The popular Gothic Revival style existed mainly from 1830 to 1900 and was based on popular Gothic periods in England and France or upon medieval architecture. There are quite a variety of house shapes. The most common are ‘L’, ‘H’ or ‘+’. Verandahs, while not mandatory, appear on most Gothic Revivals. Homes are usually wooden or brick, with the latter often having two colours of brick for ornamentation.
What to look for (clues)
- Houses may be asymmetrical or symmetrical.
- Usually very steep roof or roofs.
- May possess front gables as well as side gables.
- Roofs may have very fancy trim (gingerbread) on the eaves.
- One or more pointed windows (lancet) on the 2nd floor.
Where to find it
The house appears in both urban and rural settings. The Gothic Revival has a very long list of ornamental decorations, some of which appear on the first beautiful home in Coaticook, Quebec. The other buildings are located in Stratford, Kingston and Guelph. I will be featuring other types of Gothic Revival structures as well, which will reveal more decorative features. Unfortunately, many other later styles ‘borrowed’from the Gothic Revival making identification tougher.
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