Music Pavilion And Cafeteria, Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline, Dunfermline, Fife

Description

John Fraser, 1926-27 and 1934. Single storey L-plan building of various heights; comprising 1927 cafeteria oriented E/W and 1934 music pavilion oriented N/S adjoining to W. Cape Dutch with partially harled whitewashed walls, pantile roofs, crow-stepped gables (those to cafeteria with scrolled skewputts) and tall harled chimneys; main block of music pavilion aisled with double stepped clerestory on all sides; cafeteria aisled with single clerestory along main axis. Cafeteria harled with artificial stone/concrete dressings; music pavilion artificial stone/concrete blocks with harled upper stages to main block. Deep projecting eaves throughout; those to cafeteria swept with projecting geometrically modelled joist ends. Base course, cill course and striped band course to main block of music pavilion; artificial stone/concrete block frieze to lower stage of clerestory; artificial stone/concrete eaves bands throughout. Artificial stone/concrete cills to windows.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 7 bays (along main axis of cafeteria) divided at aisle level by octagonal artificial stone/concrete piers (apart from that to far right) set back slightly to centre; mostly large glazed areas in between; flat roof. Artificial stone/concrete steps with central cast-iron balustrade with rounded ends up to entrance with flanking pilasters to 2nd bay from right; pair of glazed 2-leaf timber doors. Steps up to far left bay and adjacent harled planter with concrete coping. Small windows set back to clerestory. Long harled planter with concrete coping set forward in front of low terrace. Flanking slightly projecting crow-stepped gables; that to left opens onto entrance hall of music pavilion; both with scrolled skewputts and decorative panels to centre (that to left gable depicts woman with harp in Art Deco style). Artificial stone/concrete steps with pair of cast-iron balustrades with rounded ends up to left gable end; triple round-arched arcade with square-plan artificial stone/concrete block piers beyond; flanking octagonal piers with striped band courses and urn-like finials with carved caps. Triple round-arched entrance set back within vestibule; artificial stone/concrete block architraves to glazed 2-leaf timber doors; multipane fanlights above. Low flat-roofed bay set back to left; harled above artificial stone/concrete block base; large window. Right gable has triple round-arched arcaded entrance giving onto terrace with artificial stone/concrete baulstrade and bowed front; 2-leaf glazed timber doors with multipane fanlights. Low bay with large window set back to right.

N ELEVATION: main block of music pavilion projects forward to right. Open stage projects forward to centre with flat cantilevered artificial stone/concrete canopy; segmental recess behind. Flanking narrow canted bays, both with narrow window. Paired narrow windows to 2 outer bays to each side; outermost ones set back with architraved entrance with angled upper corners at top of steps to re-entrant. 3 windows set back to upper clerestory. Cafeteria set back to left. Slightly projecting crow-stepped gable end to left of centre with 3 tall round-arched windows; artificial stone/concrete shield inscribed 'AD 1927' to gable. 6 bays, 4 glazed, to aisle to right; former entrance bay with flanking artificial stone/concrete pilasters 3rd from left; octagonal artificial stone/concrete dividing piers to 3 bays to right; glazed 2-leaf door to central one. Clerestory set back with small windows. Low section to left of gable; central entrance and 2 left bays (part of small 1937 extension) set back; entrance architraved with panelled timber door and 2-light rectangular fanlight; semi-open-sided shed to right with octagonal artificial stone/concrete piers at corners.

E ELEVATION: narrow end of cafeteria to left. Low projecting section (small extension of 1937) to right with wide window and inserted serving hatch. Triple window arrangement and single window to left return. Crowstepped gable end to main block set back. Crowstepped gable set back to left; large window to left with steps up to central glazed door. Main block of music pavilion set back to right. Entrance with stepped architrave to right of centre; glazed 2-leaf timber door with rectangular Art Deco fanlight with banded glazing. 3 narrow windows to right; 2 groups of 3 large windows to left. Crowstepped breaking-eaves gable with 3 narrow windows to centre of lower clerestory; flanking outer windows. 3 windows set back to upper clerestory.

W ELEVATION: main block of music pavilion projects to left. Entrance with stepped architrave to left of centre; glazed 2-leaf timber door with rectangular Art Deco fanlight with banded glazing. 3 narrow windows to left; 2 groups of 3 large windows to right. Crowstepped breaking-eaves gable with 3 narrow windows to centre of lower clerestory; set back to centre; flanking outer windows. 3 windows set back to upper clerestory. Entrance hall of music pavilion set back to right. Central section with flanking stepped divides above eaves; large central window and flanking windows; artificial stone/concrete blocks and flat glazed roof, curved at edge, to this section and single bay set back slightly to left. Low section with large window set back to right; side wall of entrance hall set back beyond; architraved entrance, angled at upper edges, to right.

Apart from large glazed replacement bays, mainly multi-pane timber sash and case windows to cafeteria; those to upper tier of main axis have diamond panes within single frame; mainly steel-frame multi-pane casements to music pavilion; horizontal steel bars, as groups of 3 stripes to narrow windows. Mainly pantile roofs, piended to main block of music pavilion; flat roofs (probably asphalted) elsewhere. Projecting wallhead stack to W side of entrance hall to music pavilion; one to E end of main ridge of cafeteria; both harled with artificial stone/concrete bands at apex. Cast iron downpipes; those to N gable of cafeteria with embossed thistle motifs.

INTERIOR: retains majority of original features. Clerestory of main room of cafeteria supported on painted octagonal artificial stone/concrete piers; joist ends of aisle roofs project above; beamed ceiling with decorative brackets; glazed entrance to entrance hall of music pavilion to W; banded windows incorporating leaded Art Deco designs above. Recessed fireplace with painted artificial stone/concrete block surround and plaster peacock motif above and panelled timber dado to room to E. Original 3-panel doors. Beamed ceiling with decorative brackets to large entrance hall of music pavilion; bronze statue by Richard Goulden of 4 children on granite base at centre; original pendant glass lampshades. 2-tiered clerestory of main block supported on circular and rectangular-plan piers to main room; the latter with Art Deco mouldings at apex; modern suspended ceiling hides upper levels; slightly projecting stage with timber panelled semicircular recess to rear; painted artificial stone/concrete Art Deco surround incorporating plaster panels of medieval and Roman horn players, one on either side; flanking timber steps of Art Deco design. Single panelled timber doors to smaller rooms to N of stage, including to lavatory with original fixtures and fittings, including toilet bowl, washbasin and tiled walls.

TERRACED SEATING: several low segmental-plan artificial stone/concrete terraces, built as 'auditorium' seating for external stage, exist to N of music pavilion.

Statement of Interest

A very fine intact Interwar recreational building of distinctive Cape Dutch design. The slightly later music hall has been designed to blend in with the original cafeteria and also incorporates a number of Art Deco features, both externally and internally. Formerly the privately-owned gardens of Pittencrieff House, Pittencrieff Park was purchased by Andrew Carnegie in 1902 and opened as a public park the following year. The park is included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes. See separate list descriptions for other park buildings.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.