Description of Historic Place

Annesley Hall is a handsome red-brick student residence on the campus of the University of Toronto located in downtown Toronto, Ontario. The building embodies the qualities of the Queen Anne Revival style as it was expressed in institutional design, in which bold compositions of steep roofs, prominent gables, richly coloured and textured materials, and a wide variety of historicist details are used to lend charm and domestic warmth to large, institutional structures. The designation refers to the building on its legal lot as of 1990.

Heritage Value

Annesley Hall was designated a national historic site because it is a particularly good example of the Queen Anne Revival style, as expressed in institutional architecture.

Designed by architect G. M. Miller, and built in 1902-1903, Annesley Hall was the first purpose-built womens’ residence on a Canadian university campus. The building continues in its original use, having been renovated in 1988.

Source: Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Minutes, November 1990.

Character-Defining Elements

Aspects of this site which contribute to its heritage values include:
- those elements which speak to the Queen Anne Revival style as manifest in institutional architecture, namely the richly coloured and textured materials including the red-brick exterior facing with stone trim; the irregular composition featuring an asymmetrical elevation, steeply pitched roof punctuated by prominent Flemish gables and dormers, varied fenestration including banks of Tudor-style windows - all features used to create a domestic air to institutional purposes;
- evidence of the original interior layout, finishes and decoration as they illustrate Tudor-Revival-style decor, particularly in major public areas such as the dining hall and entry foyer.