Description of Historic Place

The South Workshop, also known as Building C1-C6, at Kingston Penitentiary is an impressive 19th-century, industrial building with a temple façade and a Greek cross plan. This solid, stone building is made up of four large wings radiating from a central rotunda. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The South Workshop is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value
The South Workshop is one of the best examples of a structure associated with the role of labour programs for inmates in the Canadian penal system. The labour programs were introduced when the reformative powers of the solitary cell were proven to be questionable and the emphasis shifted from this to the reformative power of work. The South Workshop was the centre of activity for the quarrying, stone working and construction labour performed for the institution, and for outside contracts. This had a significant impact in the development of Kingston.

Architectural Value
The South Workshop is a good example of 19th-century classical revival industrial architecture with very good functional design and high quality workmanship. Its very good function is attributed to its Greek cross plan and masonry construction. This plan provides four large, easily supervised areas on each floor for conducting work programs. The solid masonry construction proved to be safe and durable for heavy industrial use. The stone masonry dressings, arches, vaults, attached buttresses, grand staircase and stone paving demonstrate the very good quality workmanship.

Environmental Value
The South Workshop reinforces the character of its industrial precinct setting at Kingston Penitentiary.

Sources: Dana Johnson, Kingston Penitentiary, Kingston, Ontario, Federal Heritage Building Review Office Building Report 89-032; South Workshop (C1- C6), Kingston Penitentiary, Kingston, Ontario, Heritage Character Statement, 89-032.

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements of the South Workshop should be respected.

Its 19th-century classical revival industrial architecture, very good functional design, and high quality craftsmanship, for example: the symmetrical Greek cross plan; the masonry construction; the division of the walls into tiers with base and belt courses and crowning cornice; the variation of window height at each tier, and the treatment of external angles with shallow projecting ashlar quoins; the four perpendicular buttresses; the brick semi-circular cross vaults supported on massive square piers, the grand staircase, and the cantilevered stone gallery of the rotunda.

The manner in which the South Workshop reinforces the character of its industrial precinct setting at Kingston Penitentiary, as evidenced by: its key role in physically defining the centre courtyards, work area, and exercise yard; its consistency of scale, materials, architectural details and decorative program with the other structures in the industrial area of the institution; the symbiotic relationship between the South Workshop and the Main Cell Block, expressed physically by the axial alignment and similar Greek cross massing.

Heritage Character Statement

Disclaimer - The heritage character statement was developed by FHBRO to explain the reasons for the designation of a federal heritage building and what it is about the building that makes it significant (the heritage character). It is a key reference document for anyone involved in planning interventions to federal heritage buildings and is used by FHBRO in their review of interventions.

Construction of the South Workshops was begun in 1842 to a design prepared by William Coverdale, master builder of the Provincial Penitentiary. Following Coverdale's retirement in 1846 the project was taken up by new prison architect Edward Horsey, who made a number of modifications in the design, before completing the building in 1849. The north wing (C-2) was lengthened by four bays and the end gable given a pilastered, temple treatment in 1880-81, by James Adams, architect and chief trades instructor. The south wing (C-4) was lengthened by six bays and a one storey boiler and power house added in 1922 to a design prepared by the architectural branch of the Department of Justice.

The South Workshops continues to function as a shop building but at a reduced capacity.

See FHBRO Building Report 89-32.

Reason for Designation

The South Workshops were designated Recognized for its thematic association with and role in local development; its functional design and workmanship and materials; and its site and setting.

The quarrying, stone working, and construction labour performed for the institution, and the contract work performed for outside businesses by the inmates, in the early years of the Penitentiary, had a significant impact on the development of Kingston. The South Workshops, as a centre of this activity, exemplify to a large degree this phase in the community's development.

From a functional standpoint the South Workshops building has proven particularly successful in its role as a prison workshop. Some of this success can be attributed to the Greek cross plan which provided four large, easily supervised areas on each of its two floors for conducting work programs. The masonry construction which included solid, load-bearing walls and brick, cross vaulting supporting the second floor of each wing, proved safe and durable for heavy industrial use.

A very good quality of workmanship is demonstrated by the stone masonry dressings (moulded cornice, string course, base course, sills and quoins), arches (semicircular and segmental), vaults (stone barrel and brick, semicircular cross-vault), attached buttresses (built in receding stages with weathered offsets), grand staircase and stone paving. A few surviving, early pattern doors (framed and ledged) with their original heavy wrought iron hardware (box locks, barrel bolts and strap hinges) show a high degree of skill by the carpentry and wrought metal working trades.

While some changes have been made to the site; e.g., demolition of the adjacent fuel storage building (1989) and the development of the exercise yard (n.d.), that they have had a generally positive effect and the character of the relationship between building and landscape has been retained. The symbiotic relationship between the main cell block and south workshops, expressed physically by the axial alignment and similar Greek cross massing of elements, has been a dominant feature of the institution since the mid-1800s. The South Workshops plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity of this setting.

Character Defining Elements

The heritage character of the South Workshops resides in its status as a good example of Classical Revival industrial architecture. At the exterior the characteristic features of this style are: the symmetrical plan; [the temple-like treatment of the front gable (now largely demolished); the dome centred over the rotunda (also demolished);] the division of the walls into tiers, masked by base and belt courses and a great crowning cornice; the variation of window height at each tier; and the treatment of external angles with shallow projecting ashlar quoins. The four, perpendicular (Gothic) style, buttresses are a somewhat eclectic touch. Internally the building is notable for the brick, semicircular cross vaults supported on massive square piers (ground floor, west wing, C-5) and the grand staircase (a "T" plan, with the upper flights of steps carried on arches) and cantilevered stone gallery of the rotunda (C-1).

The discordant appearance of the post-1954 additions and alterations (choice of materials, shape and pattern of openings, architectural detailing, etc.) means the Recognized designation applies to all pre-1954 exterior fabric with the exception of the enlarged windows at the second floor of the south wing (C-4). To ensure the preservation of the basic Greek cross form of the building, the Recognized designation is extended further to cover the massing (plan, grouping of details, roof line and silhouette) of the pre-1954 building.

Should the opportunity arise, reconstructing the north wing (C-2) to its pre-1954 length and general external appearance, incorporating the surviving ground floor fabric, would give the building back its principal facade and symbolic if not functional main entrance.

Facing the walls of the east-wing in stone and reverting to a pre-1954 opening pattern would recover some of the dignity and balance the building now lacks. Reinstating the second floor windows of the south wing (C-4) to their short, segmental headed form, and restoring, where possible, any other recently modified doors and windows on the South Workshops would greatly enhance the aesthetic qualities of the building.

Internally the heritage character resides in the main rotunda which is intact and the brick vaulted workshops where they survive. The restoration of the internal doors and borrowed lights facing into the rotunda space would greatly enhance this unique heritage resource.

The important role the South Workshops plays in physically defining the centre courtyards, works area, and exercise yard as well as maintaining the consistency of scale, materials, architectural detail and decorative program of the industrial area of the institution has been noted. A program of recapitalization which would recover some of its faded architectural grandeur while ensuring little or no encroachment on the adjoining yards, would ensure the heritage character of the property is protected.