Description of Historic Place

Keneally House is a three storey, mansard roof duplex house located 8 Patrick Street, Carbonear. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

Keneally House was designated a registered historic structure because it has aesthetic and historic values.

The Keneally House is an unusual example of a Second Empire duplex, which is uncommon because of its outport location and age. Constructed sometime between 1839-49 the Keneally House was built for two brothers and their families. This symmetrical house is a substantial, three storey building with a typical Second Empire mansard roof. Its two separate entrances flank opposite ends of the front facade and lend to the repetitive elements of the building. This house speaks to the wealth and status of the Keneally families in its proportions and decorative details. While a duplex was unusual, a usual feature of outport houses at the time was a linhay and this house has two linhays, one for each half of the dwelling. The sizeable central chimney houses the shared double fireplace inside the dwelling. The house reflects time and place in its construction and purpose, where many families lived together and worked together.

The Keneally House has historic value because of its association with the Keneally family, who were one of the richest, most influential and tragic Carbonear families of the 19th century. The house was built by Irish-born James Keneally, who was extensively involved in the fishery and was a successful merchant. He lived there with his brother, John, and their families. Business went very well for the family of successful schooner captains until James Keneally was lost at sea when his 70 ton schooner The Rose went down in a violent storm. After the loss of The Rose John and his family continued to live in the house, but no member of the family ever occupied the other side of the house.

Source: Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador unnumbered property designation file, 1 Springdale Street, St. John's, NL, A1C 5V5

Character-Defining Elements

All those features representative of a Newfoundland interpretation of the Second Empire style, including:
-Mansard roof
-wooden shingles
-dormer windows
-arched windows
-single hung 4/4 windows
-enclosed porch with mansard roof
-narrow clapboard
-wooden front door
-linhays
-large central chimney
-orientation, number of storeys, dimensions and layout