Former Stawell Grammar School, Master's House 'Roseleigh', 54-56 Smith Street, STAWELL
54-56 Smith Street STAWELL, NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
The house at 54-56 Smith Street, Stawell (formerly part of the Stawell Grammar School), has significance for its associations with the Stawell Grammar School established in 1869 and which closed in c.1912. Designed by Robert Alexander Love, architect, the building was constructed as the private residence of the owner and headmaster, R.S. Bradley in 1870-71, with the two storey wing added in 1874. The house also represents a reasonably intact example of the Victorian style, and is in fair condition with signs of rising damp, wall cracks and verandah deterioration.
The house (formerly part of the Stawell Grammar School) at 54-56 Smith Street is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of a Victorian style. These qualities include the single storey hipped roof form that traverses the site, brick wall construction (but not the overpainting), narrow eaves and decorative timber brackets, brick chimneys with projecting coursings, central arched doorway with four panelled timber door and sidelights and fanlight (which reads "Roseleigh") and the flanking shallow-arched timber framed double hung window. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the projecting hipped concave verandah, stop chamfered verandah posts with projecting timber mouldings, timber valance frame, two storey gabled and hipped roof form, galvanised corrugated steel roof cladding, decorative timber gable bargeboards and turned timber finial, and the general picturesque and asymmetrical composition. The remnant 19th century landscaping and visual connections of the former Grammar School room also contribute to the significance of the place.
The house (formerly part of the Stawell Grammar School) at 54-56 Smith Street is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with the development of the Stawell Grammar School after its construction in 1870-71, and particularly with R.S. Bradley, original owner and headmaster of the Grammar School from 1869. The house served as both private residence and dormitory for the school boarders during the second half of the 19th century. It also has associations with Richard B. Chater, headmaster from 1879, and with the architect, Robert Alexander Love.
The house (formerly part of the Stawell Grammar School) at 54-56 Smith Street is scientifically significant at a LOCAL level. The cavity brick wall construction (with metal ties) represents an early example of this form of building employed by the architect R.A. Love in the late 1860s and 1870s.
The house (formerly part of the Stawell Grammar School) at 54-56 Smith Street is socially significant at a LOCAL level. Although no longer the residence and dormitory of the school, it is still recognised by members of the Stawell community for its past purpose as an important educational institution.
Overall, the house (formerly part of the Stawell Grammar School) at 54-56 Smith Street is of LOCAL significance.
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Former Stawell Grammar School, Master's House 'Roseleigh', 54-56 Smith Street, STAWELL - Physical Description 1
The house at 54-56 Smith Street, Stawell (formerly part of the Stawell Grammar School), is set on a large landscaped allotment, with a substantial setback from Smith Street. Towards the original front of the house (which fronted D'Arcy Street) are opened grassed areas. The former School room is situated at the rear of the house in the corner of the allotment, fronting Smith Street.
The asymmetrical, brick (with introduced overpainting), Victorian styled house is characterised by an original single storey hipped roof form that traverses the site, together with an early, perpendicular gabled and hipped two storey roof form. These roof forms are clad in painted galvanised corrugated steel. Three early brick chimneys with projecting coursings adorn the roofline. Narrow overhangs are features of the eaves, which are also accentuated by early timber brackets on the original front elevation of the single storey wing.
The single storey section of the house has a symmetrical composition highlighted by the central arched doorway and flanking single shallow-arched timber framed double hung windows. The doorway has an early four panelled timber door with sidelights and fanlight above that reads "Roseleigh", the name given the house by the first owner and headmaster, R.S. Bradley.
The single storey component also has an early (but not original) hipped concave verandah that projects from the original front facade. This verandah has a painted galvanised corrugated steel roof and is supported by early stop chamfered posts with decorative timber mouldings. These posts show signs of decay at the junctions with the timber verandah floor, which is in poor condition and rotted. While the early timber frame for the verandah valance is intact, the actual valance is missing.
The second storey wing has timber framed windows in the gable end, and an early timber door opening to one side. It is decorated with elaborate timber bargeboards and turned timber finial that accentuates the picturesqueness of the design.
At the rear of the single storey building are early pitched roof forms clad in painted galvanised corrugated steel, and an introduced painted brick parapet wall and encircling verandahs.
The house also shows evidence of rising damp and lateral movement causing wall cracking.
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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FORMER LITERARY & SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTEVictorian Heritage Register H0531
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CENTRAL PARKVictorian Heritage Register H2284
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FORMER POLICE SUPERINTENDENT'S RESIDENCEVictorian Heritage Register H0986
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