Description of Historic Place

101 St. James Street is a U-shaped Late Gothic Revival house with 2 two-storey wings and a one-storey foyer. It is located on an elevated lot at the corner of Grover and St. James Street in Woodstock. The house and grounds are included in the local historic place.

Heritage Value

101 St. James Street is designated a Local Historic Place for its aesthetic value as an exceptional example of Late Gothic Revival architecture in Woodstock.

101 St. James Street, also know as the Dunbar House, was built in 1874 for John Leighton and purchased by Matilda (Dunbar) Finnamore in 1900. It is a showcase of Gothic features. The intricately designed decoration of the house, most notably its abundant "gingerbread" carvings and gargoyle head were skillfully created and pay tribute to the band saw art. Although some features have been altered over time, the exterior of the home retains many of its original architectural elements.

The grounds, although considerably reduced from their original dimensions, are included in the historic place designation because the sprawling front lawn and mature trees contribute to the overall aesthetic value of the building.

Source: Carleton County Historical Society Historic Places File #15

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the Late Gothic Revival architecture of the building include:
- U-shaped massing with two wings, both having two-stories and full attic and one-storey foyer;
- steeply pitched cross gable roof;
- octagonal belvedere with original Gothic windows and finial;
- abundant wooden lace work decoration including bargeboards, vergeboards, lentils, and window hoods;
- carved gargoyle face above central dormer window;
- carved pendants and finials;
- original windows.

The character-defining elements that describe the grounds include:
- elevated lot;
- large front lawn;
- mature trees.