299 Seacoast Road

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Storey and a half cottage in basalt parallel to Seacoast Road at Bellarena Station and facing west. Single storey wing aligning to south, two single storey projections to west. Three chimneys not equally spaced on roof of main building. Three 12 pane sashed windows to single storey extension, one smaller than main building with 12 pane sash, one larger with 16 pane sash. Second projection to front at northern end of house sits further forward than porch. There is a single modern four pane window in rendered wall. Gable walls of main house have two high level eight pane sash windows under the roof. To the north stands stands the barn recorded as HB02/09/009B. The southern gable is rendered. The rear of the building has been rendered. There are three windows (one enlarged) and a door to the kitchen. The building sits back a little from the road but the forecourt is bitmac. The owner has installed a row of bollards along the road edge.

Historical information

Built by the Bellarena Estate as a general store, builders suppliers and post office. Projection to north was weighbridge and rendered wall was open. Post office and store in wing to south in operation until 1970s. Was the home of Mr. A Leeke an MP for the area, general merchant and a builder. The family went bankrupt and the present owners (1997) have lived in the house since buying it 32 years ago.

Owner (1997)
Historic Monuments files.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An interesting building, part of the architectural legacy of the Bellarena Estate. Interesting for the uses it was purpose built for, the preservation of its interior as well as exterior, the composition it makes with the other buildings at the station and for being the residence of a former MP.