Description of Historic Place

Winslow House is a two-storey Italianate house featuring an exotic cupola. The building is located at the top of a sloping landscaped lot overlooking lower Main Street in Woodstock. The house and grounds are included in the historic place designation.

Heritage Value

Winslow House is designated a local historic place for its architecture, for the grounds and for its long association with the Winslow family.

Winslow House is recognized for being an excellent example of Italianate architecture, a style rare in Woodstock. Built circa 1882, the tiered design of the home, combined with its location at the top of a sloped lot and many flower gardens makes it one of the most recognizable buildings in Woodstock.

The grounds are an important part of the local historic place because they are integral to the overall situation and character of the home. The large sloping lawn with many flower gardens is a section of a large hill historically known as "Victoria Terrace." Woodstock's elite built showy homes at the top of "Victoria Terrace," which was at one time the town's most fashionable neighbourhood.

Purchased by Carleton County Sheriff John Norman Wentworth Winslow in 1887, the house remains in the Winslow family today. They were direct descendants of Edward Winslow, prominent New Brunswick Loyalist, and Governor Edward Winslow of the Plymouth Colony.

Source: Carleton County Historical Society Register of Historic Places File #5

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements that describe the Italianate architecture include:
- squarish two-storey massing;
- 3-tiered effect achieved by the combination of cupola, low hipped roof and spreading veranda with arches;
- sawn spine decoration;
- two-storey bays;
- clapboard siding;
- classical pilasters and entablatures decorated with brackets and dentils;
- many original windows;
- rounded windows of cupola with rounded shutters.

The character-defining elements that describe the location and grounds include:
- location on "Victoria Terrace" overlooking lower Main Street and neighbouring other homes of similar size;
- façade facing lower Main Street;
- flower gardens and mature trees.