Walled Garden Sir Thomas And Lady Dixon Park, Old Forge Tl, Belfast

Red brick walled garden located southwest of Wilmont House within the 134-acre parkland demesne now known as Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, situated on the west side of Upper Malone Road in Belfast. The park was gifted to Belfast Corporation in 1959 by Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon, after whom it is now named. The walled garden is contemporary with Wilmont, a detached Italianate style country house of circa 1859, and shares group value with the gate lodge at the southernmost entrance on Upper Malone Road and the former stable block, now converted to café and offices.

The walled garden appears to have been created by James Bristow shortly after he acquired the demesne in 1855. It is shown on the 1857 Ordnance Survey map, though the absence of associated structures on this map suggests work may still have been in progress. By the 1901 map, both greenhouses and sheds are depicted, along with what appear to be additional enclosures to the west and south of the garden. Significant changes took place around 1921, with the valuation books noting the presence of a gardener's house and yards in that year. The current buildings all appear to date from this period and were probably added by Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon shortly after they purchased Wilmont in 1919. The greenhouses within the walled garden itself were removed sometime between 1931 and 1963, likely closer to the latter date when the demesne was officially opened as a public park. The remaining greenhouses were removed between 1963 and 1972.

The garden is roughly rectangular in plan and slopes gently from north to south. It is enclosed by red brick walls constructed in English Garden Wall bond with precast concrete copings. The north wall features a segmental-headed pedestrian gateway, roughly centred opposite the raised pond to the north, flanked by brick pilasters with stone capitals and entablature, which frames an ornate wrought iron gate of late 19th or very early 20th century date. The enclosed garden is largely plain, with paths laid in cruciform pattern between plants and lawn. Three stone plaques set into the perimeter wall along the west side commemorate members of the Reade and Dixon families' pets, dating from 1905, 1932 and 1938. Unusually for its age, the walled garden has no carriage arch. There is evidence of a former opening along the west side, now blocked with modern brick, which was too narrow for carriages.

A path leads south from Wilmont House to a yew walk with cast iron gate and a raised pond with dressed stone surround and crown centrepiece. The first survey card refers to a cherub holding a fish in the centre of this pond, suggesting it may have been replaced, possibly as a result of refurbishment in 2002. The fountain appears to have been constructed after 1901 but before 1920, possibly by the then owner Mr Reade or as part of Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon's circa 1919-20 refurbishments.

Outside the walled garden, a former gardener's bothy and potting sheds, built circa 1890s, also in red brick laid to English Garden Wall bond, abuts the north side of the walled garden. Now used as a store, the glasshouses originally built on the reverse side are gone, though remnants of chimneys remain. The structure comprises three bays, wide and symmetrical. The taller central bay has an attic with gabled roof, flanked by single-storey mono-pitched bays. Windows are all boarded up with faux glazing bars painted on the boards, with timber framed casement windows remaining behind. The central bay is roofed in a mix of artificial and natural slates with projecting bargeboard, tie beam and curved struts; a single window is centred on the ridge; three windows to the ground floor have concrete cills and continuous lintel; a central window replaces the original door, as evidenced by brick infill below the cill. The west bay has two windows with continuous lintel at eaves, raised concrete skews, and a slate roof thought to be original; a flush timber door is positioned in the west face. The east bay is divided in two, both containing stores, each with a single window and sheeted timber door, continuous lintel at eaves, and a replacement slate roof with uPVC rainwater goods. The east face is blank except for a corner chimney.

The walled garden has been compromised by extensive recent alterations. It is of a late date and not one of the best examples of its type. The west enclosure, which since at least 1905 had also served as a pet cemetery, was subsequently planted. The southern enclosure was landscaped with partial planting prior to 1963.