Description of Historic Place

Built circa 1868, the Richard Keay Residence is a wooden two-storey, Maritime Gothic Revival residence with distinctive cross-gables. It is located on Montague Street in the Town of St. Andrews.

Heritage Value

The Richard Keay Residence is designated as a Local Historic Place for its architecture, for its association with past occupants and for being a contributing element to the array of heritage buildings in the Town of St. Andrews.

The Richard Keay Residence is recognized for being an example of Maritime Gothic Revival architecture. The massing of this property is in keeping with the more popular Greek Revival architectural style yet the unique dormer window above the entranceway is purely Gothic. The placement of this dormer is unique in that its lowest point is below the roof-line, only inches above the entranceway entablature, and its highest point extends above the roof-line. The window is a handsome wood-framed 4-over-4 window crowned by a three-part triangular transom. A gable roof, a drop pendant, a finial and bargeboards crown this window. The dormer windows that flank the central dormer have bargeboard with a trefoil design. Another Gothic window exists under the gable in the upper half-storey on the side façade.

The Richard Keay Residence is also recognized for its association with its past uses and occupants. Prior to the construction of this home, this block was used by the Madras School for farming purposes. The earliest known lessee of this home was Levi Handy Sr. in 1868. It appears that he leased this home for over 30 years. Levi Handy built many foundations throughout St. Andrews and surrounding area, many of which are now the base of many designated heritage properties. He was regarded as one of the best masons in New Brunswick and superintended the construction of the bridges and culverts throughout New Brunswick’s railway system. He passed away in 1903 at the age of 87.

In 1912 the property was obtained by Richard and Ada Margaret Keay and remained with this family until 1963. Captain Richard Hutchinson Keay followed the sea in the days of the old sailing vessels and captained many New Brunswick-built craft around the world. He later associated himself with his son, R. Fraser Keay, in the hardware business of St. Andrews. He passed away here in 1944.

The Richard Keay Residence is also recognized for being a contributing element to the array of heritage buildings in St. Andrews. St. Andrews has one of the best collections per capita of heritage buildings in Canada that range from the early thriving loyalist days of the late 1700’s to the Maxwell designed homes of the town’s early tourism era in the late 1800’s, early 1900’s. As of 2001 the population of St. Andrews was less than 2,000 inhabitants. Much credit is due to the inhabitants of the town for maintaining this collection and preserving the town’s serene and relaxed atmosphere.

Source: Charlotte County Archives, Old Gaol, St. Andrews, N.B.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Richard Keay Residence include:
- wood cladding;
- rectangular two-storey symmetrical massing;
- side-gable plan;
- dormer windows with gables and bargeboards with a trefoil design;
- central wood-framed, 4-over-4 Gothic Revival dormer window crowned by a three-part triangular transom, decorative bargeboards and a drop pendant;
- transom window and sidelights in entranceway;
- eave returns;
- Gothic attic window under the gable in the side façade.