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TWIZEL
50 CHURCH STREET EAGLEHAWK, GREATER BENDIGO CITY
TWIZEL
50 CHURCH STREET EAGLEHAWK, GREATER BENDIGO CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
Twizel was built for Nicholas Jeffrey who emigrated from Twizel in England in 1853, arriving at Sandhurst in 1855. His success in gold mine investments enabled him to build Twizel by 1865 and change his stated occupation from builder to gentleman.
Twizel is a dichromatic brick, single storey building in the Victorian Regency style with the corrugated iron clad roof finished behind a low parapet. The top of the parapet is capped with a cornice finished in alternating red and cream bricks. The base of the parapet, at roof eaves line height, is detailed with a projecting string mould of a band of cream moulded bricks supported on a band of plain red bricks which in turn are supported on closely spaced decorative cream brick brackets. Half length cream bricks have been used every alternate row to form the quoins at the corners. Three elegant circular chimneys constructed of red and cream bricks in a spiral pattern adorn the roof. A decorative concave verandah, a later addition designed by WC Vahland, spans the full width of the front facade supported on paired round fluted timber columns. A sunken coal store, of which only the gable roof is above ground, is located on the southern boundary with part of its roof extended to the house to form a covered way. There are chutes to each end of the coal store. Neither the architect or builder for the 1865 section of Twizel have been positively identified.
How is it significant?
Twizel is of architectural significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
Twizel, is of architectural significance as one of the earliest known surviving dichromatic brick buildings in Victoria. It displays a sophisticated and elegant use of dichromatic brickwork, particularly with its decorative parapet and the highly distinctive spiral-patterned chimneys. The verandah with its decorative fretwork and its fluted timber columns is an important addition to the house by the noted architect WC Vahland. The house, with its ornate detail, demonstrates the prosperity of Bendigo at the height of the gold rush.
Twizel was built for Nicholas Jeffrey who emigrated from Twizel in England in 1853, arriving at Sandhurst in 1855. His success in gold mine investments enabled him to build Twizel by 1865 and change his stated occupation from builder to gentleman.
Twizel is a dichromatic brick, single storey building in the Victorian Regency style with the corrugated iron clad roof finished behind a low parapet. The top of the parapet is capped with a cornice finished in alternating red and cream bricks. The base of the parapet, at roof eaves line height, is detailed with a projecting string mould of a band of cream moulded bricks supported on a band of plain red bricks which in turn are supported on closely spaced decorative cream brick brackets. Half length cream bricks have been used every alternate row to form the quoins at the corners. Three elegant circular chimneys constructed of red and cream bricks in a spiral pattern adorn the roof. A decorative concave verandah, a later addition designed by WC Vahland, spans the full width of the front facade supported on paired round fluted timber columns. A sunken coal store, of which only the gable roof is above ground, is located on the southern boundary with part of its roof extended to the house to form a covered way. There are chutes to each end of the coal store. Neither the architect or builder for the 1865 section of Twizel have been positively identified.
How is it significant?
Twizel is of architectural significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
Twizel, is of architectural significance as one of the earliest known surviving dichromatic brick buildings in Victoria. It displays a sophisticated and elegant use of dichromatic brickwork, particularly with its decorative parapet and the highly distinctive spiral-patterned chimneys. The verandah with its decorative fretwork and its fluted timber columns is an important addition to the house by the noted architect WC Vahland. The house, with its ornate detail, demonstrates the prosperity of Bendigo at the height of the gold rush.
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TWIZEL - History
Contextual History:History of Place:
‘Twizel’ was built in 1865 for Nicholas Jeffrey who emigrated from Twizel in England in 1853, arriving at Sandhurst in 1855. His heavy investments in mines yielded him well, he changing his stated occupation from builder to gentleman. A decorative drooping concave verandah, a later addition was designed by W C. Vahland. In the early 1900s a timber weatherboarded lean-to extension was added to the rear. A verandah was added to this in the 1980s by a Peter Reid who owned the property at the time. Reid also upgraded the kitchen and converted a small room next to the existing master bedroom to an en-suite off the MB. A doorway was reinstated between the current dining room and kitchen. Some of the hard plaster was repaired in the 1865 portion of the place around Reid’s time. The Harveys, who owned the property from about the 1930s to about 1980, renamed the property Mervalan after their 2 sons, Merv and Alan. The current owners have reverted to the original name Twizel. Ten to fifteen metres to the rear of the block was sold in 1988 to the adjoining Tuckerbag Supermarket complex.
Twizel’s built date is stated as 1865. This makes it an early bichromatic building. The building’s style is typically Victorian. It has a concaved verandah for the full width of the front facade and a central passage with formal rooms to the front. The building’s significance is with its fine two tone circular chimneys and its early use of dichrome brickwork.
DICHROME-POLYCHROME
The polychrome work of Reed and Barnes is fairly well documented and has tended to obscure the work done in this area by others. Miles Lewis’ article gives credit to Nathaniel Billing and his St. Margaret’s, Eltham 1861,(subdued in the flesh compared with the drawings for same) and William Allen who built around Rosedale in Gippsland about 1858 to 1864 (which includes Rosedale Hotel HBR 645)and who also built and owned Fareham/Figsby, 47-49 Robe Street, St Kilda, mentioned below which the ED recently afforded Local Planning Scheme Protection.
