Description of Historic Place

Hampton Hall is comprised of a one-storey wood-frame Arts and Crafts-style field house, with associated lawn bowling greens, situated in Hampton Park in the Tillicum area of Saanich.

Heritage Value

Hampton Hall is a significant part of social and recreational history in Saanich. Situated on land donated to local residents and lawn bowlers by George Vallance in 1923, it is significant that this building was constructed by club members and community volunteers. Its simple form and understated design reflect the collective effort that went into its construction.

The relationship between the hall and the manicured lawn and grounds on which it sits is significant, as this has been the home of the Burnside Lawn Bowling Club since 1927. The continued use of this building as a field house, neighbourhood hall, and gathering place reflects its integral role in local recreation and the enrichment of the Saanich community.

Hampton Hall is also valued as a tangible link to the growth and context of the Tillicum neighbourhood. Tillicum is bounded by the salt water of Portage Inlet and the Gorge Waterway to the west and south. It was an agricultural area during colonial times, but with its proximity to downtown Victoria, became one of the earliest residential areas in Saanich. A single-family housing boom prior to World War One was enabled by the extension of Victoria's water services to the area.

Source: Heritage Planning Files, District of Saanich

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of Hampton Hall include its:
- form, scale and massing, such as its simple understated form and one-storey massing of the field house
- simple, vernacular use of the Arts and Crafts style
- situation within a manicured landscape, which includes lawn bowling greens
- functionality of the interior space suited to community gatherings and social events