Description of Historic Place

Located on the shore of Little Lake in the former village of Ashburnham, Peck House is a gable front stone dwelling. It is recognized for its heritage value by the City of Peterborough Bylaw 1978-181.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of Peck House resides in its rarity as probably the only gable front stone dwelling in the City of Peterborough and one of the very few in Peterborough County.

The Peck House's heritage value also lies in it being home to several of early Peterborough's most eminent citizens. Built around 1850, it was the home of Arthur Henry Peck, a local brewer, his wife Mary and their son, E.A. Peck who went on to represent Peterborough in the Dominion legislature for many years as a Conservative MP.

The Peck House is also considered important for its association with members of the Armour family. Mary, Arthur Peck’s wife, was the daughter of Reverend Samuel Armour who was the first Church of England clergyman in the City of Peterborough, and sister of John D. Armour who was a Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and who inherited the house in 1885.

Source: Office of the Clerk, Heritage Designation Brief, City of Peterborough Bylaw 1978-181

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that embody the heritage value of Peck House include:
-one and a half storey gable front
-exterior random coursed rubble walls
-simple boxed cornices on eaves with gable end returns
-original fenestration
-main entrance offset to right in the gable facade with plain wood trim