Description of Historic Place

271 Kent Street is a wood framed Maritime Vernacular style house located near historic Holland College. It was built in 1859 by carpenter John Whear for his own use. The designation encompasses the building's exterior and parcel; it does not include the building's interior.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of 271 Kent Street lies in its association with various Charlottetown residents; its fine Maritime Vernacular architectural style; and its importance to the streetscape.

John Whear was a carpenter who had come to Prince Edward Island from Cornwall, England. He apprenticed with the Barnard Brothers and soon married Margaret Barnard in 1859. Whear built 271 Kent Street at this time and the couple lived there for many years.

By 1915, their daughter, Mrs. Jessie Carleton, was living in the home. She was a widow whose husband, Alfred, was lost at sea while on a trip buying furs for his business. The home remained in the family until at least 1950. A granddaughter of John and Margaret Whear, Margaret Frances Blenkhorn Squier, mentions 271 Kent Street and several members of the family in her diary, Memories of PEI.

271 Kent Street was influenced by the Maritime Vernacular Cottage style of architecture. The style was common in mid 1800s Charlottetown. A distinctively Maritime style, its features include a rectangular plan, a central doorway and a large, centrally placed dormer. This house is particularly interesting due to its lovely central entrance door with fanlight and side lights.

A well kept and attractive home, it plays an important role in supporting the streetscape.

Sources: Heritage Office, City of Charlottetown Planning Department, PO Box 98, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K2
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Character-Defining Elements

The following Maritime Vernacular Cottage style influenced character-defining elements contribute to the heritage value of 271 Kent Street:
- The overall massing of the building with its wood frame and shingle cladding
- The mouldings painted in a contrasting colour
- The gable roof
- The large centrally placed gabled dormer
- The style and symmetrical placement of the windows including the tall first floor windows placed on each side of the door and the grouped dormer windows
- The style and central placement of the door with its sidelights and large fanlight
- The placement and size of the paired chimneys

Other character-defining elements include:
- The location of the home facing on to King Square