Dickens St
1-23 & 2-18 DICKENS STREET, MOONEE PONDS, MOONEE VALLEY CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The Dickens Street precinct, which is a residential area comprising late Victorian, Federation and Edwardian era houses constructed c.1890 to c.1915 at nos.1-23 and 2-18 Dickens Street, Moonee Ponds, is significant. The following buildings and features contribute to the significance of the place:
- The Significant houses and their fences at nos.1-5 Dickens Street*.
- The Contributory houses at nos. 7-23, 4-8, & 14-18 Dickens Street.
- Varying frontage widths, containing both detached and attached housing, but with similar form (hipped and gabled roofs, verandahs, some parapets), materials, detailing, ornament and siting.
- The extent to which development in two periods before and after 1900 is apparent.
- The low front fences, which allow views to the front and side elevations of the houses.
- The relatively high intactness of the majority of the houses when viewed from the street.
- The bluestone laneway adjacent to 1 Dickens Street.
Non-original alterations and additions to the Significant and Contributory houses, and the houses at nos. 2 and 10 Dickens Street are not significant.
*Note: Please refer to the separate Hermes place record for these houses, which has a statement of significance.
How is it significant?
The Dickens Street precinct is of local historic and aesthetic significance to the City of Moonee Valley.
Why is it significant?
Historically, the precinct demonstrates two phases of residential expansion in MooneePonds, the first during the late nineteenth century boom, and the second the recovery in the early decades of the twentieth century, which was stimulated by the development of the electric tramway network. (Criterion A)
Aesthetically, the precinct is significant as a particularly cohesive streetscape of Victorian and Edwardian era houses, which are related in scale, form and detailing. (Criteria D & E)
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Dickens St - Physical Description 1
The Dickens Street precinct is a residential area that comprises a mix of housing from the late Victorian, Federation and Edwardian eras. The houses have varying frontage widths, containing both detached and attached housing, but have similar form (hipped and gabled roofs, verandahs, some parapets), materials, ornament and siting.
The late Victorian houses include nos. 1-5, 2, 6, 8, 13-17 and 18, 13 Dickens Street. These demonstrate Italianate influences such as asymmetrical massing with a faceted bay (e.g., nos. 8, 13), stucco wall finish (Interpreted as false Ashlar boards on the timber houses at nos. 6 and 18) or polychromatic brickwork (e.g. nos. 15 & 17), as well as the rich ornamentation such as cast iron verandahs, rendered chimneys and stucco decoration to parapets and end walls including scrolls, masks, consoles and urns that characterises boom era housing. Of note are the three two storey boom-style houses at nos. 1 (Bayview), no. 3 (Hillview), no.5 and the Italianate villa (St. Ives) at no.8. These places are of individual significance - please refer to the separate Hermes place records, which provide a detailed description. Also of note are the richly ornamented parapets to nos. 15 (Ada Villa) and 17 (St Leonards).
The Edwardian houses in brick and timber at nos. 11, 14, 16 and 19-23 demonstrate Queen Anne influences such as asymmetical planning, hip roofs with prominent projecting gables facing the street, half timbering to the gable ends, verandahs with ornamental timber frieze or valance, tall brick and render chimneys with terracotta pots, and casement sash windows (sometimes with coloured toplights). The house at no.11 is a good example with a slate roof, a bracketed projecting or 'flying' gable and roughcast render wall detailing.The other houses in the precinct are the attached double-fronted pair at nos. 7 & 9 and the house at no.4. They demonstrate the transition between the late Victorian to the Federation/Edwardian styles having the symmetrical form of the former and the simplified decoration and red face brickwork of the latter.
The majority of houses are relatively intact when viewed from the street. Visible changes include the second storey addition to no.7 (other houses have two storey additions, but they are less visible), the altered verandah to no.4 and the windows to no.16. The Victorian/Federation house at no.2 is the least intact with new windows and roof cladding, overpainted bricks and an altered verandah and so is considered to be Non-contributory to the precinct. The Inter-war house at No.10 is also deemed Non-contributory as it was constructed outside of the key period of significance from c.1890 to c.1915.
Fences are uniformly low allowing views of the houses, which are set close to the frontage. Of note are the original fences to nos. 1-5, whilst others (e.g. no.8) are reproductions that are sympathetic to the housing style. Another notable feature that contributes to the historic character of the precinct is the bluestone laneway adjacent to no.1 (kerb and channel is post-war concrete).
Heritage Study and Grading
Moonee Valley - Moonee Valley Heritage Overlay Places Review
Author: David Helms Heritage Planning
Year: 2012
Grading: LocalMoonee Valley - Essendon Conservation Study
Author: Graeme Butler
Year: 1985
Grading:
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FORMER MOONEE PONDS COURT HOUSEVictorian Heritage Register H1051
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PREFABRICATED RESIDENCEVictorian Heritage Register H1207
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GLENDALOUGHVictorian Heritage Register H1202
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"1890"Yarra City
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"AMF Officers" ShedMoorabool Shire
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"AQUA PROFONDA" SIGN, FITZROY POOLVictorian Heritage Register H1687
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"1890"Yarra City
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'BRAESIDE'Boroondara City
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'ELAINE'Boroondara City
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