19. Richardson Romanesque

The Romanesque style dates back to Charlemagne and the 9th Century. Its most prominent feature was the extensive use of the 'arch' form. In the 12th Century it was used for magnificent churches in France.
Richardson, an architect from Chicago, fell in love with the style and brought it back to America with a few revisions. In particular, he used primarily a rough stone finish instead of the original smooth stone (ashlar).
The Richardson Romanesque style created huge houses and there are a great number of them scattered around the older sections of cities and towns in Ontario.

What to look for (clues) ?

• A huge, asymmetrical style with a rough-stoned exterior of various textures and colours.
• Rounded, deep-set arches for main floor coverings.
• A single, usually round tower, is common. (It may be topped by a 'witch's hat'.)
• Windows are square or rectangular with square or arched transoms above them.
• Smaller square windows sometimes appear in groups.

Where to find it ?

Parts of the Richardson Romanesque style are sometimes poached by Queen Anne houses (who steal from virtually any style). This sometimes makes it difficult to distinguish clearly between the two styles.
The Richardson Romanesque style lends itself commendably to churches and public buildings.