Post by Steve on Feb 2, 2008 18:38:45 GMT -5
The following photo and article comes from the latest media release by the Warwick Township History Committee, who are currently working on a book about the history of Warwick Township. I'd like to thank Mary Janes and the rest of the committee for letting me post it to LLF...
(click to enlarge)
This Carter and Isaac photo is the Reycraft house, taken in 1911. It is an example of an 1870s L-shaped Ontario Farm House. The photo was submitted to the Committee by Barbara Kernohan.
NINETEENTH CENTURY DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE IN WARWICK
The following are excerpts of a chapter written by Glenn Stott for the forthcoming book The Warwick of Township: A Story through Time.
“Architecture is a very complex subject. It would be foolish to attempt to delve it into without major work. My knowledge, you might call it “Architecture for Dummies,” is limited and based upon a theory of rural nineteenth century architecture proposed by Dr. Charles Whebell of the University of Western Ontario in the 1980s. He breaks the fundamental architecture of rural Ontario into five basic styles. These styles may be classified by the date of construction, the origin of the design and the background of the builder/owner.
“Initially, the Scottish Landlord Style was a symmetrical structure which consisted of three bays (a combination of windows and doors) on the front and two windows on the side walls. It originally was a one storey structure, because two storey buildings were taxed more heavily. Gradually, a dormer may have been added to make it a 1½ storey, and still avoid the higher tax. A summer kitchen was often attached to the rear portion, or in some cases, the kitchen was the original structure and the new Scottish Landlord section represented the family’s new addition. (Summer kitchens were very commonly added to every style of house and varied in size and complexity.)
“A Scottish Landlord Style house, located at 7484 Egremont Road had two French doors (since replaced with modern windows) on either side of the front door, a truly unique feature for Western Ontario.
“Often the Landlord Style ended up with a complete addition of another house, a copy of the original, giving it double the room, (forming an “L” or “T” shape) and a unique Ontario farm house appearance. This represents one of the most common house styles found in Southern Ontario and Whebell calls it the Ontario Farmhouse Style. In Warwick there are numerous examples, some including two or actually three additions, which formed an “I” shape. This style became specific to Ontario and is not found elsewhere in Canada or in the United States.
“With the addition of verandahs, extra dormers, bay windows, gothic windows and/or exterior gingerbread, these buildings showed that the farmer and his family were very successful. These homes reflected the prosperity of the time, as a result of high grain and livestock prices during the Crimean War and American Civil War periods. Warwick farmers took advantage of that prosperity and the architecture showed a concern for style and appearance among the population.
“Warwick house builders utilized many of the natural resources of the township in the design, construction and decoration of their houses. Stone was not plentiful and, as far as can be determined, not used extensively in Warwick other than in foundation construction.
“The eastern part of Warwick had a few poured concrete houses unique to the Warwick-Adelaide region. It is speculated that the owner of a gravel pit in Adelaide Twp., a Mr. Chambers, made gravel available at a reasonable price to his children and their spouses. As a result, several of these poured concrete homes were built for his family because they were economical. A few of these houses still stand, although most have been abandoned and await demolition.
“Warwick Township was one of the leaders in the development of drainage tile legislation and manufacturing, beginning in the 1870s. One of the offshoots of the tile manufacturing industry was the manufacturing of brick. There were several brickyards in the township, with McCormicks, Aulds and Janes being the most well-known. Brick became a standard siding for many Warwick homes, beginning in the 1860s. Brick siding would have been much more expensive than wooden siding or a log structure, but would have had obvious benefits.
“By the 1870s, a “white” brick (“white” brick refers to the yellowish coloured brick made with the clay from most Southwestern Ontario areas) siding would have been the most common siding selected for a house, especially if the farm had prospered during the American Civil War period. Brick was also encouraged, especially in rural communities, because it reduced the risk of fire being spread from building to building.”
(click to enlarge)
This Carter and Isaac photo is the Reycraft house, taken in 1911. It is an example of an 1870s L-shaped Ontario Farm House. The photo was submitted to the Committee by Barbara Kernohan.
NINETEENTH CENTURY DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE IN WARWICK
The following are excerpts of a chapter written by Glenn Stott for the forthcoming book The Warwick of Township: A Story through Time.
“Architecture is a very complex subject. It would be foolish to attempt to delve it into without major work. My knowledge, you might call it “Architecture for Dummies,” is limited and based upon a theory of rural nineteenth century architecture proposed by Dr. Charles Whebell of the University of Western Ontario in the 1980s. He breaks the fundamental architecture of rural Ontario into five basic styles. These styles may be classified by the date of construction, the origin of the design and the background of the builder/owner.
“Initially, the Scottish Landlord Style was a symmetrical structure which consisted of three bays (a combination of windows and doors) on the front and two windows on the side walls. It originally was a one storey structure, because two storey buildings were taxed more heavily. Gradually, a dormer may have been added to make it a 1½ storey, and still avoid the higher tax. A summer kitchen was often attached to the rear portion, or in some cases, the kitchen was the original structure and the new Scottish Landlord section represented the family’s new addition. (Summer kitchens were very commonly added to every style of house and varied in size and complexity.)
“A Scottish Landlord Style house, located at 7484 Egremont Road had two French doors (since replaced with modern windows) on either side of the front door, a truly unique feature for Western Ontario.
“Often the Landlord Style ended up with a complete addition of another house, a copy of the original, giving it double the room, (forming an “L” or “T” shape) and a unique Ontario farm house appearance. This represents one of the most common house styles found in Southern Ontario and Whebell calls it the Ontario Farmhouse Style. In Warwick there are numerous examples, some including two or actually three additions, which formed an “I” shape. This style became specific to Ontario and is not found elsewhere in Canada or in the United States.
“With the addition of verandahs, extra dormers, bay windows, gothic windows and/or exterior gingerbread, these buildings showed that the farmer and his family were very successful. These homes reflected the prosperity of the time, as a result of high grain and livestock prices during the Crimean War and American Civil War periods. Warwick farmers took advantage of that prosperity and the architecture showed a concern for style and appearance among the population.
“Warwick house builders utilized many of the natural resources of the township in the design, construction and decoration of their houses. Stone was not plentiful and, as far as can be determined, not used extensively in Warwick other than in foundation construction.
“The eastern part of Warwick had a few poured concrete houses unique to the Warwick-Adelaide region. It is speculated that the owner of a gravel pit in Adelaide Twp., a Mr. Chambers, made gravel available at a reasonable price to his children and their spouses. As a result, several of these poured concrete homes were built for his family because they were economical. A few of these houses still stand, although most have been abandoned and await demolition.
“Warwick Township was one of the leaders in the development of drainage tile legislation and manufacturing, beginning in the 1870s. One of the offshoots of the tile manufacturing industry was the manufacturing of brick. There were several brickyards in the township, with McCormicks, Aulds and Janes being the most well-known. Brick became a standard siding for many Warwick homes, beginning in the 1860s. Brick siding would have been much more expensive than wooden siding or a log structure, but would have had obvious benefits.
“By the 1870s, a “white” brick (“white” brick refers to the yellowish coloured brick made with the clay from most Southwestern Ontario areas) siding would have been the most common siding selected for a house, especially if the farm had prospered during the American Civil War period. Brick was also encouraged, especially in rural communities, because it reduced the risk of fire being spread from building to building.”
