Reg No
50080573
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Archaeological, Architectural, Artistic
Original Use
Gates/railings/walls
In Use As
Gates/railings/walls
Date
1855 - 1865
Coordinates
314798, 233862
Date Recorded
04/11/2013
Date Updated
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Monumental arch, erected c.1860, comprising round headed carriage-arch with moulded render architrave and scrolled keystone, set within rendered and rusticated wall, rusticated to lower level. Paired Roman Doric columns supporting entablature having scrolled consoles and recent fascia over cornice. Recent double-leaf gates to opening. Round-headed door opening set within rusticated render wall to west, with vermiculated Gibbsian surround and carved figurative keystone. Render parapet with balustraded panels.
This well-composed carriage arch is a striking focal point on the streetscape, due to its form and design. Classical elements, notably the Roman Doric columns and entablature, are employed to add a sense of grandeur to the structure. Stucco detailing is used to good effect to provide artistic interest, and attests to the skill and artistry in render-work in the mid-nineteenth century. It was once the entrance to Kelly’s timber yard and sawmill, and had originally a pedestrian entrance matching the one to the west, to the east, which added considerably to the symmetry of the site and has since been demolished. The arch is located on the site of the former graveyard of the Hospital of Saint John, suggesting that the site may have medieval archaeological significance. Thomas Street has a long commercial history, having developed as one of the main arteries into the city and had many trading places and markets.