Description of Historic Place

Designed in the British Arts and Crafts style, this two-storey plus basement, stucco-clad British Arts and Crafts residence is located in the Cook Street area of Saanich. Situated on a prominent hillcrest, it commands a stunning view of Victoria and southwest towards the Olympic Mountains in Washington State. Some of the estate's original natural landscape setting remains intact, including mature trees, rockeries, lawns and an early, multi-car garage.

Heritage Value

'Clovelly' is valued as a good example of the British Arts and Crafts style, expressed in a combination of contrasting textures on the exterior with a granite foundation, pebbledash stucco and shingled roof. The style of the house demonstrated an allegiance to British traditions and loyalty to the Mother Country, at a time when patriotism was considered a key virtue. The setting was enhanced by naturalistic gardens, famous locally for their beauty, and some of the original plantings, rockeries and low granite retaining walls still survive.

The heritage value of 'Clovelly' is additionally associated with the Woodward family, well known for their floral business. Arthur Woodward came to Victoria in 1888 and established A.J. Woodward and Sons, Victoria’s first nursery and florist. The business supplied seeds and flowers to prominent Victoria families, many of whom were building large estates at the time. Arthur Woodward also held a volunteer advisory position as Provincial Horticulturist. The Woodward family lived adjacent to the company greenhouses at Fairfield Road until the construction of 'Clovelly' in 1914, and the extent of their business success is demonstrated by the scale of the house and its surroundings. The family subdivided the property at the time of Arthur Woodward's death in 1936, and sold the house in 1944.

The changing pattern of use demonstrates the evolution of many of the grand houses of the Edwardian era. Built as a single family dwelling, 'Clovelly' was converted into a private hospital in 1953, then operated as a long-term care facility for seniors until the 1990s, and has now been converted into a multi-unit residential strata.

Source: Heritage Planning Files, District of Saanich

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of 'Clovelly' include its:
- prominent location on a hillcrest overlooking Victoria and the Olympic Mountains
- setback from the road on a large sloping lot
- residential form, scale and massing as expressed in its two storey plus basement height and asymmetrical plan
- irregular picturesque roofline, with overall bellcast hipped roof with projecting bellcast gabled roof projections
- British Arts and Crafts elements such as its granite rubble-stone foundation, rough-cast stucco cladding, shingled roof, window surrounds with cornice and sills, and two granite rubble-stone exterior chimneys
- variety of fenestration, including: double-hung wood-sash windows in multiple assembly, with multi-paned upper sash; prominent stained glass window assembly in entry hall; and multi-paned diamond pattern single window in front gable
- interior details including wooden millwork such as running fretwork, arches and doors
- associated landscape features, including: rockeries and low granite retaining walls and entrance posts on the east side of the property; a wood-frame, multi-car garage at the front entry; low and medium height woody herbaceous and perennial species; manicured lawn; and mature oaks and cedars