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CLOWANCE
518 BARKLY STREET GOLDEN POINT, BALLARAT CITY

All information on this page is maintained by Heritage Victoria. Click below for their website and contact details.
Victorian Heritage Register
CLOWANCE SOHE 2008
CLOWANCE SOHE 2008
CLOWANCE SOHE 2008
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Statement of Significance

What is significant?
Clowance was built in 1892-93 for mine manager Isaiah Pearce and his family to the design of local architect WE Gribble. Clowance is a single-storey, brick building with cement render decoration on the windows, a patterned, slate hipped roof and dichromatic brick, Tudor style chimneys. Clowance has projecting, rendered bay windows, the eastern one with a battlemented parapet, the northern one with a raised pediment. Verandahs with ogee curved roofs are on the east and north facades, and the last bay of the east verandah has an entry porch with an encaustic tile floor.

How is it significant?
Clowance has architectural, aesthetic and historical significance to the state of Victoria.

Why is it significant?
Clowance has architectural significance as an innovative example of a transitional design between Victorian and Federation styles with a notable combination of features and fine external and internal detailing. Notable elements include the patterned roof, bay windows and distinctive timber detailing on the verandahs and bargeboards. The verandahs have cast iron posts in pairs joined by a segmental arched timber valance instead of the conventional cast iron frieze. The half hipped gable and barge boards have a hint of an Islamic style in the curved motifs. The exotic theme is carried over into the stepped triangular arches over the main openings, a distinguishing feature of the whole composition of the interior and exterior.

The fence is significant as a fine example of a timber picket fences from the early 20th century. It replaced the original fence but is highly sympathetic to the elaborate style of the house with its chamfered posts capped by prominent mouldings and asymmetrically topped pickets.

Clowance has aesthetic significance for the richness and intactness of its interior decorative scheme. Notable features include timber detailing, marbling, frescoes, leadlight door surrounds, woodgraining, marble fire surrounds, an early brass pendant light fitting in the hallway and a variety of decorative ceilings including coved, papier mâche and rattan ceilings.

Clowance has historical significance for its associations with Isaiah Pearce who played an important role in the mining industry in Ballarat. He was involved in a number of successful mining ventures, including the North Woah Hawp mine, one of the richest and longest surviving Ballarat mines. Pearce was a long standing member of the Ballarat East council and was mayor in the year Clowance was built. Clowance with its highly embellished interior demonstrates the status and lifestyle of a family whose wealth was generated by goldmining in Ballarat.
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    • History

      CLOWANCE - History

      Contextual History:

      History of Place:
      Isaiah Pearce was born in Cornwall in 1844 and came to Victoria with his brother in 1861. They started a crushing battery at Canadian in 1873 and later were involved in a number of successful mining ventures, including the North Woah Hawp mine, one of the richest and longest surviving Ballarat mines (closed 1918). Pearce was a long standing member of the Ballarat East council and was mayor in the year Clowance was built. He was described in "Ballarat and Vicinity" as "one of the most enterprising and influential men of the day."

      Clowance was built in 1892-93 for Pearce and his family to the design of architect W. E. Gribble. Gribble was Pearce's brother-in-law. Not much is known about Gribble, the only other known buildings by him are a house opposite Clowance at 516 Barkly Street and a house in Errard Street, now demolished. The house was described in "Ballarat and Vicinity" as "one of the finest private houses in the district".

      Plaque Citation

      CLOWANCE - Plaque Citation

      Clowance is registered by Heritage Council Victoria

      Clowance was built in 1892-3 for mine manager and mayor of East Ballarat Isaiah Pearce. The innovative design by local architect WE Gribble is particularly notable for the richness of its interior and exterior decoration.

      Assessment Against Criteria

      CLOWANCE - Assessment Against Criteria

      Criterion A
      The historical importance, association with or relationship to Victoria's history of the place or object.
      Clowance has historical importance for its associations with Isaiah Pearce who played a significant role in the mining industry in Ballarat and was a longtime member of the Ballarat East council.

      Criterion B
      The importance of a place or object in demonstrating rarity or uniqueness.

