Abinger Street Precinct
11-27, 27A & 16-46 ABINGER STREET, and 10-50 & 19-53 LYNDHURST STREET, RICHMOND, YARRA CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The Abinger Street Precinct comprising 11-27, 27A & 16-46 Abinger Street and 10-50 & 19-53 Lyndhurst Street is significant. The following buildings and features contribute to the significance of the precinct:
- The buildings constructed from c.1870 to c.1940, as shown on the precinct map.
- The overall consistency of housing form (pitched gabled or hipped roofs, one storey wall heights with a smaller amount of two storey dwellings), materials and detailing (walls of weatherboard or face brick or stucco, prominent brick or render chimneys, post-supported verandahs facing the street), and siting (small or no front and side setbacks).
- The landmark qualities of the former malt house at the southeast corner of Abinger and Lyndhurst streets.
- The nineteenth century subdivision pattern comprising regular allotments served by rear bluestone laneways.
- Traditional streetscape materials such as asphalt pathways and bluestone kerb and channel.
The following places are Individually Significant and have their own statement of significance:
- The former Malt Works complex at 22-28 Abinger Street and 37-45 Lyndhurst Street,
- The attached houses at 23 & 25 Abinger Street, and
- The terrace row at 40-50 Lyndhurst Street.
Non-original alterations and additions to the Contributory buildings shown on the precinct map, and the houses at 44 Abinger Street and 18, 18A, 20 & 22 Lyndhurst Street are Not Contributory.
How is it significant?
The Abinger Street Precinct is of local historic and aesthetic significance to the City of Yarra.
Why is it significant?
Historically, the precinct demonstrates how the development of this area close to Church Street was substantially complete by the end of the nineteenth century. It also demonstrates how housing and industry have traditionally co-existed in Richmond during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The proximity of the former Southern Brewery to the former Malt House also demonstrates the close relationship between these historically important industries in Richmond. (Criterion A)
The precinct is typical of the nineteenth century working class residential precincts in Richmond that comprise modestly scaled workers housing surrounding industrial complexes. The precinct includes examples of terrace rows with undivided roofs, which demonstrates the lack of fire separation in houses constructed prior to the mid-1880s. The predominant late Victorian housing, ranging from small timber cottages and double-fronted houses, to bi-chrome and Boom-style terrace houses with decorated parapets creates visually cohesive and consistent streetscapes that are complemented by traditional public realm materials such as asphalt footpaths, bluestone kerb and channel and bluestone laneways. The dramatic contrast in scale between the housing and the landmark malt house complex is a notable and distinguishing characteristic. (Criteria D & E)
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Abinger Street Precinct - Physical Description 1
This is a mixed-use precinct comprising mostly single storey mid to late Victorian houses surrounding the landmark former Malt Works complex at the southeast corner of Abinger and Lyndhurst streets, and remnants of the former Southern Brewery (later Cordial Factory) at nos. 16-18 Lyndhurst Street.
The former malt works is a complex of buildings dating from the late nineteenth to the late twentieth century. The nineteenth century buildings include the two former malt houses fronting Abinger Street, which are constructed of brick in English bond and have gable ends with brick cornices, bluestone footings, and segmental arch windows. Other pre-1945 parts of the complex include the four linked reinforced concrete silos in the centre of the site and a three level brick building at 45 Lyndhurst Street. These original buildings have been altered and adapted to enable the conversion to residential use. The most striking additions have been to the former silos with windows punched into the walls, a penthouse level added and on the north side an angled glass, pre-rusted steel and concrete block with porthole windows and 'ships prow' balconies (Lovell Chen 2012:114). The complex forms a significant landmark within the precinct.
Remnants of the former brewery, now also converted to residential use, dating the from nineteenth century include the bi-chromatic brick and bluestone walls, bluestone foundations, and several segmental arch small windows in the facade and side walls.
The housing, mostly built in the period from c.1875 to c.1905, includes freestanding single fronted cottages (e.g., 13, 15, 19 & 42 Abinger St and 19, 29 Lyndhurst St) and double-fronted houses (e.g., 11, 17, 27 & 46 Abinger St and 31 Lyndhurst St) in bi-chrome brick or timber, and attached pairs and terrace rows of three or more dwellings. Roofs are mostly hipped, were originally clad in iron or slate, and some are concealed by parapets. All houses have front verandahs, and most retain at least one chimney, either brick (often bi-chrome) or brick and render. The houses are all set close to the street and are often built on, or very close to the side boundaries. Front fences are uniformly low and, although none appear to be original, some are sympathetic (e.g. timber picket).
