Description of Historic Place

Rothesay Netherwood School is a private residential and day school situated at the top of College Hill Road in the town of Rothesay. The main campus includes a number buildings of various ages, material and styles as well as landscaped and natural spaces, circulation patterns, playing fields and other functional open spaces.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of Rothesay Netherwood School as a Local Historic Place lies partly in its long relationship with the town of Rothesay. Originally two separate schools, Rothesay College, later Rothesay Collegiate School, began in 1877 while Rothesay Church School for Girls, later Netherwood School for Girls, was established in 1894. This was during a period of significant community growth and expansion as many resident of the nearby City of Saint John relocated in Rothesay in the late 1800’s. In 1984, the two schools amalgamated to create RCS Netherwood later to become Rothesay Netherwood School. The school and previously its two founding institutions have been and continue to be an integral part of the fabric of the town of Rothesay.

Heritage value is also represented in the history, architecture and evolving special character of the present Rothesay Netherwood School campus. In 1891, Rothesay Collegiate School moved from its earlier location in the village to the present day campus. Originally including two large Victorian era carpenter gothic residential building (one of which remains), the main campus has evolved with the addition over the years of school buildings of various styles, material and functions. This has resulted in the definition of a variety of spaces and circulation systems, supplemented with playing field and other functional open spaces.

Source: Rothesay Living Museum, Rothesay, NB, Historic Places file "Rothesay Netherwood School"

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe Rothesay Netherwood School include:
- its physical context overlooking Rothesay and the Kenebacasis River and adjacent natural wooded areas;
- its historic community context within Rothesay;
- the nature and scale of its treed and landscaped open spaces and circulation systems;
- its playing fields and ceremonial spaces.

The character defining elements that describe the overall spatial quality formed by buildings and spaces include:
- interplay of materials, texture, scale, form and details resulting from the variety of architectural styles including Carpenter Gothic, Collegiate Gothic Revival, Queen Anne, Dutch Colonial, Neoclassical and Modern.