Description of Historic Place

The Spillett House Bed and Breakfast is a two and half storey, wooden home located on Weymouth Street. The house was one of two very similar homes built in 1915 by Mr. Major Schurman, in Charlottetown. The designation encompasses the building’s exterior and parcel; it does not include the building’s interior.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of 157 Weymouth Street lies in its association with local businessman, R.E. Spillett and its importance in supporting the Weymouth Street streetscape.

The Spillett House was built in 1915 for Richard E. Spillett. Major Schurman, a Summerside builder and member of the prominent Schurman family, had just returned from Winnipeg when he obtained the contract for building the Spillett House and a similar home on Richmond Street. The home on Richmond Street was built for Provincial Auditor, John Anderson. Both homes have survived and look much the way they did when they were built.

Richard E. Spillett remained in the home for many years. He was a partner in the exporting firm of Dillon & Spillett, which dealt in feed and grain. The firm was located on Queen Street.

The Spillett House was used as a private home for most of its history, however it now serves as the Spillett House Bed and Breakfast. On a section of Weymouth Street that has few heritage homes, the home contributes a great deal to the streetscape.

Sources: Heritage Office, City of Charlottetown Planning Department, PO Box 98, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K2
#1180

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements illustrate the heritage value of the Spillett House:

- The overall massing of the home
- The placement and style of the windows, particularly the tall, paired windows
- The style and placement of the doors, particularly the front off centre door
- The verandah on the front of the home with its simple balustrade and columns
- The extensive use of dentils accenting the rooflines
- The multiple gabled and hipped rooflines
- The style and placement of the chimney
- The contrasting trim used throughout the exterior

Other character-defining elements of 157 Weymouth Street include:
- The location of the Spillett House at 157 Weymouth Street