Hermitage Heritage Area
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Statement of Significance
Statement of Cultural Significance
The Hermitage Heritage Precinct is significant for its predominantly intact Late Victorian, Federation/Edwardian and interwar era dwellings of varying scales and elaboration. Originally part of the substantial Hermitage (later known as Armytage House) landholdings established in the mid 19th century, the area was initially developed from 1852 as the Hermitage Estate, comprising a small residential subdivision. No dwellings from this early period survive, but the subsequent subdivisions in the late 19th century were the impetus for the development of the late 19th and early 20th century era dwellings that survive today. These dwellings are primarily single storey and have detached compositions, hipped and/or gabled roof forms, front or return verandahs, corrugated sheet metal, slate and terra cotta tile roof cladding, horizontal timber weatherboard and face brick wall construction, and detailing reflective of the stylistic eras in which they were built. Other significant features of the area include the highly recessive carports and garaging, and the bluestone kerbs and channels on the east sides of Hermitage Road and Manning Street. Local heritage landmarks in the area include the substantial single storey residence at 6 Hermitage Road and the two storey dwelling at 22 Retreat Road.
The Hermitage Heritage Precinct is architecturally and aesthetically significant at a LOCAL level (AHC criterion D.2). It demonstrates original and early design qualities associated with the residential development of the area from the late 19th century until c.1940 These qualities are expressed in the Late Victorian, Edwardian/Federation, interwar Bungalow styled and Old English dwellings that are both single and two storey in appearance and have predominantly detached compositions. The buildings include the following design characteristics: hipped and gabled roof forms (with simple or complex roof outlines having a pitch between 25 and 40 degrees), front or return verandahs, corrugated galvanised steel, tiled and Marseilles terra cotta tile roof cladding, horizontal timber weatherboard wall construction, brick chimneys (detailed to reflect the design era), brick cladding and brick verandah supports, terra cotta roof ridge decoration and terra cotta finials, timber shingling, timber joinery and roughcast gable infill, narrow or wide eaves, timber verandah posts with decorative cast iron or timber brackets and/or valances, timber framed or casement or double hung window, and the rear and side location of carports and garaging. Overall, these dwellings constitute 69% of the building stock in the area. The substantial single storey residence at 6 Hermitage Road and the two storey dwelling 22 Retreat Road are local heritage landmarks.
The early bluestone kerb and concrete channel on the east side of Hermitage Road and bluestone kerb and concrete channel (east side) in Manning Street contribute to the significance of the area. The lack of a visual presence of garages and carports from the street frontages further retains the aesthetic heritage values of the area.
The Hermitage Heritage Precinct is historically significant at a LOCAL level (AHC criteria A.4, H.1). It is associated with important eras of residential development after the subdivision of the area from the 1850s, and particularly in 1909 and during the interwar (c.1920-1945) period. Allotments in the first subdivision were sold from 1852 as the Hermitage Estate. The land had originally been part of "the Hermitage", a substantial early Victorian estate known as Armytage House from the 1850s. The late 19th and early 20th century development of the area is embodied in the surviving dwellings.
Overall, the Hermitage Heritage Precinct is of LOCAL significance
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Hermitage Heritage Area - Physical Description 1
Physical Evidence
Building Character & Appearance
The Hermitage Heritage Precinct is entirely a residential area comprising sixteen dwellings. Eleven of those dwellings relate to the historic evolution of the area in the late 19th and early-mid 20th centuries. Refer to Volume 2 for an illustrated Inventory of each dwelling.
Height
The dwellings in the heritage area are predominantly single storey in appearance and height (Photo 4.01 and 4.02) apart from the introduced two storey dwellings at 14 and 22 Hermitage Road and 63 Skene Street, and the prominent Federation era dwelling at 22 Retreat Road (Photo 4.12).
