Cottage 2 —
Gatekeepers Residence and Main Entrance

Description

The small residence which forms the focus of this group was erected as part of the original suite of Kenmore buildings, 1894-95. In stylistic terms it is the building most closely resembling Richard Norman Shaw's "Old English" style, with a distinctive flavour of Arts and Crafts. It is located on the north side of Ross Avenue, the access road from the Main Entrance.

The house is asymmetrical in plan, double-storeyed with a roof sweeping down over the entrance porch. The roof has terracotta tiles, bracketed gables and terracotta finials. The main gable of its upper storey is jettied, bracketed and tile-hung, and has a swept skillioned window hood also supported on decorative brackets. The chimneys have pebbledash panels and terracotta pots. The porch has a semicircular arch with red brick trim and this has been filled in very sympathetically with glazed framing and a glazed door of unusual shape. Beneath the jettying of the main gable there is a faceted bay window with a frieze of pebbledash. The eaves gutters are of half-round section.

Reason for Listing

Part of a significant Federation period institutional complex of fine buildings and landscape. This is a handsome and unusual entrance ensemble probably designed in the office of the first Government Architect.

Photos

Photo record reproduced from the National Trust Register.