Long Croft
878 High Street ARMADALE, STONNINGTON CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
'Long Croft' at 878 High Street, Armadale, built in 1888 to a design by architectural practice Procktor and Ruck, and comprising a two storey residential design of distinctive detailing illustrating the transition from Victorian Italianate to the Queen Anne domestic style, along with an intact stables complex to the rear, is significant.
The house and stables were built for Herbert Lillies, a physician and surgeon who emigrated from Britain in 1884 with his wife Charlotte Maria. Lillies became a prominent medical practitioner while practicing in Melbourne, and the house served as both a medical practice and family residence. His prominent patients include both the Governor of Victoria and the former Premier of Victoria. The house remained in the Lillies family until the 1970s.
'Long Croft' features particular standout details such as the fine pargeted tympanum to the front gabled bay, the distinctive polychrome brickwork patterning and use of moulded brickwork, and the intricate and non-standard cast-iron verandah detail. The house and stables are highly intact externally.
The masonry front fence is not significant.
How is it significant?
878 High Street, Armadale is of local architectural and aesthetic significance and rarity value to the City of Stonnington.
Why is it significant?
'Long Croft' at 878 High Street, Armadale is an excellent representative example of a late nineteenth century house built for a prominent Melbourne resident, of the sort that began to characterise the suburb of Armadale in the 1880s. The house provides an important example of the residential work of architects Procktor and Ruck, illustrating the development of the Queen Anne style in Melbourne. (Criterion D)
It is of aesthetic significance for its unusual and high quality detail. This includes the polychrome brickwork with unusual diaper patterning below the eaves line and a bold use of moulded bricks to define the triangular parapet and arched window heads; the fine example of free-hand decorative pargeting to the pediment tympanum; the fine window treatments including the delicate leadlight fanlights above the 12-over-1 sash windows, and the range of intricate and non-standard cast-iron work with flat and stylised geometric patterns. Its high level of integrity and high quality detail is notable in Armadale where there are few examples of this type. (Criterion E)
The stables/coachhouse building to the rear of the property is a very rare and intact example of a nineteenth century stables complex in Stonnington. (Criterion B)
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Long Croft - Physical Description 1
The residence at 878 High Street is a substantial two-storey polychrome brick residence that occupies a deep allotment on the south side of High Street, mid-block between Denbigh and Sutherland roads in Armadale. The house is set back behind a mature garden and a modern masonry wall with a long driveway down the west side of the property providing access to the former stables complex at the rear boundary.
Constructed in 1888, the building is distinctive for its fine detailing that is illustrative of the transition between Italianate and Queen Anne influences, indicating the input of architects Procktor and Ruck in the development of the Queen Anne domestic style.
The building has a hipped roof with a gabled stepped rectangular projecting bay to the front meeting the two-storey verandah. The roof is clad in terracotta tiles, which may be a later change (e.g., from slate). The stepped bay faces High Street and is distinguished by the fine pargeting in the tympanum of a triangular pediment, which reflects an English Baroque influence. The pediment is defined by a raking cornice of moulded bricks complete with dentils. The first-floor windows are round-arched with heavy surrounds of moulded cream brick complete with projecting keystones. Below them are delicate leadlight fanlights above 12-over-1 sash windows. Other windows of the house are segmentally arched and many have margin glazing to the upper sash.
The two-storey verandah has a range of intricate and non-standard cast-iron work, including very flat and stylised geometric patterns as well as a Greek key pattern to the first-floor frieze which Procktor and Ruck also used at 22 Lisson Grove. An unusually wide band of diaper patterning in red and burnt bricks below the eaves provides interest to the otherwise restrained Hawthorn brickwork with cream brick dressings.
The building is highly intact externally, though the front door highlights and sidelights may have lost their original decorative glazing.
The Marshall White real estate photos of 2013 show a substantially intact stables building at the rear of the property. The former stables, which may have once accommodated a coachhouse and groomsman's quarters, now contains self-contained 'pool house' accommodation. The red brick building, with details in black and cream bricks, comprises a two storey gabled section, which is dominated by a projecting gabled dormer loft opening at the upper level, and two single storey hipped flanking bays. The roof is clad in slate (renewed). The original openings have been retained along with sliding ledged doors to the centre opening and a vehicular entrance, sympathetically retrofitted with modern glazing behind.
Long Croft - Local Historical Themes
This place illustrates the following themes, as identified in the Stonnington Thematic Environmental History (Context Pty Ltd, rev. 2009):
4.3.2 Changing modes of transport - from horses to motor vehicles
8.2 Middle-class suburbs and the suburban ideal
8.4.1 Houses as a symbol of wealth, status and fashion
Heritage Study and Grading
Stonnington - City of Stonnington Victorian Houses Study
Author: City of Stonnington
Year: 2016
Grading: A2
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ARMADALE PRIMARY SCHOOLVictorian Heritage Register H1640
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ARMADALE HOUSEVictorian Heritage Register H0637
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MANDEVILLE HALLVictorian Heritage Register H0676
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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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