Verona
600 Malvern Road PRAHRAN, STONNINGTON CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The grand Victorian villa known formerly as 'Verona' at 600 Malvern Road, Prahran is significant. The building was built c1885-86 for surgeon Henry B. Wilson and was used in the late nineteenth century as a private hospital.
The house is two storeys in height with a two-storey return verandah. It is largely intact, and its presentation to the public realm is enhanced by its situation on a corner block with the verandah facing the two street fronts.
Modern alterations and additions are not significant, nor is the high masonry front wall.
How is it significant?
'Verona' at 600 Malvern Road, Prahran, is of local architectural significance to the City of Stonnington.
The house known formerly as 'Verona' at 600 Malvern Road, Prahran, is an excellent and largely intact example of a prestigious and substantial Victorian residence that was built during the 1880s speculative land and property boom. It is Italianate in style with characteristic features including: the hipped roof with bracketed eaves, cast iron return verandah, and fine polychrome brickwork patterning. The brickwork is expressed as cream brick trim to dark Hawthorn bricks to the windows, building corners, eaves and chimneys. The pattern is enlivened by highlights of red brick to the upper level window keystones, diamond patterns between elaborate eaves brackets and to the distinctive chimneys. Other intact details include the prominent two-storey verandah which retains original cast-iron elements including fine lacework to the frieze, brackets and second floor balusters, dentilated beam, and tessellated tiles with bluestone trim. (Criterion D)
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Verona - Physical Description 1
The house later known as 'Verona' at 600 Malvern Road, Prahran occupies a corner site at the intersection of Malvern and Lorne roads, set behind a high masonry front wall and hedge that conceals much of the house from the street. The residence is a substantial and intact example of a late-Victorian dwelling which is sited on a prominent corner with fine polychrome brick patterning to the facades and chimneys.
The building has a similar asymmetrical form to its neighbour at 612 Malvern Road, which is also expressed in polychrome brick patterning albeit in a bolder manner. Constructed c1885, the house at 600 Malvern Road has a hipped roof now clad in corrugated iron, which is likely to be a later change (e.g., from slate). The return verandah is set within the projecting rear section of the building which is best appreciated from the intersection. The verandah has a corrugated iron roof and retains its original cast-iron elements including fine frieze, brackets and second floor balustrade. The verandah beam is further embellished by bold dentilation. The verandah retains its tessellated tile floor with bluestone trim.
The building is notable for the decorative detailing of the polychrome brickwork which is expressed as cream brick trim to dark Hawthorn bricks to the windows, building corners, eaves and to the chimneys. The pattern is enlivened by highlights of red brick to the upper level window keystones, diamond patterns between elaborate eaves brackets and to the distinctive chimneys. The chimneys are further accentuated by the cream brick capping and corbelling. The sides of the building are constructed in red face brick.
The elaborate four-panelled entrance door with cricket-bat mouldings has lost its original glazing to the sidelights and highlights but retains the decorative timber frame with fluted columns set between the opening and sidelights. The windows are full-height, square-head double-hung sashes to both levels beneath the verandah.Verona - Local Historical Themes
This place illustrates the following themes, as identified in the Stonnington Thematic Environmental History (Context Pty Ltd, rev. 2009):
3.3.3 Speculators and land boomers
8.2 Middle-class suburbs and the suburban ideal
8.6.1 Sharing houses
9.1.3 Private venture schools
10.4 Health and welfare
Heritage Study and Grading
Stonnington - City of Stonnington Victorian Houses Study
Author: City of Stonnington
Year: 2016
Grading: A2
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PRIMARY SCHOOL NO. 1467Victorian Heritage Register H1032
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FORMER RECHABITE HALLVictorian Heritage Register H0575
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BARWONVictorian Heritage Register H0825
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