Description of Historic Place

Built around 1867, 8 Mary Street is a one-and-a-half storey, L-shaped clapboard house with flat corner boards and flat trim. It sits on Mary Street, halfway between Thomas and Prescott Streets, the latter being downtown Kemptville's main thoroughfare.

The property is recognized by the Municipality of North Grenville By-law 19-03, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

Heritage Value

The building was erected on property that was successively owned by many of the village's most influential families, including Lyman Clothier Jr. from 1840-1850. It was probably during the property's ownership by Gordon Service, 1850-1872, that the building was constructed. This building is the mirror image of the house to the west (6 Mary Street) and local tradition has it that the two dwellings were built for two sisters.

8 Mary Street was built in c1867 during the early development of Kemptville. And as it was emerging from a small mill village, incorporated in 1857, to a more commercially diversified town. This house is a well-preserved example, and one of the few remaining examples, of a working class dwelling built at the time of confederation. The one-and-a-half storey frame and clapboard dwelling is L-shaped in plan. This represents a transition from the typical style of early 19th century residences, which were characterised by smaller proportioned and rectangular plans.

It is notable that the early details have not been obscured by modern renovations. The house is clad in its original bevelled clapboard and is balloon-frame type construction. 8 Mary Street displays original, typical details such as flat corner boards and flat window and door surrounds. The eave details consist of flat fascia and soffit boards. The front door is off-set in accordance with an interior side-hall plan, which shows the evolution from the centre-hall plans of earlier periods. The front door is a reproduction that is based on side door, which is original. The original two-over-two sash windows show the evolution of construction materials which saw the development of larger size glass panes during this time. The original milled cedar shingle roof is still intact under the existing sheet steel roofing.

Sources: Municipality of North Grenville By-law 19-03; Municipality of North Grenville Heritage Files.

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements that define the heritage value of 8 Mary Street include its:
- one-and-a-half storey height
- L-shaped footprint
- balloon frame construction
- original cladding of bevelled clapboard
- flat corner boards and flat window and door surrounds
- off-set front door
- original side door
- original 2 over 2 sash windows on the main and upper storeys
- flat fascia and soffit boards
- position adjacent to 6 Mary Street to the west, which is a mirror image of 8 Mary Street