Description of Historic Place

The Rideau Cottage is a generously scaled, Georgian Revival brick house located within the grounds of the Rideau Hall complex in Ottawa. It is a two-storey, hipped roof building with a bay wing on its northeastern façade. The building is distinguished by its symmetry, classically inspired doorway with pedimented porch, its sash windows and paired chimneys. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Rideau Cottage is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value
The Rideau Cottage is historically significant for its role as an ancillary building at Rideau Hall and is intimately connected with the administrative machinery of the governor generalship. The building was constructed as a residence for the Secretary to the Governor General and is within easy walking distance of the Hall. The Secretary supports the Governor General in delivering his/her mandate and in fulfilling his/her constitutional, state, ceremonial and other traditional responsibilities. The residence has been the home of the Secretary or Military Attaché to all Governors General.

Architectural Value
The Rideau Cottage is valued for its good aesthetic design. Originally constructed as a mid-Victorian house, it has been remodeled in the Georgian Revival style, one of the most popular manners for remodeling Victorian houses into fashionable 20th -century homes. The building is characterized by its symmetry, simple lines, classically inspired central entrance porch and sash windows flanked by decorative shutters. Good craftsmanship and materials are evidenced in the building’s brick masonry construction.

Environmental Value
The Rideau Cottage is compatible with the picturesque character of its estate setting at Rideau Hall and is familiar within the immediate area.

Sources:Robert Hunter, Rideau Cottage, Ottawa, Ontario, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Building Report, 86-002; Rideau Cottage, Ottawa, Ontario, Heritage Character Statement, 86-002.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Rideau Cottage should be respected.

Its good aesthetic, functional design, craftsmanship and materials, for
example:
-the symmetrical composition and two-storey massing with a bay wing on the northeastern façade;
-the hipped roof with projecting brick chimneys;
-the brick masonry construction;
-the centrally located entrance, which consists of paired pillars that support a pedimented porch framing the entrance door;
-the sash windows and their decorative shutters;
-the symmetrical interior plan.

The manner, in which the Rideau Cottage reinforces the picturesque character of its estate setting, designated Rideau Hall and Landscaped Grounds National Historic Site of Canada, and is familiar within the immediate area, as evidenced by:
-its Georgian Revival style and materials that harmonize with its adjacent buildings in its formally landscaped grounds surrounded by mature trees;
-its familiarity within its immediate area, because of its role within the vice-regal estate.