The Boat House Adjoining Hatherton Lake In Walsall Aboretum

1690/0/10032 LICHFIELD STREET 11-JUN-04 The Boat House Adjoining Hatherton Lak e in Walsall Aboretum

GV II Boat House. c.1874 for the Walsall Arboretum and Lake Co. Ltd., possibly designed by the County Surveyor, Robert Griffiths. Timber-framed with hipped tile roofs with a raised lantern, supported by cast-iron posts and set on a concrete base. Single storey boathouse sited c. 240m NE of the principal arboretum entrance on Hatherton Lake's edge. EXTERIOR: Elevation to lake is open with cast-iron columns framing the off centre embarkation platform and 3 mooring pens, all under shallow hipped roof with raised ridge lantern that includes timber-framed open clerestory with finials and bargeboards to its gabled ends. Side and rear walls are tongue and groove wood with cross-bracing supports. INTERIOR: Concrete base supports the structure above water level with storage areas to sides of mooring pens. Roof structure comprises tie beams with short vertical struts to collars, above this the framing for the ridge lantern that employs small king post trusses with raking struts. Shaped wooden boards to both end walls at water level. SOURCES: Walsall Arboretum An Introduction & History, Parks Services Division. Walsall Arboretum 1 Mile Walk leaflet. William R. Foster, 'A History of Walsall Arboretum', 1973, (unclear as to whether or not this has been published), p. 19 & 21. Stuart Williams, 'Gateway to a jewel', Walsall Chronicle, 26 December 2002. Walsall Arboretum, West Midlands, Walsall, NGR: SP0199, site reference number: 4899, 'Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest', June 2001. c. 1920s postcard of 'Arboretum Walsall', private collection, Cheltenham.

A timber-framed Victorian boat house that forms an important component of a Grade II Registered municipal landscape park.