Form, Design and Scale, Construction and Finish
The dwellings in the Hermitage Heritage Precinct comprise a variety of architectural styles that reflect residential development of the area throughout the Victorian, Federation and to a lesser degree interwar period.
The 19th Century era dwellings are Victorian and Late Victorian in style (examples include 59 Skene Street and 10 Hermitage Road) and largely of the following type:
Asymmetrical/Symmetrical facades.
Hipped and/or gabled roof forms with a 30 degree pitch.
Galvanized corrugated steel roof cladding.
Ogee form or half round gutters.
Square edged timber weatherboard cladding.
Cast iron verandah valances with timber posts.
Timber framed front doorways (with timber framed sidelights and highlights).
Narrow eaves (with decorative timber brackets).
Corbelled brick chimney.
timber framed double hung windows (arranged singularly, paired or as tripartite windows),
The early 20th century era buildings are largely designed in Edwardian and Federation styles:
The Edwardian buildings in the precinct reflect the following key characteristics:Asymmetrical facades.
Recessive hipped roof forms, and a gable and front verandah that projects towards the street, some with front verandahs formed under the main roof. Alternatively, broad hipped, gabled or gambrel roof forms.
Strapped and/or corbelled brick chimneys.
The verandahs are largely supported by timber posts and feature decorative timber fretwork valances and brackets.
Timber framed double hung windows and timber framed doorways with sidelights and highlights.
Timber joinery and roughcast gable infill.
Most of these dwellings are constructed of horizontal timber weatherboards.
Galvanized corrugated steel (non-zincalume) roof cladding pitched at 25-35 degrees.
Timber eave bracket and exposed rafters.
Timber window hoods.
Rounded picket fence or capped timber picket.
Examples include the dwellings at 65 Skene Street and 2 Hermitage Road.
The Federation era buildings in the precinct reflect the following key characteristics:
Asymmetrical compositions with a diagonal emphasis caused by the composition of projecting gable roof forms and the return verandahs.
Complex hipped and gable roof forms clad in slate, Marseilles terra cotta tiles or galvanized corrugated steel (non-zincalume) roof cladding pitched at 25-35 degrees.
Terra cotta roof ridge decoration and terra cotta finials.
Unpainted red brick construction.
Front oval window.
Bowed projecting bay windows.
Timber framed casement or double hung window.
Dominant face red brick chimneys, commonly strapped with terra cotta pots.
Decorative timber fretwork, brackets and posts to verandahs.
Timber joinery and roughcast gable infill.
Timber window hoods.
Timber shingling.
Examples of a more elaborate Federation dwellings include 6 (Photo 4.03) and 12 Hermitage Road (Photo 4.11).
The interwar era dwellings are designed as interwar Bungalows and interwar Californian bungalows and include the following types:
A gable or hipped roof form that traverses the site, together with a minor gable and/or verandah that project towards the street frontage or at the side.
Timber framed double hung windows, arranged singularly, in pairs.
Verandahs are mainly supported by timber posts and brick piers, or solely with brick piers.
There are plain rectilinear brick chimneys, with some featuring rendered or soldier-coursed tops.
The gable infill comprises timber shingles.
Gable ventilator.
Street facing gable.
Constructed in horizontal timber weatherboards.
Low pitched roof forms.
Wide eaves with exposed timber rafters.
Galvanized corrugated steel roof cladding.
Interwar Bungalows with multiple hipped roof forms having front or side verandahs and several of the features listed for the interwar Californian Bungalows.
An example of an interwar dwelling is 20 Manning Street.
The Interwar and Postwar Old English Style in the precinct reflect the following key characteristics:Asymmetrical compositions.
Steeply pitched roof gable forms composed in a complex form.
Tiled roof cladding.
Face brick including herringbone pattern brickwork.
Elongated brick chimneys.
Timber framed double hung windows.
Pointed arched entrance openings.
Corbelled brick gable ends.
Low brick fence and geometrical steel trussed panels.
