Bishop's Palace
1444 STURT STREET, LAKE WENDOUREE - PROPERTY NUMBER 2031098, BALLARAT CITY
West Ballarat Precinct
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Statement of Significance
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Bishop's Palace - Physical Description 1
This building was constructed in 1876 to the design of Reed and Barnes as a residence for Bishop O'Connor. Internal plaster work was executed by William Taylor .
The building is of a particular unusual gothic design, most notable for the 2 projecting bays constructed as part of the building carcass but incorporating most of the balcony which elsewhere is an elegant cast iron structure. The large gardens provide an important setting for this unusual building ~ The formal landscaped sections adjacent. to the building on the Sturt Street approach are of particular importance and includes elaborate entrance gates and a sweeping driveway.
The building is particularly notable for its intactness - original finishes have been maintained and even the original paint colours appeared to have been used for subsequent repainting. The building however is of most importance for having maintained intact such a large and well landscaped garden setting. There are no other comparable examples in an urban setting. in Victoria. The relationship of the grandeur of the front garden to that of Sturt Street is unparalleled elsewhere in the State and perhaps in Australia.
Bishop's Palace - Intactness
INTACTNESS:externally intact
Bishop's Palace - Physical Description 2
This building was constructed in 1876 to the design of Architects Reed and Barnes for Bishop O'connor. l 'Few details of the construction are known except that the internal plaster work was executed by William Taylor. The Courier however carries a description of the plans as follows: 3
We were shown plans etc. yesterday of the mansion which is about to be built as the residence of Bishop O'Connor. '.The site chosen for the building is 'a large plot of' ground eleven.' acres in extent, situated in Street near the Botanical Gardens.
The building will be composed of "bluestone, the designs having' been prepared by Messrs.Reed and Barnes, Architects of Melbourne;' . 'The style of the architecture is known as the domestic Gothic, the building being partly two and party one storied. The ceilings in the two lower apartments will be 15 feet in height. One of the principle features in the building is the balcony which will surround nearly the whole building on a level with the first floor. The building will contains drawing room, dining room, chapel, bedrooms with very compete bath accommodation. A pleasing variety will be given to the structure by the false front towards the south, to be pierced by two large openings filled up with wooden balconies, and by a tastefully introduced turret and spire over the staircase.
This bluestone building is of a particularly unusual gothic design most notable for the 2 projecting gables constructed as part of the building carcass but incorporating a section of the vearndah which surrounds most of the building. Elsewhere the verandah sis constructed of a particularly elegant cast iron structure which contains some very unusual decorative iron work. The other important elements are a turrt which bells out at the eaves line and a series of prominent chimneys. The building is externally intact on all of the principle elevations and substantially intact elsewhere. The paint colours would appear to have maintained those originally employed. The bluestone sections of the building have remained unpainted. The slate roof is in good condition.
The gardens facing Sturt Street and Alfred Street provide an intact Victorian landscape setting that now has few parallels in the state - certainly not in an urban setting. The remaining mansion gardens of Melbourne lack the rural aspects provided by the rear paddock. The entrance gate is an important element, in apparently original paint colours and the driveway is cleverly contrived to control vistas. There are numerous mature trees that serve to frame views of the building from the three adjoining roads. The paddock on the Wendouree Parade side provides a contrast to the dense garden areas and a rare example of an intact large Victoria estate located on an urban setting.
There would appear to be no other buildings in the state to compare with this in terms of both design and intactness.
The ground of the Palace are in parts as important as the building itself and must defiantly be considered to an integral aspect of the building's character and importance.
The most critical area is located south of a line subtended from the rear od adjacent properties in Wendouree Parade and parallel to it. It is imperative that the gardens should be further researched to determine how they conform to the original design and what original bedding, pathways, furniture and tree species survive, and to produce specific recommendations as to restoration of the original landscape features.
Heritage Study and Grading
Ballarat - Ballarat Conservation Study
Author: Jacobs Lewis Vines Architects
Year: 1978
Grading:
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BISHOPS PALACEVictorian Heritage Register H0413
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FORMER MARYS MOUNT CONVENTVictorian Heritage Register H1017
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LAKE WENDOUREEVictorian Heritage Register H2419
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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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177 Fenwick StreetYarra City
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19 Cambridge StreetYarra City
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2 Derby StreetYarra City
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