HOUSE

The timber house at 4 Hertford Street, Sebastopol, constructed in two stages in the 1860s and 1880s. The 1860s section comprises the left two-thirds of the house and is clad in weatherboard. The front elevation has a gabled bay to the left of the facade and a central hipped-roof section with a verandah. The verandah has a bullnosed roof which is likely to date to the 1880s. The 1880s section is highly decorative and comprises a wide bay at the right of the facade, with a M-hip roof and mock-ashlar cladding to the facade of the bay. A porch projects from this hipped-roof bay, covering the entrance.Two polychrome brick chimneys remain in the 1880s section of the house. 

The timber house at 4 Hertford Street, Sebastopol, is of historic and architectural significance to the City of Ballarat.

The timber house is of historical significance for its association with the provision of Miner's Rights administered under the various Goldfield Acts of the mid-nineteenth century, which entitled the holder to a residential claim of up to one quarter of an acre on Crown land, for the construction of a dwelling. The house at 4 Hertford Street was held under a Miner's Right until 1984, before the freehold was purchased from the Crown. (Criterion A)

The timber house is of architectural significance as a surviving example of a dwelling constructed during two distinct periods, the 1860s and 1880s. The 1880s section is distinguished by fine details such as mock-ashlar timber cladding, decorative hoods over windows and the front door with paneled reveal and coloured glass sidelights.The 1880s section is of further architectural interest as one of only few surviving examples of "Blewett Homes" a highly localised 'kit home' designed and built by local timber merchant and builder, E. Blewett. (Criteria A & D)