Bryn Mawr is a two-and-a-half storey wooden Queen Anne style house built in 1907. Located at 154 New Cove Road in St. John’s, NL, the designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
Statement of Significance
Formal Recognition Type
Registered Heritage Structure
Bryn Mawr was designated a Registered Heritage Structure by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1993 for its aesthetic and historic value. Bryn Mawr has aesthetic value as it is a fine example of a Queen Anne country house. Its asymmetrical facade results from a seemingly random placement of towers, gables, dormers, bays and window openings; all elements typical of Queen Anne design. Features such as the richly decorated eaves and porch and the use of various types of exterior sheathing and windows also conform to Queen Anne style. The harmonious use of these elements bear witness to the superior craftsmanship of architect William F. Butler. He is well known for his elaborate residential designs commissioned by the elite of St. John’s. As a country home, Bryn Mawr may not be as eclectic as city houses designed by Butler but is nonetheless a unique expression of his creative impulses. Bryn Mawr has historic value because of its association with successful St. John’s businessman James Baird. Born in Scotland in 1828, Baird came to Newfoundland in 1844 and about ten years later started an importing business which grew into one of the largest mercantile and fish exporting operations in the colony. That the elegant Bryn Mawr was built as a summer home for Baird and his family speaks to the affluence of the merchant class in early twentieth century Newfoundland. Source: Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador property file “St. John’s – Bryn Mawr – FPT 1468″
Character Defining Elements
All those features that reflect the Queen Anne style of architecture, including: -mid pitch roof; -number of storeys; -exterior wall sheathing including fish scale, horizontal narrow clapboard, clapboard on bias and flat board inset wooden panels; -corner boards; -original form, scale, massing and placement of polygonal tower; -crenellation on tower; -original form, scale, massing and placement of wrap-around porch; -columns on porch; -pediment over front door; -brackets on eaves and porch; -size, style, trim and placement of windows and associated transoms, and sidelights; -size, style, trim and placement of exterior doors and associated transoms, and sidelights; -size, style, trim and placement of bay windows; -dormer size, style and placement; -dormer window size, style and placement; -chimney style and placement; -dimension, location and orientation of building; and -association with James Baird.
Location and History
City of St. John's
154 New Cove Road
19700101 - 19700101
Butler and MacDonald, William F. Butler