Dichromatic and Polychrome buildings listed below in known order of age.
Minor provincial school buildings in and around Rosedale, Gippsland, apparently designed and built by local builder William Allen. Their fate or condition, if surviving, unknown to this officer.
Rosedale Hotel, 1858 & 1863, described in 1862 as being like an Elizabethan manor house. HBR 645. Built by William Allen.
St Margarets Anglican Church and former Vicarage, Eltham, built 1861. HBR 459, Gazetted 29 November 1979. A subdued polychrome building in the flesh compared with Nathaniel Billing’s drawings for same.
Nambrok homestead, built by William Allen in 1864-67. Database records no action taken.
“Koorine” (formerly Canally) 49 Powlett Street, East Melbourne, built in 1864 is a hipped and bayed 2 storey house reflecting aspects of the Italian Romanesque. It was designed by architects Reed & Barnes, the same architects who designed “Ripponlea” which was constructed some 5 years later. “Koorine”, is not recorded on the VHR. Database records that ED resolved not to add to the Register 25 August 1980. (Note: This officer believes this recommendation should be re-examined in the light that it is a very early polychromatic building and was Joseph Reed’s first use of the successful Lombaric polychrome style after his return from Europe in 1863, and which, rightly or wrongly, has been given the credit of being the forerunner of all the other polychrome brick buildings in Victoria.)
Twizel, 50 Church Street, Eaglehawk, built 1865, a single storey Victorian style residence in dichromatic brickwork with elegant circular chimneys constructed of red and cream bricks in a spiral pattern.
Sinclair’s Cottage in Fitzroy Gardens was built in 1866. The building is single storey, domestic in use, and can be compared with gatehouses or picturesque ancillary buildings. The database records ‘No action taken.’
32 Jolimont Terrace, 1868, HBR 514. Findings of the sub-committee 17 August 1981, clause 3.4, ‘The building’s use of polychrome brick is sophisticated and very early.
Fareham/Figby Terrace, 47-49 Robe Street, St Kilda, built 1867. ED determined 22 June 1998, along with Rag Assessment Group beforehand, that the building could be adequately protected under the local planning scheme. Designed and built by William Allen mentioned above.
Independant Church, Collins Street, (c. 1866-67), HBR 4. Magnificent polychromatic work. Same architects as Koorine/Canally, Reed and Barnes.
St. Jude’s Church of England, Lygon Street, Carlton, (1866-70.) HBR 14.
Other significant polychrome buildings of this era are the National School, Carlton and Ripponlea, Elsternwick (1868, 1882, 1897.) HBR 614.
While some of the buildings mentioned by Miles Lewis have not been thoroughly documented and very little is currently known some of about them, of the residential buildings mentioned above, only one pre-dates Twizel for dichrome/polychrome brickwork, Koorine/Canally which is a substantially larger and two storey residece and which was substantially extended in the 1930’s, though in a sympathetic style.TWIZEL - Permit Exemptions
General Exemptions:General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions. Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.Specific Exemptions:General Conditions:
1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it.
4. Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
5. Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.
Exterior
* Demolition or removal (but not replacement or additions) to 1980s constructed rear verandah.
* Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.
* Removal of extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.
* Installation or repair of damp-proofing by either injection method or grouted pocket method.
* Repair or replacement of boundary fences and gates with similar.
* Erection of small, plain (not "period") outbuildings including sheds, aviaries, kennels, poultry sheds and the like provided that they are not visible from the front garden and provided that no new outbuilding is larger than 10 square metres in floor area or higher than 2.4 metres in height or closer to the registered buildings than 3.0 metres.
* Regular garden maintenance.
* Installation, removal or replacement of garden watering systems, provided the installation or replacement of the watering system/s do/does not cause short or long term moisture problems to the building or coal house.
* Laying, removal or replacement of paving in the rear gardens and the courtyards.
* Repair, removal or replacement of existing garden structures.
Interior
* Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of the original paint or other decorative scheme.
* Removal of paint from originally unpainted or oiled joinery, doors, architraves, skirtings and decorative strapping.
* Repair of plasterwork provided that all new work matches good adjacent work in style, detail and finish.
* Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor coverings, eg vinyl.
* Installation, removal or replacement of curtain track, rods, blinds and other window dressings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted artworks.
* Refurbishment of bathrooms, toilets and or en suites including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of kitchen benches and fixtures including sinks, stoves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers etc and associated plumbing and wiring.
* Installation, removal or replacement of ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided that the installation does not damage existing skirtings and architraves and provided that the location of the heating unit is concealed from view.
* Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed and any original light switches, pull cords, push buttons or power outlets are retained in-situ. Note: if wiring original to the place was carried in timber conduits then the conduits should remain in-situ.
* Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.
* Installation, removal or replacement of smoke detectors.
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EAGLEHAWK PRIMARY SCHOOLVictorian Heritage Register H1628
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FORMER EAGLEHAWK EAST METHODIST CHURCHVictorian Heritage Register H1458
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