      Criterion C
      The place or object's potential to educate, illustrate or provide further scientific investigation in relation to Victoria's cultural heritage.

      Criterion D
      The importance of a place or object in exhibiting the principal characteristics or the representative nature of a place or object as part of a class or type of places or objects.

      Criterion E
      The importance of the place or object in exhibiting good design or aesthetic characteristics and/or in exhibiting a richness, diversity or unusual integration of features.
      Clowance is important as an innovative transitional design between Victorian and Federation styles with a notable combination of elements including its external and internal detailing.
      The interior is notable for extensive remnants of the original decorative scheme and the variety and richness of its detailing.

      Criterion F
      The importance of the place or object in demonstrating or being associated with scientific or technical innovations or achievements.

      Criterion G
      The importance of the place or object in demonstrating social or cultural associations.

      Criterion H
      Any other matter which the Council considers relevant to the determination of cultural heritage significance

      Permit Exemptions

      CLOWANCE - Permit Exemptions

      General Exemptions:

      General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

      Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

      Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

      Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

      Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

      Specific Exemptions:


      General Conditions:
      1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
      2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
      3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it.
      4. Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
      Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.

      Exterior
      * Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.
      * Repainting of exterior elements in appropriate heritage colours.
      * Removal of extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.
      * Installation or repair of damp-proofing by either injection method or grouted pocket method.
      * Regular garden maintenance.
      * Installation, removal or replacement of garden watering systems.

      Interior
      * Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of the original paint or other decorative scheme.
      * Removal of paint from originally unpainted or oiled joinery, doors, architraves, skirtings and decorative strapping.
      * Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor coverings.
      * Installation, removal or replacement of curtain track, rods, blinds and other window dressings.
      * Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted artworks.
      * Refurbishment of bathrooms and toilets including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.
      * Installation, removal or replacement of kitchen benches and fixtures including sinks, stoves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers etc and associated plumbing and wiring.
      * Installation, removal or replacement of ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided that the installation does not damage existing skirtings and architraves and provided that the location of the heating unit is concealed from view.
      * Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed and any original light switches, pull cords, push buttons or power outlets are retained in-situ. Note: if wiring original to the place was carried in timber conduits then the conduits should remain in-situ.
      * Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.
      * Installation, removal or replacement of smoke detectors.

      Permit Exemption Policy

      CLOWANCE - Permit Exemption Policy


      Clowance has architectural and aesthetic significance as an innovative example of a transitional design with many original features and extensive remnants of the early decorative scheme surviving. The purpose of the permit exemptions is to allow works that do not impact on the significance of the place to occur without the need for a permit. Alterations that impact on the significance of the exterior and interior are subject to permit applications.

  • Notes See all notes

    Cranborne

    10/10/18

    Clowance is a replica of an earlier house designed by Gribble for Isiah Pearce's older brother James Pearce. Cranborne is located at 312 Eyre St (Cnr Eyre and Raglan Sts). James Pearce later subdivided his land and built 2 terraces (also designed by Gribble) facing Raglan St, for 2 of his daughters. James Pearce was founder of the Canadian Crushing Co and Pearce Brothers Mining, (which Isiah managed) Canadian Crushing Co was famous for building and operating the worlds largest gold battery.

    Cranborne

    10/10/18

    James Pearce's Cranborne was later purchased by the daughter of another well known Ballarat mining identity William Bailey

Public contributions

Notes See all notes

Cranborne

10/10/18

Clowance is a replica of an earlier house designed by Gribble for Isiah Pearce's older brother James Pearce. Cranborne is located at 312 Eyre St (Cnr Eyre and Raglan Sts). James Pearce later subdivided his land and built 2 terraces (also designed by Gribble) facing Raglan St, for 2 of his daughters. James Pearce was founder of the Canadian Crushing Co and Pearce Brothers Mining, (which Isiah managed) Canadian Crushing Co was famous for building and operating the worlds largest gold battery.

Cranborne

10/10/18

James Pearce's Cranborne was later purchased by the daughter of another well known Ballarat mining identity William Bailey

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