Shop (former Victoria Arcade), 53 Napier Street, ST ARNAUD
53 Napier Street ST ARNAUD, NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
The former Victoria Arcade, now the St. Arnaud Newsagency, at 53 Napier Street, St. Arnaud, makes a significant architectural and visual contribution to the predominantly Victorian and Federation streetscape. A predominantly intact shop in good condition, this building was constructed in 1897 to a design by Kell and Miller. The shop was originally owned and operated by James and Ellen Rowe as a stationery business, which remained in the Rowe family until the 1920s. James Rowe had emigrated from Cornwall in 1865, and after some time mining, had relocated to St. Arnaud in 1874 where he established his business in a previous building on this site.
The former Victoria Arcade is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of a Federation Free Classical style. These qualities include the single storey composition, brick and rendered wall construction, and particularly the dominant balustraded parapets terminating at substantial square piers with incised vermiculated panels and surmounted by urns. Other intact qualities include the central broken pediment with a central arch that is flanked by bracketed piers on the main facade, widely projecting moulded stringcourses supported by brackets, rectangular vermiculated panels, broadly projecting return bullnosed verandah supported by round case iron and timber columns on decorative pedestals, valance hoardings, glazed shopfront with a central ingo, and the unpainted and elongated brick chimney, embellished with narrow stringcourses and surmounted by a rendered cornice.
The former Victoria Arcade and site is historically significant at a LOCAL level. The site is associated with the development of James Rowe's stationery business from 1874 in a previous building. This building is also associated with the expansion of Rowe's stationery business from 1897, when it was largely occupied by Rowe's wife, Ellen. The building has associations with the Rowe family until 1927, when James Rowe and Sons, Newsagent, sold the property to P. Shepherd. The building is also associated with the architects, Kell and Miller.
The former Victoria Arcade is socially significant at a LOCAL level. It is recognised by the St.Arnaud community as one of the commercial buildings constructed about the turn of the century and originally owned by the well-known Rowe family.
Overall, the former Victoria Arcade is of LOCAL significance.
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Shop (former Victoria Arcade), 53 Napier Street, ST ARNAUD - Physical Description 1
The St. Arnaud Newsagency, 53 Napier Street, St. Arnaud, makes an important architectural and visual contribution to the predominantly Victorian and Federation streetscape.
The single storey, exposed brick and rendered, Federation Free Classical styled building is characterised by dominant balustraded parapets terminating at substantial square piers with incised vermiculated panels and surmounted by urns. The parapet on the main facade is also adorned by a central broken pediment with a central arch that is flanked by bracketed piers. Below the parapets are widely projecting moulded stringcourses supported by brackets, with rectangular vermiculated panels between. A broadly projecting return bullnosed verandah is another distinctive feature of the design and is supported by round case iron and timber columns on decorative pedestals. The form and proportions of the valance hoardings also appear to be original. Below the verandah, the glazed shopfront with a central ingo appears to represent the original design, although the dark glazed wall tiles are a later addition, as is the painted surface on the side brick wall. Another original feature of the design is the unpainted and elongated brick chimney, embellished with narrow stringcourses and surmounted by a rendered cornice.
Heritage Study and Grading
Northern Grampians - Shire of Northern Grampians - Stage 2 Heritage Study
Author: Wendy Jacobs, Vicki Johnson, David Rowe, Phil Taylor
Year: 2004
Grading: Local
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CROWN LAND OFFICEVictorian Heritage Register H1530
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ST ARNAUD RAILWAY STATIONVictorian Heritage Register H1594
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LORD NELSON TAILINGS DUMPVictorian Heritage Inventory
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