.png)
Samuel Maclure Projects
Heritage Restorations
History
Both a painter and self-taught architect, Samuel Maclure is famous for introducing the "Arts & Crafts" style of architecture throughout Victoria, BC and Vancouver, BC in the late 1800's through to his death in 1929. Born in 1860 and beginning his career as an architect in 1889, Maclure is renowned for his architectural style and achievements through over 450 commissions which include the Governor's House, Hatley Castle, Oldfield Estate, and numerous other heritage homes and buildings.
Incorporating a large degree of masonry into each design with the utilization of granite, stucco, and brick, the majority of his homes have stood up to the test of time and our coastal weather here in Victoria. Samuel's work endures as a lasting legacy of architectural heritage and the homes he designed remain some of the most beautiful houses in B.C. to this day.
Lennox Masonry of Victoria, BC has been a part of numerous restorative masonry projects on both the homes and buildings touched by Samuel Maclure, including the Oldfield Estate, nearly all of his commissions along Foul Bay Rd., Marlborough St., Rockland Ave., and Newport Ave. to name a few.
Marlborough St.
Lennox Masonry undertook the task of restoring and modernizing the stucco and brick chimney on Marlborough St. The chimney was quite defunct and in need of a major restoration which entailed rebuilding the brickwork and the stucco, pouring a concrete cap in place to protect the interior of the chimney and the application of a chimney pot to prevent further weathering of the flue liners.
The home was designed and built by Maclure in 1921 for Mrs. W. H. MacInnes and has exchanged many hands since then until current owners purchased it in 2021 and began the restoration process. Apart from the chimney, the home consists mainly of stucco, a stone foundation, and a brick fireplace which has been restored by Lennox Masonry. To learn more about our chimney repair services in Victoria, BC, visit our Chimney Repairs page.
Foul Bay Rd.
This stone pillar is one of two twin pillars which were original to the home that was designed and built by Samuel Maclure in 1913. The stone pillars were forcibly taken down by the Victoria Fire Department in order to access a blaze on the property and were rebuilt by Lennox Masonry as near replicas of the originals. The stones were salvaged and the pillars were made to look as if they had always been there, incorporating the original character and style of stonework. The stone retaining wall beside this pillar was also rebuilt to match the original wall and retain its charm. Lennox Masonry built several stone walkways on the property beside this one as well, which was also designed by Samuel.
To learn more about a third and larger masonry project we conducted involving indoor and outdoor fireplaces and stonework throughout another Maclure property on Foul Bay Rd., visit our Foul Bay Rd. Project page.
Lennox Masonry was tasked with restoring the foundational stone walls at the Oldfield Estate, as part of a larger renovation project which also entailed rebuilding
the stonework alongside the ponds on the property, various garden retaining walls, and flagstone walkways.
The Oldfield House, also known as the Norfolk Lodge, was renovated by Maclure in 1911 and then again in 1914 to reflect the trending Arts & Crafts style of architecture. The home consists of mainly stucco with a stone foundation and countless granite walls throughout the property including a stone bridge across the pond.
There are two large ponds on the property which are lined with granite to retain the soil, spanning nearly 4,000 linear feet in total. Lennox Masonry was responsible for repointing and rebuilding the majority of the stonework on the property. We were also responsible for restoring and rebuilding several 17th Century limestone architectural features which were imported from France and were original to a gothic cathedral in Italy. The historical features were erected throughout the 17 acres of sprawling gardens on the estate which include the original windows and doorways of the cathedral. To learn more about this project, visit our Oldfield Heritage Restoration page and our Brookfield Rd. page.
