Old home lovers rejoice! This is a great opportunity to own a significant, nearly 175 year old, piece of architectural history in the heart of downtown #HamOnt! Currently being marketed as commercial but imagine the residential possibilities.
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Rastrick house, also known as Quarrington House, is a fine example of Renaissance Revival architecture.
Drool worthy original character accouterments include 21" thick limestone walls with Ashlar facade, pedimented window surrounds, stone corner quoins, stone banding, shutters, floor to ceiling windows, soaring ceilings, wooden window frames, four stone chimneys, 12" original baseboards and crown molding, marble fireplace mantels and a gracious bent wood banister.
Forty-six Forest Avenue was home to well known Hamilton architect, Frederick James Rastrick. It was 1858 when he moved in, but the true date of construction and architect are unknown. The home's first mention is in an 1847 assessment roll that names its occupant as Milton Davies. The naming went to Rastrick given his prominence an tenure in the house until he died in 1897.
Rastrick was born in West Bromwich, England before immigrating to Brantford, Upper Canada in 1852. Some months later, he established a second office in nearby Hamilton, where he settled at the end of 1853. Better trained than other local architects, he had the advantage of home ground over Torontonians such as William Thomas or Frederic William Cumberland who until then had enjoyed the lion’s share of important commissions in Hamilton.
Rastrick’s first big commission, following the move, was a large warehouse for Young, Law & Co. at the corner of MacNab and Merrick streets (stands today as the offices and factory of the Coppley Apparel Group).
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| Coppley Building |
He also designed the Hamilton branch of the Bank of Upper Canada at James Street North and Vine, and a Gothicized house for John Brown (a wealthy merchant) erected at the foot of Bay Street in 1858 known as "Highfield."
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| Highfield |
Highfield was later the residence of Sir James Turner, and later still Highfield Boys' School. In 1913, it was destroyed by fire, however the coach house remains as a private residence at no. 19 Ravenscliffe Avenue, accessed off a hidden laneway. Furthermore, in 1933 another house was built on Highfield’s main site and remains today as grand estate at 362 Bay Street South on an unheard of 3.85-acre city lot.
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| 362 Bay Street South |
Rastrick was also hired by Sir Allan MacNab to supervise the addition of a suitable portico to Dundurn Castle.
RASTRICK HOUSE FRESH FACTS
- The address was formerly 22 Maria Street, and then 46 Maria Street before officially becoming 46 Forest Avenue. The lot also used to span all the way south to Charlton (formerly Hannah). Furthermore, the Church of the Ascension and its Sunday School building were the only abutting properties to the east of Rastrick House back in the day.
- This home was later owned by Manley Benson Morden, son of Wellington Jeffers Morden, mayor of Hamilton in 1903
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| Six-over-six sash windows still have their original wooden frames. Molded window pediments with Greek frets at their ends. |
Offered at 1,470,000
Listing with Elizabeth Parker of Judy Marsales Real Estate Ltd
View full listing HERE
Listing photos by Chantal Saxe for www.vogelcreative.com
Historical Sources:
1. http://historicalhamilton.com
2. www.raisethehammer.org
3. Head-of-the-Lake Historical Society
