Botanical Hotel, 11 Napier Street, ST ARNAUD
11 Napier Street ST ARNAUD, NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
The Botanical Hotel, 11 Napier Street, St. Arnaud, has significance as a local landmark in the town and for its distinctive, relatively intact Federation Filigree design. The building makes an outstanding contribution to the streetscape of St. Arnaud and to the Queen Mary Gardens precinct. Built in 1906 for Patrick O'Kane, the hotel has continued to serve the community until the present day.
The Botanical Hotel is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of a Federation Filigree style. These qualities include the two, double storey street facades with panelled rendered brick parapets having Classically inspired segmentally arched pediment piers, and especially the two storey balcony and verandah with decorative cast iron valances and balustrades (balcony only) and worked timber columns. Other intact qualities include the plain entablatures below the parapet with the name plate "Botanical Hotel"; segmentally arched, timber framed double hung windows; panelled timber and glazed doors; stop chamfered edges to the openings; and the door highlights.
The Botanical Hotel is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with the long time development of the hotel industry in St. Arnaud from 1906 until the present day. The hotel is also significant for its associations with William Kell, a prolific architect in central and western Victoria from the late 1890s until the early 20th century. The site is also significant for its associations with the 19th century Johns Family Hotel.
The Botanical Hotel is scientifically significant at a LOCAL level. The construction of the building has the first wire cut bricks made in St. Arnaud, while the cast iron decoration of the verandah and balcony may be the work of Angus McLean, cast iron maker, and represent a form of construction no longer in practice.
The Botanical Hotel is socially significant at a LOCAL level. It is recognised and valued by the St. Arnaud community as a local meeting place for social interaction.
Overall, the Botanical Hotel is of LOCAL significance.
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Botanical Hotel, 11 Napier Street, ST ARNAUD - Physical Description 1
The site at 11 Napier Street, St. Arnaud, is dominated by the two storey Botanical Hotel, which makes a highly important architectural and visual contribution to the predominantly Victorian and Federation streetscape. The hotel forms a distinctive landmark along the southern end of the main street of the town.
The two storey, rendered brick, Federation Filigree styled Botanical Hotel building has panelled rendered brick parapets have Classically inspired segmentally arched pediment piers, which crown the building. Below the parapet is a plain entablature with the name plate "Botanical Hotel". Most of the segmentally arched, timber framed double hung windows appear to be early, as are some of the panelled timber and glazed doors. These openings also feature early stop chamfered brick edges, while the doorways also have early highlights. The large window near the corner of the building also appears to be early. The black and white striped, and brown glazed tiles of the base walls, together with the rendered finish of the walls and parapets, and the single storey extensions along Inkerman Street are introduced changes.
The most characteristic feature of the design is the two storey balcony and verandah, which encircles the two main facades. It has a galvanised corrugated iron skillion roof form that is supported by original worked timber columns. Decorative cast iron valances of differing patterns also adorn the balcony and verandah. The balcony also has a cast iron balustrade, which is possibly a design by Angus McLean, the most prolific maker of cast iron decoration in Victoria in the second half of the 19th century.
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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