Description of Historic Place

Cove Cottage in Augustine Cove, Prince Edward Island is a wood shingle-clad, 1 1/2 storey home with a gambrel roof, with a single storey 1937 addition, located in the south shore community of Augustine Cove overlooking the Northumberland Strait.

Heritage Value

Cove Cottage, with its gambrel roof, wood shingle cladding, several original wood windows with fine decorative lintels and bracketing, dates from about 1880 and is valued for its age, architectural style, integrity of original architectural features and historical associations.

Originally the kitchen ell section of the nearby Neil McFayden and family farmhouse, it was removed to its current location in about 1937 for use as a residence for McFadyen's employee Fidele Peters. Later his son Wilfred and Bertha Peters and family resided here prior to relocating to Ontario in the early 1950s.

Neil McFadyen (1828-1895) was a teacher, postmaster, merchant and, prosperous farmer of 250 acres. The main section of his home is still located on its original nearby site though much altered. Neil McFadyen was married to Jane Bell and they raised their family in Augustine Cove - John B., Finlay and Mary Jane. The farm and home passed to Neil's son John B. McFayden, an innovative farmer who, with J.O. Hyndman, began the PEI Potato Growers Association and was involved in the early years of exporting potatoes to US markets. He was also involved in cranberry and blueberry production.

Following the Wilfred and Bertha Peters' family occupation of this home, WWII veteran and CNR employee, John 'Marvin" Sherren and his wife, Shirley (Muttart) and family lived here for many years from the early 1950s.

In 1991 Charles Brockunier of Cambridge, Massachusetts purchased the property as a summer residence retreat. Summerside interior decorator Bonnie Martin assisted with a sensitive updating.

The home continues to be valued as an asset in the rural landscape of Augustine Cove and is lovingly well-maintained by its current owner who took possession of the property in 2019.

Heritage Places files: 4310-20/C24, PEI Dept of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport & Culture, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of Cove Cottage in Augustine Cove is shown in the following character-defining elements:

- the scale and massing of the home
- the centred dormers on the front and rear elevations, with board and batten detailing in the dormer peaks
- the veranda on the south elevation
- the cornerboards
- the pitch and slope of the gambrel roof
- the wood shingle cladding
- the size and placement of the variously sized, multi-paned windows, many with bracketed hood covers and finely crafted sawtooth trim
- the 1937 single storey extension off the west elevation, clad in board and batten siding

Further contributing heritage characteristics:

-the location of the home overlooking the Northumberland Strait
-the well-maintained gardens and picket fence