House

• 1914
• Construction Permit (00050:4:249)
• 1972
• Repiling (0058:813:C36427)
• 1993
• Retaining wall built (00059:603:E26941)
• 1995
• Fireplace installed (00061:85:12656)

• unknown
• Unknown

Not assessed

The style adopts aspects of 'Old English' and 'Anglo-Dutch' styles. Queen Anne was popularised in the United Kingdom by architects, Richard Norman Shaw, and William Eden Nesfield and in America by Charles McKim and Henry Hobson Richardson. It became the dominant style of Australian domestic architecture prior to 1900, however its popularity never caught on this side of the Tasman. Characteristics of the style include complex roofs, often with subsidiary gables, tall chimneys and picturesque towers with conical roofs. Marseilles tiles became standard as did leadlight windows, decorated gable ends, projecting bays and exterior timber framing. This building is constructed in brick and stucco, but elsewhere in New Zealand the style is more commonly expressed in timber. The house features exposed ceiling beams and a bay window with seating.

Brick and stucco

4 Imlay Crescent is located near the centre of Ngaio, on the eastern side of the valley that bounds the suburb. It is deep Wellington suburbia – residential dwellings dominate. There is not much too distinctive about the house’s site, though it enjoys a nice view across Ngaio, including of the All Saint’s Church Ngaio (Wellington City Council heritage listing #379) located just around the corner on Abbott Street. Queen Anne House is situated near the centre of an enclave of heritage buildings in Ngaio – it shares a boundary with an Arts and Craft house at 8 Abbott Street (WCC heritage listing #379), and close by in Kenya Street are the houses ‘Donisthorpe’ (#387) and ‘Crofton’ (#174), while a block away on Ottawa Road is Chew Cottage (#247) and the ‘Fairlight’ house (#393).

• 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?

  4 Imlay Crescent is a pleasant example of a large ‘bungalow’ designed in an Australian ‘Queen Anne/Federation’ style.

• 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 house has modest townscape value for the diversity it adds to Ngaio’s architectural landscape.

• Association

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

  This house has had a representative history for a domestic building in Wellington.

• Archaeological

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

  Risk unknown.

Not assessed

• Authentic

  Does the item have authenticity or integrity because it retains significant fabric from the time of its construction or from later periods when important additions or modifications were carried out?

  The house retains a high level of authenticity in the materials used in its construction and its continued use as a residential dwelling.

• Local Regional National International

  Is the item important for any of the above characteristics at a local, regional, national, or international level?

  The house is important at a local level.

• Rare

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

  Queen Anne House is an unusual house, built in an architectural style rarely seen in Wellington and New Zealand.

• Representative

  Is the item a good example of the class it represents?

  The house is a good representative of the Queen Anne style.

Not assessed

• Wellington City Council Archive Files (00050:4:249) (0058:813:C36427); (00059:603:E26941); (00061:85:12656).
• Wellington City Council. ‘Queen Anne House – 4 Imlay Crescent’. In Heritage Inventory 1995. WCC.

Not available

Not available