Description of Historic Place

This large two-and-a-half storey, four bay, red brick house is located in a neighbourhood of historic, 19th century, residences. Set back from the street, with a spacious front yard, gardens and mature trees, this imposing Romanesque Revival house is a landmark, on Bedford Street. The Crawley House is at 28 Bedford Street, in the Town of Port Hope.

The Crawley House is recognized for its heritage value by the Town of Port Hope By-law 51/83 Schedule B-1, passed on September 19, 1983.

Heritage Value

The Crawley House is associated with several Port Hope entrepreneurs. Rebecca and Elias Crawley were Irish immigrants, who operated an inn, on Cavan Street known as the Farmer's Hotel. They bought the property at 28 Bedford Street, in 1861. In 1884, they sold the house to W.E. Beamish, who had established the Beamish Ice Company, in Port Hope. With the increased use of iceboxes in the 19th century, there was a large demand for ice during the warmer months. The Beamish Ice Company cut ice from ponds and rivers during the winter and stored it in icehouses for delivery to local homeowners, for their iceboxes, throughout the year.

When the Crawleys bought the house in 1861, it was a small Ontario Gothic cottage. They converted the house, to a much larger dwelling, with the addition of a second floor and an attic. The alterations included the addition of rounded arch windows, pedimented entrance porch, steeply pitched roof with tall chimneys, and a distinctive oriel window, thus transforming the simple cottage into a grand house. The resulting Romanesque Revival style overtaking the cottage Gothic. The American architect, Henry Hobson Richardson, popularized the Romanesque Revival style in the latter part of the 19th century.

Sources: Heritage Designation By-law 51/83 Schedule B-1, Municipality of Port Hope, Heritage Port Hope Files, Port Hope Town Hall, 56 Queen Street; Port Hope Archives, 17 Mill Street N., Port Hope.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that reflect the heritage value of the Crawley House include its:
- large, irregular two-and-a-half storey plan
- heavy masonry and decorative brickwork
- steeply pitched roof with front facing gable and tall chimneys
- pedimented entrance porch with brick archway
- fenestration, including rounded arched windows, and oriel window