Wilson Street Precinct

The Wilson Street Precinct, South Yarra, is a residential area of late nineteenth and early twentieth century buildings developed around St Martin's Anglican Church. This development almost exclusively occurred during the 1880s land boom and was encouraged in part by the opening of the nearby Hawksburn railway station in 1879 and the construction of St Martin's Church in 1883. The precinct was fully developed by c1905 with a series of modest workers cottages and grander double-storey terraces and detached villas. The precinct remains highly intact to its c1905 state with no modern infill buildings to detract from its early character. Elements which contribute to the significance of the precinct include:

- High degree of intactness of the area to its c.1905 state and the extent to which its development in one main era is apparent.

- The late nineteenth and early twentieth century housing including the double-storey terrace rows coexisting with modest detached or semi-detached dwellings.

- Fine grained pattern of subdivision illustrating high densities often achieved in Prahran and South Yarra during the late-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries

- Individually noteworthy buildings of high architectural quality, including Surrey Terrace, St Martin's Church and its associated vicarage.

- The consistent, modest scale of the built form on the north side of Wilson Street and northern end of Surrey Road.

- Intactness of individual buildings to their original states. Dwellings typically survive with their presentation to the street largely unaltered retaining verandahs and decorative detailing.

- Absence of modern infill development and prominent additions and alterations including vehicle accommodation and car parking areas in front setbacks.

- Generally uniform front setbacks and modest side setbacks.

- Face brick, timber or render materiality and roofscapes with chimneys and pitched roof forms clad in corrugated galvanised steel or slate tiles.

- Bluestone kerbs, channels and laneways.

How is it significant?

The Wilson Street Precinct, South Yarra, is of local historical and aesthetic significance.

Why is it significant?

The Wilson Street Precinct, South Yarra, is of historical significance as evidence of the surge of urban development which swept across South Yarra, Prahran and Melbourne more generally during the 1880s land boom (Historic Themes: 3.3.3 Speculation and land boomers - subdivision from 1880 onwards). The area also demonstrates the important role of the church as a focal point for the community (Historic Theme: 10.2.3 Churches as an illustration of key phases of suburban development). In addition, the precinct provides an illustration of the way in which rapid and unplanned speculative development in the 1880s often produced high density streetscapes of modest workers housing in close proximity to grander middle class villas and terraces.

The Wilson Street Precinct is of aesthetic significance for its highly intact collection of late nineteenth and early twentieth century building stock. The precinct contains representative examples of modest cottages and villas of the period as well and individually noteworthy terraces. St Martin's Church is of particular significance as fine Victorian Gothic style design with elaborately patterned brickwork. The adjacent vicarage is a rare and highly intact example of a domestic building in the Gothic style. The precinct's topography, intact Victorian housing stock, prominent ecclesiastical buildings and the fine grain pattern of subdivision all combine to create a unique late-nineteenth century urban landscape.

Group

Religion

Category

Church