Cabmen's Shelter, Northumberland Avenue

The Cabmen's Shelter on Northumberland Avenue was built in 1915 to replace the original ornamental shelter designed by Maximilian Clarke in 1882 for the Cabmen's Shelter Fund.

This shelter features an oak frame with deal cladding, painted green. It has a rectangular footprint that includes an open-plan galley kitchen and a communal area for cabmen, with benches along the walls.

The exterior consists of seven framed bays, including three end bays, elevated on a platform. The timber frame is highlighted by vertical boarding panels. The entrance door is located on the north side, with a central serving window from the kitchen at the west end. There are square-headed, six-light windows with glazing bars and pivoting hopper lights above, all fitted with replacement frosted plastic glazing. These windows are evenly distributed on both sides of the shelter, with two sets flanking the entrance and a trio on the opposite side, where the western pair has been painted over. The east end features a central window that matches those on the sides. Below the eaves course, fretwork panels displaying the ‘CSM’ monogram, adorned with ribboned garlands, are positioned alternately between the window bays. The roof is half-hipped with overhanging eaves that reveal exposed joists. Decorative gablets with fretwork panels are located at both ends and on each side, while a square, louvered ventilation lantern is flanked by ornamental dormers, also featuring fretwork panels, at the center of the ridge, topped with a tented rooflet.

Inside, most fittings are modern, but the layout still reflects the original design, with a galley kitchen and serving hatch at one end and a communal section for cabmen at the opposite end. The cabmen's mess area includes replacement bench tops and seating, and a hatch to the ventilation lantern is preserved in the center of the suspended ceiling.