has central advancing single-storey flat roofed porch with window and door, window to each cheek; a window and two clerestories to each side; surmounted by a former door to the centre of the first floor with canopy above. Setting Located on a slightly elevated site within an urban residential setting on the west side of Tennent Street, south of Crumlin Road in the western area of Belfast. Neighbouring terraces to north and south; brick dwarf walls with flat reconstituted stone copings and painted cast iron railings to Tennent Street with trees and shrubs behind; four pairs of square piers supporting two pedestrian gates and two wide modern metal gates; central entrance has larger offset piers with patterned motif below copings. Ramp and steps from south entrances; curved brick wall with barbed wire bounds to south; perimeter generally tarmac with playgrounds to north and central courtyard; replacement brick wall and modern railings to north and west perimeter. Two-storey caretakers house of brick construction to North east corner having an L-shaped plan, hipped pan-tile roof, cast iron rainwater goods, uPVC windows and doors, similar detailing as school building and a curved wall to south west corner. Roofing: tiled, corrugated metal Walling: brick Windows: Timber/metal RWG: Cast-iron

Architects

Wilshere, R S

Historical Information

Edenbrooke Primary School, as it is currently known, was constructed in 1934-38 to the designs of R.S Wilshere, architect to the Belfast Education Committee. According to a file on the school held in PRONI (1925-28), in 1925 the Ministry of Education leased a previously undeveloped site from the Edenderry Spinning Company Ltd at £110 per anum with the intention of building of a new school. This was proposed to replace three local schools, which were overcrowded, unsanitary and thus “…deemed unsatisfactory for teaching purposes.” The contract was undertaken by Thomas McKee & Sons Ltd, at an estimated cost of £22,820. Tender documents and the completion certificate confirm that construction occurred from 1934-39 (School Building File). The ‘Public Elementary School’ is first captioned on the fifth edition OS map (1920-38) with Edenderry flax spinning mill to the west, at the rear of the site. First listed in the second General Revaluations (1956-72), the school, the yard, and a caretaker’s house also designed by Wilshere, are valued at £1,930 in 1956. Under the Education Act of 1923, which took its lead from English educational reforms, the newly established Government of Northern Ireland made education compulsory from ages 4-14, resulting in increased pupil numbers and a school building programme was undertaken in order to meet new demand (Post Primary Review Body). Breaking from the former National School system, Edenbrooke was built to accommodate a large number of pupils in conditions conducive to teaching (IOE). R.S Wilshere, transformed school building design in Belfast. The provision of fresh air and natural lighting was paramount to his design ethos and this is evident in Edenbrooke school (Larmour). Classrooms are arranged around a central courtyard and large windows maximise light and cross ventilation (School Building File). Named ‘Edenderry’ until the early 1960s, the Street Directories (1925-1988) show the school has changed from a Public Elementary to an Intermediate, an Infant, a Secondary and finally a Primary school, which it remains today. An additional wing was added to the south of the main building during the mid 20th century and during the 1990s replacement glazing and frames were installed during refurbishments (HB File). References Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/1/60/1 First Edition Os Map (1832-33) 2. PRONI OS/6/1/60/2 Second Edition OS Map (1857) 3. PRONI OS/6/1/60/3 Third Edition OS Map (1901) 4. PRONI OS/6/1/60/4 Fourth Edition OS Map (1920-31) 5. PRONI OS/6/1/60/5 Fifth Edition OS Map (1920-38) 6. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/M/5 - Annual Revisions (1916-30) 7. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/M/6- Annual Revisions (1916-30) 8. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/M/7- Annual Revisions (1916-30) 9. PRONI VAL/3/B/3/17- First General Revaluation (1935) 10. PRONI VAL/4/B/7/35- Second General Revaluation (1956-72) 11. PRONI ED/13/1/1787 – School Building File of New Public Elementary School (1925-38) 12. Belfast and Ulster Street Directories 1925-1988 13. HB File (HB26/36/007) Secondary Sources 1. Larmour, P “Belfast, An Illustrated Architectural Guide” Friars Bush Press, Belfast (1987) 2. Wiener, R “The Rape and Plunder of the Shankill” Farset Co-operative Press Ltd, Belfast, 1978 (2nd ed 1980). 3. www.dia.ie - Dictionary of Irish Architects online 4. Nugent, J “The Northern Ireland Education System” www.rsc.org/images/NIeducationsystem_tcm18-55030.pdf, 5. Rengnier. M “The Education System of Northern Ireland” http://www.direct2communications.com/downloads/education_history_northern_ireland.pdf 6. Post-Primary Review Body, 2001 www.deni.gov.uk/22-ppa-burns_chapter1.pdf 7. (IOE) Institute of Education Archives, London “School Architecture and Design” http://www.ioe.ac.uk/services/documents/SG1_School_architecture_and_design_(March_2009).pdf, March 2009 ed. 8. (BELB) Belfast Education and Library Board “Report from the Controlled Sector Strategic Planning Sub-Committee” Pp73, 2007 http://www.belb.org.uk/Documents/245.pdf

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form H-. Alterations detracting from building I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting

Historic Interest

V. Authorship Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A freestanding two-storey school with a quadrangular plan comprising four primary inter-connected blocks, orientated around a central open air courtyard. Built in 1934-38 to the designs of R.S. Wilshere. Classrooms are mainly located to the outer perimeter of the quadrangle with circulation orientated around the inner courtyard; the layout demonstrates Wilshere’s design ethos of maximising natural daylight and creating large spaces for teaching. Character, proportions and detailing survive, only marginally compromised by the southern extension. Internally the layout has undergone some change, reflecting changes in educational requirements but much fabric and detailing remains intact. This is a good example of the type, representing advances in educational provision and by a noteworthy architect.

General Comments

Date of Survey

09 October 2012