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Wales House

159, Main, Town of Markham, Ontario, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1978/01/10

Of note is the Wales House's set back from the street.; Kirsten Pries, 2008.
Landscaping, Wales House, 2008
Of note are the six-over-six paned double hung sash windows.; Kirsten Pries, 2008.
Facade, Wales House, 2008
Of note is the veranda with stylized supports.; Kirsten Pries, 2008.
Facade, Wales House, 2008

Other Name(s)

Wales House
Maple Villa
Woodfield
159 Main Street North

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2010/02/01

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Wales House is located at 159 Main Street North, on the east side of Main Street North, south of Parkway Avenue in the Town of Markham. The two storey coral and yellow brick house was constructed circa 1845.

The property was designated by the Town of Markham in 1978 for its heritage value under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 4-78).

Heritage Value

Located at 159 Main Street North in Markham, The Wales House was built circa 1845 by Henry R. Wales, a local wagon and carriage maker. The house is set back from the street beyond a row of old maple trees that were planted when the house was first built.

Sarah and John Wales immigrated to Canada from England in 1832 with their two sons Henry and George. At the time Henry and his brother George travelled to New York to learn about the carriage trade. Circa 1840, the Wales family moved to Markham, and George and Henry established the Phoenix Carriage Works on Main Street. Henry built the Wales House circa 1845 behind the shops for his large family. The house remained in the family for 70 years.

The Wales House reflects a mixture of architectural styles. It is best defined as Georgian-Regency with some Italianate and Neoclassical details. The house is topped with a hip roof with a large joined stack brick exterior chimney. The roof is trimmed with a boxed cornice and dentil moulding on the soffits. Italianate details are seen in the four pairs of brackets with dropped round finials that highlight the roof trim on the facade. The double hung sash windows are six-over-six with concrete voussoirs, shutters and stone lugsills typical to Georgian and Regency style. The veranda extends across the facade and is supported by four freestanding and four engaged posts. The entrance has a double set of transoms of six panes and three pane sidelights in typical Neoclassical style.

The original bake oven and smokehouse are also still intact in the rear garden. The smokehouse has yellow-orange brick walls with beige quoins as well as shuttered eight-over-eight windows with surrounds identical to the house. Although difficult to classify, this property remains one of the most outstanding and prestigious landmarks in the Town of Markham.

Source: Town of Markham By-Law 4-78.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of the Wales House include its:
- two storey coral and yellow brick exterior
- hipped roof
- joined stack brick exterior chimney
- four brackets with dropped round finials
- boxed cornice
- dentil moulding
- six-over-six paned double hung sash windows
- concrete voussoirs, shutters and stone lugsills
- veranda with tent roof
- wooden door, double transom and sidelights
- raised quoins
- yellow-orange brick walls of smokehouse
- beige quoins of smokehouse
- eight-over-eight windows with surrounds on smokehouse
- set back from the street on heavily landscaped grounds that retain trees from when the house was first built

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Ontario

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (ON)

Recognition Statute

Ontario Heritage Act

Recognition Type

Municipal Heritage Designation (Part IV)

Recognition Date

1978/01/10

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
Architecture and Design

Function - Category and Type

Current

Historic

Residence
Single Dwelling

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

Henry R. Wales

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Town of Markham Planning and Urban Design Department 101 Town Centre Boulevard Markham, ON L3R9W3

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

HPON09-0177

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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