84 Highlands Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Set well back from the road from which it can’t be seen with access by avenue and laneway. Long outhouse has been cleaned away from the front of the house and a large expanse of lawn created bounded by hedges giving a secluded location. In front of the house a gravelled forecourt.

A one and a half storey five bay wide, late Georgian house with smooth rendered walls with quoins, asymmetrically placed entrance door with shallow Doric pilasters on either side with frieze and cornice and dentils under. Gabled house natural slated roof three plastered chimneys, one in each gable, a fourth has been removed, gabled dormer windows projecting boldly through the roof eaves. The house has a small two storey back return. Each window, three on one side of doorway and one on other, has a plastered moulded architrave, cill with neat small corbelled brackets under. Dormer windows similarly treated. Each gabled dormer has plain timber barges with finials. Simple ridge tiles, red clay chimney posts, iron half round gutters and downpipes. The eight sash windows on the front facade have four panes each. It is likely that these replaced small Georgian paned windows as some of these can be seen on the rear elevation. The entrance door is six panelled but looks a replacement. Walls are painted pale lemon colour, slightly textured (probably a Sandtex or similar) windows white, on the whole making a pleasing composition.

Historical information

Owner said house was built at the time of Battle of Trafalgar which was 1805. The Griffith Valuation gives the occupant as Mary Ann Moore and the landlord James Ogilby. The house was improved by the present owner’s grandfather in 1924 when the dormers were formed and the house re-roofed. The gable outhouse was converted into a room. In 1987 improvements were carried out, mainly internal, the exterior redecorated and the outhouses in front of the house removed and the expansive lawn created. In 1924 the new avenue formed with gate piers, gates etc erected. Owner claimed house built by a Mr Anderson, his great grandmother was an Anderson.

References:

Owner (1998)
Griffith’s Valuation of 1858

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H+. Alterations enhancing the building

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A former late Georgian style rural cottage much enhanced and adapted in the 20th century both in regard to house, garden and avenue. While much of the Georgian window detail has been altered, the house character and charm has been retained and the exterior decoration executed with taste. The tree lined avenue adds to the ambience and the creation of the flat expanse of lawn in front of the house likewise.

The additional bay has been well done. The retention of small Georgian panes would have been an asset. House and garden wall maintained.