Description of Historic Place

At the eastern entrance to the city, located at Fort Frontenac National Historic Site of Canada, the De Noyan Block is a simple rectangular two-storey, stone structure with a prominent gable-hipped roof with a projecting stone chimney. It has a fifteen bay façade divided into a nine bay center unit and two three bay end units. There are small window openings, rifle loopholes and defensible porches on its exterior. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

De Noyan Block is a Classified Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value
Fort Frontenac, originally the Tête de Pont barracks, was the first of four British military complexes in Kingston and the De Noyan Block building is one of the best examples illustrating the major role it played in Britain’s defence strategy for Canada. The De Noyan Block, one of the oldest buildings on the site was constructed as barracks for two hundred men. Fort Frontenac is also one of the best examples impacting the historical, social and economic development of Kingston. At the outbreak of the war in 1812 there was only evidence of small growth of the town, however during the war, the town enjoyed an economic boom. Kingston enjoyed economic prosperity throughout most of the first half of the nineteenth century and this area remained the principle industrial and commercial site long after the British departure.

Architectural Value
The De Noyan Block is a very good example of nineteenth century British military architecture. The building was designed for a dual role as barracks and as part of the fortifications, which accounts for its greater wall mass, loop windows and defensible entry porches. It is domestic in scale with simplicity of design, robust use of materials, high standard of workmanship and spare utility typical of British military construction. It is characterized by its form, its overall classically inspired proportions, construction materials and craftsmanship.

Environmental Value
Ideally situated at the eastern entrance to the city, where the Cataraqui River empties into Lake Ontario, Fort Frontenac stands as a clear reminder of the city’s origins as a garrison town and its long historic military past. Its limestone walls, distinctive roof lines and attractive grounds are one of the first sights on the principal road into the city. De Noyan Block, a significant element to Fort Frontenac, reinforces the military defense character of the military complex in its fort setting. Together with other prominent buildings, Fort Frontenac plays a significant role in establishing the distinctive visual character of the city along the waterfront. It is a conspicuous national and local landmark.

Sources: Jacqueline Adell, De Noyan Block, Fort Frontenc, Kingston, Ontario, Federal Heritage Building Report 89-040; De Noyan Block, Fort Frontenac, Kingston, Ontario, Heritage Character Statement, 89-040.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the De Noyan Block should be respected.

Its British military design, classically-inspired proportions, construction materials and craftsmanship as manifested in:
-its domestic scale and simplicity of design consisting of a two-storey rectangular structure with a prominent gable-hip roof with projecting stone chimneys;
-its fifteen bay façade divided into a nine bay center unit and two three bay end units;
-the quality of its masonry with smooth limestone walls with regular coursing accented by simple details such as projecting window sills, quoins and simple entablatures over the windows and doors;
-the well balanced, symmetrically proportioned, tripartite order within the façades;
-the small window openings, rifle loopholes, and defensible porches emphasizing the mass and creating a fortified appearance of the building;
-its interior plan, a variant of a standard plan introduced in the eighteenth century.

The manner in which De Noyan Block reinforces its military defense character in its fort setting.