The terrace rows demonstrate the evolution in design from the mid to late Victorian period. While they have a common form with front verandahs separated by wings, they vary in regard to the level of ornamentation, and the roof form.
Lyndhurst Terrace, built by 1874, is notable as the only known pre-1875 residential building in the precinct. The terrace is comprised of two groups of three bi-chrome brick houses, each row of three with a shared, low-pitched hip roof with no visible party walls, typical of terrace rows built before the 1886 building regulations. The simple form, and relative lack of ornamentation also demonstrate the early construction of date of this terrace when compared to later examples. The major visible change is the addition of front verandahs with separating wing walls, which are not shown on the MMBW plan of 1897. Other changes include removal of chimneys (nos. 44 & 46), replacement of front doors (nos. 44-50), replacement of slate roofing (no. 50, and rear of roofs to other houses), replacement of front windows (nos. 44 & 50), and over-painting of face brick (no. 44). Nos. 40 & 42 retain what appear to be the original four panel front doors, while nos. 42 & 48 appear to have the original leadlight toplights above the door.
The brick terrace row at 21-27 Lyndhurst Street, built by 1884, is another example of a terrace built prior to the 1886 building regulations. The restrained detailing, which includes eaves brackets and moulded corbels and scrolled consoles to the wing walls and cast iron verandah frieze is also typical of pre-'Boom' terraces.
The change in housing construction brought about by the 1886 building regulations is demonstrated by the bi-chrome terrace rows built by 1888 at 30-40 Abinger Street, and 30-38 Lyndhurst Street & 21 Abinger Street. These have almost identical form and detailing, which suggest that they were built to a standard design (probably of the Melbourne Permanent Building Society - see history). This includes separate hipped roofs, brick wings with corbels, rosettes and scrolls, paired eaves brackets, and two double hung windows beside front doors with highlights.
The increased ornamentation that characterises Boom style architecture of the late 1880s is demonstrated by bi-chrome terrace of four houses at 10-16 Lyndhurst Street. Here, the parapet that conceals the separate roofs has a deep cornice and a central pediment incorporating a shell motif, while wing walls with moulded and vermiculated corbels and consoles frame the verandahs.
Almost all the nineteenth century housing is single storey. The exception is the double storey pair at 23 & 25 Abinger Street. These bi-chromatic brick houses share a simple rendered parapet (that may conceal an undivided roof, consistent with the pre-1886 build date) with a moulded cornice set between corbels. There are plinths on the top of the parapet that may have once supported urns or balloons. The elegant ogee profile verandahs with cast iron frieze are set between wing walls that have the same profile and are decorated with corbels and consoles. Windows are double hung sash with bluestone cills. The bi-chrome brickwork is expressed as quoining around the windows, doors and wall corners, with contrasting bands above the verandah and diaper patterns around the windows.
All houses, bar one, face either Abinger or Lyndhurst Street. The exception is 27A Abinger Street, which is situated at the rear of no. 27 and is accessed by the ROW. This appears to be T-shaped in plan with gabled roof and a verandah facing the west.
The intactness and integrity of the houses varies. Common alterations include removal or replacement of verandah details (most common is the removal/replacement of original cast iron frieze), over-painting of brickwork, replacement of roof materials, removal of some chimneys, and replacement of some windows.
Not Contributory buildings in the precinct include the house at 44 Abinger Street, the c.1930s house at 22 Lyndhurst Street, and the late twentieth century townhouses at 18-20, 26 & 28 Lyndhurst Street.
Heritage Study and Grading
Yarra - Heritage Gap Study: Review of Central Richmond 2014
Author: Context P/L
Year: 2014
Grading: LocalYarra - Heritage Gap Study
Author: Graeme Butler & Associates
Year: 2007
Grading: Local
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RESIDENCEVictorian Heritage Register H0710
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FORMER LALOR HOUSEVictorian Heritage Register H0211
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ST STEPHENS ANGLICAN CHURCHVictorian Heritage Register H0586
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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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