Castles The Chemist

• 1898
• Consent granted to Hawthorn and Crump for a semi-detached shops and dwellings plus a shed
• 1928
• Alterations made to the shop
• 1981
• Alterations to the shop front; included a new shop window designed by Craig Moller
• 1985
• Building partly re-piled
• 1986
• Alterations made to the flat and shop
• 1990
• Alterations and additions to the office building
• 2012
• Building consent granted to install a steel portal frame to span across shop front at ground floor to first floor level as part of earthquake strengthening.

Not assessed

Not assessed

It is a modest two-storey timber building designed in a simple but forthright late-Victorian commercial style, with a hipped roof concealed behind the high parapet. Below the verandah is an awkward modern shop-front that partly masks an interesting interior – this still has many of the original display cabinets and shelves.

The verandah has some old fabric visible, including a section of pressed metal tiles in the soffit, and it appears to be on the original line, although the posts are modern steel ones. Above the verandah, the upper façade is in quite authentic condition. It has a central array of four double-hung windows in a weatherboarded wall (the sash windows are a sensitive, modern alteration that date from post-1981); the two brick party walls on either side of the building are projected out from the wall face and are ornamented with panelled pilasters at either side of the façade and further decorated with elaborate bosses at the cornice line. The large moulded timber cornice separates the upper wall from the parapet, which has an elevated central pediment and is particularly distinctive for its quirky mock crenulations, referring back to the name of the business.

Timber and brick construction

Double hung sash windows

Weatherboards

Pressed metal tiles to underside of verandah

Castle’s The Chemist is one of a number of early buildings of modest scale that define the character of the central commercial part of Riddiford Street.

Castle’s plays a role in establishing townscape qualities in Newtown, its well-known name and longevity in the street adding to its physical qualities.

Heritage Area

This building contributes to the Newtown Central Shopping Centre Heritage Area. A detailed outline of the heritage area can be found in the Wellington City Council report “Newtown Central Shopping Centre Heritage Area: Riddiford Street, Constable Street, Rintoul Street”, 28 October 2008.

This building became part of the heritage area in District Plan Change 75.

• Architectural

  Does the item have architectural or artistic value for characteristics that may include its design, style, era, form, scale, materials, colour, texture, patina of age, quality of space, craftsmanship, smells, and sounds?

  Castle’s Chemist shop is a good representative example of a two storey Victorian shop/residence. It is notable for its Classical proportions and ornamentation, particularly the mock ‘crenulations’ that are a visual pun on the name Castle.

• Group

  Is the item part of a group of buildings, structures, or sites that taken together have coherence because of their age, history, style, scale, materials, or use?

  The building has group value as one of a number of early buildings of modest scale that define the character of the central commercial part of Riddiford Street. Most of the buildings, like this one, are two storey and timber built and date from the period of the suburb’s early development.

• Townscape

  Does the item have townscape value for the part it plays in defining a space or street; providing visual interest; its role as a landmark; or the contribution it makes to the character and sense of place of Wellington?

  The building contributes to the Newtown Central Suburban Centre Heritage Area, a precinct that has a largely uninterrupted streetscape of Victorian and Edwardian buildings. The building is a local landmark for its association with the long-established business ‘Castles the Chemist’ and for its unusual ‘crenulated’ parapet.

• Association

  Is the item associated with an important person, group, or organisation?

  Both the building and business have survived largely intact for over 110 years and there are few institutions in the city that can claim such longevity. The association of the Castle family with both the shop and their pharmaceutical collection, and the old world ambience of the building’s interior, have made it well known in Wellington.

• Archaeological

  Does the item have archaeological value for its ability to provide scientific information about past human activity?

  There was pre-1900 human activity on this site. Although some of the sites have been altered by rebuilding or landscaping or subdivisional change, there is archaeological value in the immediate surrounds.

• Identity/Sense of place/Continuity

  Is the item a focus of community, regional, or national identity? Does the item contribute to sense of place or continuity?

  The building has been in continuous use as a pharmacy for over 110 years, during which time there have been few intrusive alterations to its external form (with the notable exception of the modern shopfront). The building contributes to the sense of place and continuity of the Newtown Central Suburban Centre Heritage Area.

• Public Esteem

  Is the item held in high public esteem?

  Due to the building’s long association with the Castle Family and continuance in use as a chemist since 1898, it is a Newtown landmark and held in high regard

• Rare

  Is the item rare, unique, unusual, seminal, influential, or outstanding?

  The building contributes to a consistent historic streetscape. Such a streetscape is rare in Wellington, especially so close to the city centre.

Not assessed

• Wellington City Council, Wellington Heritage Building Inventory 2001: Non-Residential Buildings, Wellington City Council, 2001.
• Wellington City Council, Newtown Central Shopping Centre Heritage Area, Riddiford Street, Constable Street, Rintoul Street, Wellington City Council: unpublished report, October 2008.

• Inventory Report

Not available