House "Undercliff Terrace" (52-60 Argyle Place) Including Interiors

Item details


Name of item:	House "Undercliff Terrace" (52-60 Argyle Place) Including Interiors
Other name/s:	Undercliff Cottage ( Nos 52-58); Grimes' Buildings
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Residential buildings (private)
Category:	Terrace
Location:	Lat: -33.8596182084426 Long: 151.203976749896
Primary address:	1-75 Windmill Street, Millers Point, NSW 2000
Local govt. area:	Sydney

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
1-75 Windmill Street	Millers Point	Sydney			Primary Address
52-60 Argyle Place	Millers Point	Sydney			Alternate Address

Statement of significance:


	The terraces at 52-60 Argyle Place, originally known as Grimes’ Buildings, are an integral part of a precinct of state significance and are one of the town main terrace groups that form Argyle Place, one of the most significant streetscapes in Sydney. The houses are typical of the continuing residential development in Argyle Place in the second half of the 19th century. The terraces are also significant for their association with George Grimes, Whaling Captain, typical of the maritime occupants of Millers Point, and were built by and for Grimes and his family, on land that once part of that belonging to Grimes Cottage at No 50. The pair of houses at 62-64 Argyle Place was also built on part of Grimes Cottage land and typify the idiosyncratic design and construction that resulted from the urge for maximum development on small and awkward leftover sites. It is an early example of investing in residential property by a local resident and demonstrates a pattern of development that was to be common in Millers Point and the wider Sydney community. With the exception of No 60, the houses have associations with James Merriman, a prominent figure in Millers Point and the wider Sydney community, and by 1880 they had been renamed Undercliff Terrace. All of the houses are also associated with the Sydney Harbour Trust and it successors that have owned and managed the property since 1900. The terraces have high social significance through its long association with the close knit Millers Point community.
	Date significance updated: 07 Nov 12
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Physical description:	52 - 60 Argyle Place, originally known as Grimes’ Buildings, contains a row of Victorian Filigree style parapeted early Victorian terraces, constructed c 1840s with basement and attic levels. The lower ground floor main walls are of stone and the main walls above this level are generally of brick, rendered and painted eternally at the front and painted brick and stone at the rear. The houses were constructed in two groups, Nos 52-56 were first constructed, followed by Nos 58 and 60. Four of the five terraces became known as Undercliff Terrace after they were purchased by the Merriman family but No 60 remained in separate ownership. The four houses purchased by Merriman, No 52-58 were “upgraded” to take them more fashionable for letting by the addition of a two storey cast iron verandahs fronting Argyle Place, featuring cast iron lace balustrading and friezes, and a pair of flat decorative cast iron columns to each level. Over time rear verandahs were added and most are enclosed with fibre cement sheeting. No 60 retains its Georgian Town house appearance with its single store timber columned front verandah and timber balustrade. The main roofs are of corrugated metal sheeting and each house features a traditional gabled dormer window to the front elevation of the roof. The dormers to Nos 58 and 60 appear to the contemporary with the construction of the houses, but Nos: 52-56 were added later hence the different sizes of the dormers. There are generally two principal rooms per floor on the lower ground, ground and first floors with a stair beside the rear northern room on each floor. The floors at ground floor level and above are of timber, whilst the lower ground floors are mainly stone, concrete or earth. Original partition walls and ceilings are of lathe and plaster, although there have been replaced or over sheeted in part. Some original timber joinery survives. No 58 still retains its early cast iron cooking stove in the fireplace in the kitchen.
Further information:	Comments: Was listed as schedule 1 heritage item in 1989, has remained a schedule 1 item to the present. General Details: Refer to Archaeological Zoning Plan. Heritage Inventory sheets are often not comprehensive, and should be regarded as a general guide only. Inventory sheets are based on information available, and often do not include the social history of sites and buildings. Inventory sheets are constantly updated by the City as further information becomes available. An inventory sheet with little information may simply indicate that there has been no building work done to the item recently: it does not mean that items are not significant. Further research is always recommended as part of preparation of development proposals for heritage items, and is necessary in preparation of Heritage Impact Assessments and Conservation Management Plans, so that the significance of heritage items can be fully assessed prior to submitting development applications.


Current use:	Residential
Former use:	Residential

History

Historical notes:

The "Eora people" was the name given to the coastal Aborigines around Sydney. Central Sydney is therefore often referred to as "Eora Country". Within the City of Sydney local government area, the traditional owners are the Cadigal and Wangal bands of the Eora.

With the invasion of the Sydney region, the Cadigal and Wangal people were decimated but there are descendants still living in Sydney today.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Residential-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	The terrace is e typical of the continuing residential development in Argyle Place in the mid 19th century.
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	Associated with George Grimes, Whaling Captain, typical of the maritime occupants of Millers Point, and the terrace was built by and for Grimes and his family, on land that once part of that belonging to Grimes Cottage at No 50. Nos. 52-58 are associated with James Merriman, a prominent figure in Millers Point and the wider Sydney community. The houses are all associated with the Sydney Harbour Trust and it successors that have owned and managed the property since 1900.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The terrace at 52-60 Argyle Place is part of a row of early surviving terraces, which form a significant streetscape element fronting Argyle Place .
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	The terrace has high social significance through its long association with the close knit Millers Point community.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	It is part of a row of buildings that is a primary compnent in the setting of a rare village green development in Sydney.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	Representative example of a Filigree style terrace
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Recommended management:

The building should be retained and conserved. A Heritage Assessment and Heritage Impact Statement, or a Conservation Management Plan, should be prepared for the building prior to any major works being undertaken. There shall be no vertical additions to the building and no alterations to the façade of the building other than to reinstate original features. The principal room layout and planning configuration as well as significant internal original features including ceilings, cornices, joinery, flooring and fireplaces should be retained and conserved. Any additions and alterations should be confined to the rear in areas of less significance, should not be visibly prominent and shall be in accordance with the relevant planning controls.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Local Environmental Plan	Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2012	I955	14 Dec 12
Heritage study

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
Millers Point & Walsh Bay Heritage Review	2006		Paul Davies Pty Ltd		No

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title
Written	Anita Heiss		Aboriginal People and Place, Barani: Indigenous History of Sydney City
Written	Orwell & Phillips	2007	Conservation Management Plan - 52-64 Argyle Place
Written	Tropman & Tropman	1999	Heritage Impact Statement

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Local Government
Database number:	2423577

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