Examples of Interwar Old English Style dwellings are located at 4 and 16 Hermitage Road..
Within the heritage area are a small number of introduced dwellings that do not relate to the character and appearance. These dwellings include 20 Hermitage Road for example and 57 Skene Street for example.
Garages and Carports
All the properties have front vehicle access. With the exception of No 20 Manning Street (Photo 4.07) and 2 Hermitage Road (recent carport), all garages and carports are well recessed and are not streetscape features.
Significance of Dwellings
Eleven of the sixteen dwellings (69%) within the Hermitage Heritage Precinct are considered to have significance within the area. The precinct also has five buildings that may have individual significance. Further details and a photograph of each of the dwellings are provided in the Inventory of Places in Volume 2.
The properties that have individual Local Significance (C listing) are:2 Hermitage Road.
4 Hermitage Road.
6 Hermitage Road.
12 Hermitage Road.
22 Retreat Road
The dwellings that have Contributory Significance (D listing) within the heritage precinct are:
10 Hermitage Road
16 Hermitage Road
20 Manning Street
59 Skene Street
61 Skene Street
65 Skene Street
The properties that are not considered to have significance within the precinct are at:
rear 6 Hermitage Road (fronting Manning Street)
14 Hermitage Road
20 Hermitage Road
22 Manning Street
63 Skene Street
57 Skene Street
4.3.2 Urban Design & Engineering Infrastructure
Layout and Subdivision
The allotments within the Hermitage Heritage Precinct follow a traditional grid pattern layout of subdivision.
The allotment sizes vary significantly within each street and the precinct as a whole. All of the original large allotments fronting Hermitage Road have been further subdivided since 1909.
Setbacks
Throughout the precinct are regular front setbacks. Most dwellings form a consistent front setback pattern.
Narrow front and side setbacks exist on the properties located on Skene Street and Manning Street. There are generous setbacks for the properties located at No's 6, 8 and 10 Hermitage Road.
Apart from very few dwellings that abut a side boundary, most dwellings have side setbacks with clear visual building separation.
Engineering Infrastructure
The Hermitage Heritage Precinct is characterized by some early engineering infrastructure. This includes early bluestone kerb and concrete channel on the east side of Hermitage Road (Photo 4.04) and Manning Street (east side) (Photo 4.07). There is no early or original infrastructure in Skene Street or Retreat Road.
Front Fences
The Hermitage Heritage Precinct has a substantial number of introduced front fences. The Skene Street properties are characterized by low (1.0 metre) to medium height fences (1.5 metres) (Photos 4.08 and 4.09), this similarly occurs in Hermitage Road.
The few fences that relate to the era and design of the dwellings include the picket fence at 10 Hermitage Road (although introduced) and the low brick and steel fence at 4 Hermitage Road (Photo 4.05).
Landmarks
Key landmarks are the Federation dwelling located at 6 Hermitage Road (Photo 4.03) noted for it's large frontage (132 foot or 40.2 metres) and large setback devoid of any front fence and landscaping and the two storey transitional Federation and Interwar Bungalow dwelling located at the corner with Retreat Road.
4.3.3 Landscaping
There are street trees and grassed nature strips located in Hermitage Road (Photo 4.01) and grassed nature strip on the east side of Manning Street. Skene Street is devoid of any street trees and grassed nature strip.
The setbacks to the properties include grassed areas, often bordered with flower beds or shrubbery and trees on the larger allotments. The exception is No 6 Hermitage Road (Photo 4.03) which has no front landscaping apart from a grassed area.
Heritage Study and Grading
Greater Geelong - Newtown Heritage Study 2008 Vol 1-3
Author: City of Greater Geelong
Year: 2008
Grading:
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MITRE TAVERNVictorian Heritage Register H0464
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MELBOURNE SAVAGE CLUBVictorian Heritage Register H0025
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FORMER LONDON CHARTERED BANKVictorian Heritage Register H0022
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