Spencer Street Precinct
1-23 and 8-18 SPENCER STREET, PRESTON, DAREBIN CITY
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![19 Spencer Street 19 Spencer Street](https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/vhd-images/places/000/033/432.jpg)
![19 Spencer Street 19 Spencer Street](https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/vhd-images/places/000/033/432.jpg)
![16 Spencer Street 16 Spencer Street](https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/vhd-images/places/000/033/433.jpg)
![16 Spencer Street: Window and Hood Detail 16 Spencer Street: Window and Hood Detail](https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/vhd-images/places/000/033/434.jpg)
![Spencer Street Precinct Map of Contributing Properties Spencer Street Precinct Map of Contributing Properties](https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/vhd-images/places/000/033/436.jpg)
Statement of Significance
The Spencer Street precinct comprising the houses at 1-23 and 8-18 Spencer Street developed between 1920 and 1926, is significant.
The group of relatively intact Inter-war Californian Bungalows and their original 1915 subdivision pattern are significant. No. 16 is individually notable as a large and fine example of an Inter-war Californian Bungalow within the context of Spencer Street precinct and in Preston. The precinct has a high degree of integrity, with only two non-contributory properties, being No. 12 on the north side, and No. 21 on the south side.
The following elements contribute to the significance of the precinct:
-The houses constructed in the period from c.1920 to c.1926, and any associated early (pre-WWII) outbuildings or garages.
-The early front and side fences and front garden remnants and layout at No. 16, and front garden and fence at No. 18.
-The gabled building, apparently once within the rear yard of No. 16, but now separated by the rear fence.
How is it significant?
The Spencer Street precinct is of local historic and aesthetic significance to Darebin City.
Why is it significant?
Historically, the Spencer Street precinct is significant as an illustration of the development that occurred in Preston during the development boom that occurred after the First World War, which saw the municipality elevated to the status of a city. The Spencer Street precinct is also significant as fine representative example of an interwar residential precinct with a high degree of visual cohesion and consistency. The historic value of the precinct is enhanced by its high degree of integrity. (AHC criteria A.4, D.2)
The house at No. 16 Spencer Street is aesthetically significant as an intact and relatively sophisticated example of bungalow design. (AHC criteria D.2, F.1)
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Spencer Street Precinct - Physical Description 1
This is an Inter-war residential precinct. Spencer Street is oriented east-west, linking William Street and High Street. It comprises predominantly single storey detached Californian Bungalows on deep blocks, but with relatively small front garden setbacks. They are a relatively intact group reflecting a key phase of Darebin's development, in the post-First World War boom, when Preston really began to thrive and became a city. Although the street began to be subdivided in 1915, land sales and development was slow, with the majority of development occurring from the mid 1920s.
This precinct comprises predominantly Inter-war housing, of which Californian Bungalows are the prominent style. It excludes No. 12 on the north side, and No. 21 on the south side, which have been redeveloped. The houses in the precinct are largely intact, however, some have had minor alterations, which are generally reversible and detract very little from the original design. Most houses have deep blocks, but despite this, most do not have particularly deep front gardens, with the setbacks consistent with other parts of Preston. Most of the houses are modest in character in terms of scale, materials and architectural embellishment, the exception to this being No. 16 Spencer Street.
No. 16 Spencer Street is considerably larger and a more sophisticated bungalow design than the other Californian Bungalows in this street and throughout Preston. Built in 1920 for Elizabeth Stevens, it was the third house to be built in the street. (By 1920, the only other houses listed in the street were William Westcott on the south side, at the William Street end, and Mrs Jackson's poultry farm, which was near the High Street end of the north side.) No. 16 was built on the north side of Spencer Streets between Jackson's farm and William Street. Its architectural features include a hood supported by chains above its windows on its street facing elevation, a timber bracketed verandah, large roof, and tapered verandah pylons and chimneys. The house retains its original front and side fences and gates. At the back of the property is a large gable-roofed building with high-set paned windows. It is clad in either fibre- or weatherboards. It appears to form part of the original property (as indicated by a driveway) but is now separated by a high fence.
The house at No. 18 is also of note for retaining its original low brick front fence.
The houses on the south side at Nos. 1-19 & 23 date from 1926, when houses were built on ten of the remaining eleven lots along the south side. A number of these exhibit very similar features and details. The similarity of the timber bungalow style houses on the this side of the street suggests they were built at the same time, possibly to standard State Savings Bank designs and/or by the same builder as indicated by the historic research.
Heritage Study and Grading
Darebin - Darebin Heritage Study
Author: Context P/L
Year: 2011
Grading: Local
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