Description of Historic Place

The Mark Gosse Residence is a wooden, two-and-a-half storey merchant style home with mansard roof and shed dormers. The home is located at 185 Conception Bay Highway, Spaniards Bay, NL. The designation includes the residence and a one storey garage.

Heritage Value

The Mark Gosse Residence has been designated a registered heritage structure because of its historical and architectural value.

Historically, this house is significant due to its associations with the Gosse family. Upon his return from England, Mark Gosse established a home in Spaniard’s Bay with his family and incorporated Mark Gosse and Sons Ltd. During the First World War, Mark Gosse and Sons Ltd. played an important role in creating work throughout the Spaniard’s Bay region by securing multiple U.S. military construction contracts. Additionally, the Gosse family were integral in the development of the Bell Island Mines, a project which employed thousands of Newfoundland residents.

The Mark Gosse Residence is architecturally valuable because it serves as a good example of a typical merchant home in rural Newfoundland. Constructed in 1901 by Mark Gosse Sr., this house is of wooden construction with wooden clapboard cladding, typical of many outport structures. Due to careful upkeep throughout the years, it retains many of the original windows and doors, all remaining in their original position on the house. Like many merchant homes throughout Newfoundland, Mark Gosse built this home in the Second Empire style, utilizing such features as the mansard roof and covered/open porch. It also has a number of decorative elements including eave bracketing and elaborate woodworking on the front façade, all reflective of the social standing of its inhabitants. In addition to the house there is also a garage on the property of similar style to the house. This one storey building was built around the same time as the house and has seen few alterations over the years. Constructed using traditional materials, the garage features a pair of original double wooden doors, narrow wooden clapboard and original windows. As a pair, these buildings reflect the social standing and wealth of the Gosse family in Spaniard's Bay.

Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, unnumbered property file, Spaniard's Bay - Mark Gosse Residence

Character-Defining Elements

All original features which relate to the age and style of the house including:
- All elements of the Second Empire style including the mansard roof, covered/open porch, dormer windows, etc.;
- Narrow wooden clapboard;
- All original doors and windows;
- Location of all doors and windows;
- Decorative elements including eaves bracketing and wood-working on front facade;
- All remaining original interior features that reflect the age, style and usage of the building; and
- Dimension, location and orientation of house.

All original features which relate to the age and style of the garage including:

- Dimension, location and orientation of garage on property
- Hipped roof on garage;
- Paired double wooden doors;
- Narrow wooden clapboard on garage; and
- Size, shape and location of doors and windows.