Description of Historic Place

Perched alone on a slight rise, the large, brick-clad Marringhurst Heritage House, completed in 1910, surveys the Marringhurst Plains on the western lip of the Pembina Valley north of Rock Lake. The municipal designation applies to the 2 1/2-storey building, which now houses a museum, and its grounds.

Heritage Value

The stately Marringhurst Heritage House, an elaborately appointed, four-square, red brick dwelling, was built by one of the founders of the Marringhurst community, Richard Wilson, who arrived from Ontario in 1879. In addition to establishing a thriving farm, Wilson was an active local politician and a force behind the creation of the Manitoba Grain Growers' Association. As was the pattern throughout the Prairies, success meant that the modest first home gave way to the more impressive and permanent second home. Wilson's highly visible farmhouse, a well-preserved landmark that once served as the social centre of the community, stands today as a testament to his accomplishments.

Source: Rural Municipality of Argyle By-law No. 7-1994, March 8, 1994

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Marringhurst Heritage House site include:
- the building's placement on a slight rise, facing west, with a 360-degree view of Marringhurst Plains and the wide grassed yard set behind tall hedges

Key elements that define the building's well-appointed exterior character include:
- its tall 2 1/2-storey massing, carried out in red brick, based on a four-square design, with a rear extension and a centred pavilion on the main (west) facade
- the moderately pitched, truncated hipped roof, with a short extension over the front pavilion, a gable extension at the rear, gable dormers on the front and side elevations, wide eaves, etc.
- the large wraparound verandah supported by Tuscan columns, edged with a simple white-painted wooden balustrade
- the symmetrical fenestration, with abundant tall rectangular sash windows set on smooth stone sills
- details such as the dentils under the eaves, the decorative gable-end shingles in a two-colour horizontal pattern, the raised detailing on the front door, the small second-floor balcony, etc.

Key elements that define the restored heritage character of the dwelling's interior include:
- the centre-hall plan with a modest entrance foyer opening on to spacious main-floor rooms with high ceilings; also a large farm kitchen at the back, a second set of stairs off the kitchen and a summer kitchen
- the second-floor layout with six bedrooms grouped around the central staircase landing and a narrow stairway leading to the open unfinished attic with windows on each side
- the solid wood doors throughout, with paint or stain-and-varnish finishes and transoms above the bedroom doors; the fir floors in the living areas and bedrooms in a warm natural finish; the attractive wood staircase; etc.
- items of decorative glazing, including leaded-glass panels over the main-floor front windows and an etched-glass interior window between the kitchen and pantry
- luxury features such as a that combines forced air and hot water furnace with a remote main-floor draft control; a two-sided dumb waiter in a built-in cabinet accessible from the dining room and pantry; a plumbing system that includes exposed pipes, two large water tanks in the attic and several original fixtures; etc.