Description of Historic Place

Crane's Landing is a well preserved Gable and Ell style house near the Village of Mount Stewart, PEI. The front facade features several Gothic Revival influences including eave bracketting, stacked bay windows, and a round arch window set in a wall dormer. It is set back from the highway on a spacious treed lot. The registration includes the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

Crane's Landing is valued for its association with the Clark family; for its Gothic Revival architectural influences; and for its contribution to the community of Mount Stewart. Following the 1767 land lottery of St. John's Island (PEI), the property on Lot 37 was owned by absentee landlords William Spry and James Baker. In 1856, they leased part of their farmland to Elisha Coffin for 999 years at an annual rent of 20 Pounds! However, in 1889 Coffin sold the property to Soloman Clark (1854-1935) for $1950. It is believed the current house was built by Clark at this time. Soloman married Hannah Newbery (1853-1923) in a Methodist ceremony on July 30, 1875. The 1891 Census shows they had three sons by this time and Soloman was employed as a general merchant. Tragedy struck the family in 1899, when their oldest son, Percy, died in a drowning accident. The 1901 Census reveals that the duty of operating the store had been assumed by the second son, while Soloman is recorded as farming with his youngest son.

The home was built in the Gable and Ell style on a treed elevation of land near the St. Peter's Road directly across from the entrance to the Village of Mount Stewart. The front of the house facing the road has the most architectural embellishment when compared to the much plainer back elevation of the building. It features Gothic Revival influences including stacked bay windows, a canopy porch over double entrance doors, and a gable roof with bracketted eaves and eave returns.

The house remained in the Clark family until 1930 when it was sold to Franklin and Sadie Rose. In 1995, it was purchased by a relation of the original owner, Soloman Clark. Since 2002, it has operated as "Crane's Landing," a summer tea house and bed and breakfast. Ironically, the current owners are descendants of Elisha Coffin, who had first leased the property! History, apparently, does have a way of repeating itself.

Source: PEI Heritage Advisory Committee Files

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements illustrate the Gothic Revival influences of the house:
- the stone foundation
- the overall massing of two storeys
- the gable roof with eave brackets and eave returns
- the hipped roof canopy porch over double doors on the front elevation
- the stacked bay windows, hooded square windows, and round arch window of the wall dormer
- the placement of the chimneys
- the wood shingle cladding
- the shutters
- the enclosed verandah
- the location of the house on a treed lot set back from the highway