Rochester Road Precinct
5-35 Rochester Road CANTERBURY, BOROONDARA CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is Significant?
Rochester Road Precinct at 5-35 Rochester Road, Canterbury is significant as a residential precinct developed primarily in the Interwar period. It comprises a number of residences in English Tudor, Spanish Mission and transitional styles in garden settings.
How is it significant?
Rochester Road Precinct is of local historic and aesthetic significance to the City of Boroondara.
Why is it significant?
The Rochester Road Precinct is historically significant as once part of the larger Shrublands Estate of Ernest Carter of 18 Balwyn Road (HO258). It was initially subdivided by Carter in the 1880s as part of residential intensification of the area tied to the extension of the railway line to Canterbury which made residential living more accessible in Canterbury. Rochester Road is historically significant as a subdivision from 1923 when smaller allotments were created as a result of the sale of the larger (undeveloped) allotments from the estate of John Hindson and as part of the further intensification of Canterbury following the extension of tram routes in the 1920s and 30s. (Criterion A).
Rochester Road is significant as one of a number of residential areas largely developed throughout the 1920s and 30s that demonstrate high quality and fashionable housing of the period. The precinct is characterised by substantial, predominantly brick, detached houses, many of which were designed by architects in a range of fashionable architectural styles including Spanish Mission, English Tudor interspersed with versions of Federation and large Interwar bungalows with a range of transitional features common to both styles. Rochester Road Precinct demonstrates a range of residential styles commonly associated with the 1920s and 30s and with a high degree of individual and collective integrity. This is represented to an equivalent degree in other Interwar precincts represented on the HO including those of Lower Burke Road Camberwell (HO154), Prospect Hill Road Camberwell (HO159), Leslie Street Hawthorn (HO164), Howard Street Kew (HO528) and Union Road Surrey Hills (residential area) (HO534). The Rochester Road Precinct is distinguished by its integrity and cohesion.
Rochester Road Precinct is of aesthetic significance primarily as a consistent street of Interwar houses designed and built in a relatively short period and using a similar architectural vocabulary and with high quality design. Early development of the period resulted in the transitional styles of 13, 17, 21, 25, 31 and 33 Rochester Road expressed in the use of gable roof forms clad in terracotta tile, red brick masonry with 'hit and miss' or other brickwork patterning to generous porches, the use of gabled roof forms with attics, banks of windows in combinations of box, bay and curved forms chimneys that enhance the roofscapes. A number of houses including 25 have masonry fences from the 1920s and 30s that complement the streetscape and the houses.
Rochester Road is aesthetically significant for its later development of Interwar Tudor Revival residences including 5, 11, 23, 29 and 35 that demonstrate typical features of the style including steeply pitched roofs in a picturesque composition, the use of clinker brick and render, decorative entry porches, half timbering and often decorative leadlight windows.
7 Rochester Road (HO184) is individually significant though not within the precinct, for its Prairie School design by architect Eric Nicholls and as a rare flat development in the locality of Canterbury, although now converted to a single house. 9 Rochester Road (HO185). designed by architect Arthur W Plaisted is notable as a good example of the Spanish Mission style.
The garden at Number 29 may have been designed by Edna Walling but this has not been confirmed.
The London plane trees of the street also contribute to its aesthetic quality. (Criterion E).
Significant properties within the Rochester Road Precinct
7 Rochester Road (HO184) is individually significant though not within the precinct, for its Prairie School design by architect Eric Nicholls and as a rare flat development in the locality of Canterbury, although now converted to a single house. 9 Rochester Road (HO185) designed by architect Arthur W Plaisted is notable as a good example of the Spanish Mission style.
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Rochester Road Precinct - Physical Description 1
The Rochester Road Precinct covers houses between 5-35 Rochester Road. It is broadly characterised by substantial brick homes of high architectural quality, set on generous allotments with established gardens. Houses are generally elevated on the block with consistent front setbacks and low fences, often of brick. Large street trees (Pin oaks on the west side; London planes on the east) forming a canopy and wide nature strips run the full length of Rochester Road and contribute to the quality of the precinct and the sense of comfortable suburban living.
As development on this side of Rochester Road occurred over a relatively short period of time following the sale of a number of house lots in 1923, there is a consistency in style and quality to the houses. It is likely that architects were involved in the design of a number of the houses. Fine examples of the interwar red brick bungalows and houses in the 'English Tudor' style can be noted in the precinct.
Interwar styles
During the interwar years, the flamboyance and elaboration of the Federation and Queen Anne styles was replaced by a range of styles that were generally more modest and conservative. While red brick bungalows and houses in the 'English Tudor' style are the predominant housing styles in the precinct, with single examples of both the Prairie School style and the Spanish Mission style seen at numbers 7 and 9, respectively.
The red brick bungalows of this period are simpler in detailing than the typical Federation bungalow and have a sense of solidity and permanence. Emphasis is more on horizontal proportioning than on the vertical proportioning of the Federation and Queen Anne styles. Generally, they are single storey but often have rooms in the attic space with dormer windows within the roof line. Houses appear to sit solidly on the ground with sweeping roof planes and broad eaves with exposed ends. Roofs are clad in terracotta tiles. Gable roofs predominate with transverse and projecting examples evident. Detailing to gables is generally of timber shingles, half-timbering, roughcast render or at times a combination of materials.
