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Craigflower Manor

110 Island Highway, View Royal, British Columbia, V9B, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1967/04/18

Craigflower Manor from SE; BC Heritage Branch
Craigflower Manor from SE
Craigflower Manor from SW; BC Heritage Branch
Craigflower Manor from SW
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Other Name(s)

Craigflower Manor
Craigflower Farmhouse
Craigflower Manor House

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1856/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2004/08/13

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

Craigflower Manor is a two-storey nineteenth-century farmhouse situated on a large grassy parcel of land overlooking the Gorge Waterway in View Royal, BC.

Heritage Value

Craigflower Manor (1856) is important because it is one of the oldest remaining farmhouses in British Columbia. Constructed by the Hudson's Bay Company as part of its Puget's Sound Agricultural Company subsidiary endeavours, this farmhouse represents the efforts of the Hudson's Bay Company to establish a base for colonial settlement on Vancouver Island. The house remains as a testament to the life of Victoria's first Farm Bailiff Kenneth McKenzie and his large family, and is representative of the influence of the Scottish population on local society and culture.

Craigflower Manor is valued as the only late Georgian Style building remaining in BC, modelled on a Scottish Manor House. The strong design of the Manor combines Hudson's Bay Company construction systems with Scottish craftsmanship, and is a meaningful illustration of early adaptation to the use of local materials. The prominent location and visibility of the building in its surroundings provide a significant visual reminder of the importance of farming prior to 1858 on Vancouver Island.

Source: BC Heritage Branch property files

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of Craigflower Manor include:
- the definition of the land as bordered by Admirals and Craigflower Roads, and the Gorge Waterway, and the prominent position of the house on a small grassy knoll
- the unobstructed view of the house from Craigflower and Admirals Roads, Craigflower Bridge and the waterway
- the massing of the house, including rear and side extensions
- Classical Georgian elements, as seen in the bilateral symmetry of the main house, pediments over the front door and upper story windows, shallow gable roof, gable end detailing, even fenestration pattern on front facade, and mullioned windows (upper windows with eight panes, lower with 24)
- the historic colour scheme of burnt sienna around the windows and doorframes, contrasted against the white clapboard facade
- the vernacular construction methods and detailing, such as its partial log construction, , the front door and its hardware, and the framing of the house
- Gothic Revival features in the house, such as small pointed arch windows at the rear of the house
- the hall parlour floor plan and the surviving historic interior features and fixtures

Recognition

Jurisdiction

British Columbia

Recognition Authority

Province of British Columbia

Recognition Statute

Heritage Conservation Act, s.9, s.13(1)(a)

Recognition Type

Provincial Heritage Site (Designated)

Recognition Date

1967/04/18

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Peopling the Land
Settlement

Function - Category and Type

Current

Leisure
Historic or Interpretive Site

Historic

Food Supply
Farm or Ranch
Residence
Single Dwelling

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

BC Heritage Branch file No. 27000-30-CO-04

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

DcRu-159

Status

Published

Related Places

Craigflower Schoolhouse in the late 19th Century

Craigflower Schoolhouse

Craigflower Schoolhouse is a two-storey, gable-roofed building on Admirals Road, just north of the Craigflower Bridge in Saanich, BC. The land on which the schoolhouse sits is on…

Detail view

Craigflower Manor House National Historic Site of Canada

The Craigflower Manor House was built between 1853 and 1856, mainly from materials cut, hewn and milled in the vicinity. It is a two-storey timber frame building with a…

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