A number of houses have an entry porch either centred or asymmetrically located across the front facade. Wide stairs emphasise the elevation of the properties on this side of the street. Detailing to porches includes brick arches and brick balustrades. Some houses have verandahs. Timber verandah posts are thick solid sections and any timber fretwork or brackets are simple and solid in design. Generally visual interest comes from contrasting materials and manipulating form rather than applying decorative features. Box and curved bay windows feature. Windows are timber casement style, often with coloured glass or leadlight to feature windows, often in diamond or rectangular pattern.
The 'English Tudor' style appeared later in the interwar period and references the medieval England in its detailing. Characteristics include a picturesque composition with a variety of steeply pitched roofs, tall brick chimneys, and asymmetrical plans. Detailing includes imitation half timbering with white rendered walls, face brick work (often textured), clinker brick detailing (often herringbone pattern), and casement windows often with leadlight glazing (often diamond pattern).
Early development of the precinct
On the west side Numbers 13, 17, 21, 31 and 33 were the first houses to be built in the precinct (1923/24).
Number 21
house has features of both the late Federation period and the earlyInterwar period. It is of note as it illustrates the transition betweenhousing styles. A half-hipped roof runs parallel with the street,emphasising the width rather than the height of the house. A largebricked gable faces the street and a small gablet with intact dormerwindow is set within the roof plane. The roof is clad in terracottatiles and a tall brick chimney is located to one side. The house isasymmetrical in form with a half octagonal entry porch below a separatelow pitched, tiled roof. The porch as Tuscan pillars set on brick piers,'hit and miss' brick work to the balustrade and a wide curved stairsweeping up to the porch. A second porch also has 'hit and miss' brickwork to the balustrade and is enclosed within the main line of thehouse. A curved bay window is located centrally on the front facade anda second bay window is located across the north east corner of thehouse. Casement windows with lead light can be seen across the frontelevation. Alterations include: a new garage, new windows to the largegable, new but sympathetic front fence.Number 33
has an arched entry porch with rendered cornice sitting asymmetrically across the front facade. A side stair leads to the entry porch with a brick balustrade and with rendered rail.Number 25
(named 'Birtley'), was built in 1926. It remains largely intact with distinctive features including a jettied bay window with timber shingle canopy above, contrasting clinker brick work at the base, and Tuscan columns across the verandah. An original front fence remains.Number 7
is unusual for the area as it was built as a block of flats rather than a single residence (1929). Designed by architect Eric Nicholls, it is a relatively rare local example of Prairie School design and is associated with the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. It has an individual listing (HO184) in the Boroondara Planning Scheme. The building has now been converted to a single residence.Number 9
also has an individual listing (HO185). It was designed by architect Arthur W Plaisted, and is notable as a good example of the Spanish Mission style which was popular in the interwar period. A large palm tree is located in the front garden and contributes to the character of the house.Later development
Several good examples of the 'English Tudor' style were built in Rochester Road during the later stages of the precinct's development. Number 29 was possibly built as a display home. While not typical of the 'English Tudor' style in form, detailing of the house draws heavily from this style. A clinker brick 'waterfall' chimney is located centrally on the front projecting wing. The chimney has an arched panel of herringbone brickwork set in and a pitched brick top. Panels of herringbone brickwork are also set into the gable between half-timbering. Small windows are located either side of the chimney and set below and arch in the rendered facade. Windows have timber shutters and clinker brick sills.
Number 11
has a number of typical features of the 'English Tudor' style including steeply pitched roofs a picturesque arrangement, the combined use of clinker brick and render, enclosed entry porch, half timbering, small paned windows with leadlight to some panes.Other examples of this style in the precinct include Number 5, Number 35 and Number 23 which was the last house to be built in the precinct (1938/40).
Trees and gardens
Large established trees contribute to the quality of this precinct, in particular the street trees (Pin oaks and London planes). Other places featuring tall trees include a large Atlas Cedar at number 11, a palm at number 9 and a large pine located at the rear of one house, its exact location has not been confirmed (possibly at the rear of either 21 Rochester Road or 16 Balwyn Road). Whilst the trees on individual lots contribute to the setting of the individual houses, the street trees are the ones that contribute most to the precinct. The garden at number 29 may have been designed by Edna Walling but this has not been confirmed.
Rochester Road Precinct - Integrity
Integrity
There is a high level of integrity within this precinct with many houses, gardens and some front fences remaining largely intact and contributing to the character of the precinct. Alterations include garages, new windows to attics and updated fences. Recent additions are generally recessed and contained behind the main form of the houses.
Heritage Study and Grading
Boroondara - Municipal-Wide Heritage Gap Study: Vol. 1 Canterbury
Author: Context
Year: 2018
Grading: Local
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CANTERBURY MANSIONSVictorian Heritage Register H0869
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SHRUBLANDSVictorian Heritage Register H2037
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"AMF Officers" ShedMoorabool Shire
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"AQUA PROFONDA" SIGN, FITZROY POOLVictorian Heritage Register H1687
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