Oxley's Hotel Facade

1-9 Wellington Street and London Quay, PICTON

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Oxley's Hotel, originally known as the 'Bank Hotel', was built around 1870. Picton builder William Pugh, the hotel's first manager, is thought to have constructed the 1870 building. In the late 1890s to early 1900s, under the ownership of Francis Allwood Oxley, the original portions of the hotel were demolished, leaving only a timber portion (1889) constructed on the south side. Added to this timber portion was a two-storey masonry building with a curved façade in Italianate Palazzo style, and an ornate cast-iron lacework verandah. [Prominent architect Joshua Charlesworth designed this building, which was completed in 1902.] The hotel, renamed Oxley's, included 29 rooms, of which 16 were bedrooms. Oxley's Hotel continued to serve as an important gathering place until its closure, and its prominence on the Picton landscape, especially as viewed from the waterfront and harbour approach, meant the building became a visual landmark of the town and a strong symbol of the heritage of the settlement. The building was largely demolished in 2004, following a contested resource consent application. However, the ornate masonry street façade was retained and temporarily supported while a new structure, known as Oxley's Rock Development, was built behind it. The façade was strengthened and incorporated into the structure of the new building, and was refurbished and repainted using a heritage colour scheme. The cast iron verandah, a prominent feature of the building that extended the full length of the street facade, had been removed in 1991, but the components of the verandah had been stored at this time, allowing it to be reinstated as a feature of the redevelopment. Oxley's Hotel Façade as it stands today has some aesthetic, architectural and social value. Although the original heritage values of the façade have been diminished by the surrounding redevelopment and loss of the majority of the fabric of the old building, the façade retains architectural significance as a very good example of the public architecture of a quality hotel from the 1890s. Much of the aesthetic value of the original Oxley's Hotel façade remains in place, and is enhanced by the refurbishment and reinstatement of the colonial verandah, which contributes a significant three-dimensional aspect to this façade. As one of the most important remaining fragments of built heritage in the town, Oxley's Hotel Façade's prominence and location in an area highly visible from the foreshore and harbour approach provides an excellent opportunity for utilising interpretation to tell the story of the history of Picton. Most importantly, the continuity that Oxley's Hotel Façade represents, as a rare remaining link to the historic heritage of the town and as a prominent visual symbol of Picton, ensures its social significance to the local community as well as the many travellers who pass through on their journeys between the North and South Islands.

Oxley's Hotel Facade. Image courtesy of www.flickr.com | PhilBee NZ - Phil Braithwaite | 20/03/2014 | Phil Braithwaite
Oxley's Hotel Facade, Picton. CC Licence 2.0 Image courtesy of www.flickr.com | Michael Coghlan | 18/04/2016 | Michael Coghlan
Oxley's Hotel Façade. Original image submitted at time of registration | Unknown | NZHPT Field Record Form Collection

Location

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List Entry Information

Overview

Detailed List Entry

Status

Listed

List Entry Status

Historic Place Category 2

Access

Private/No Public Access

List Number

5108

Date Entered

6th June 1990

Date of Effect

6th June 1990

City/District Council

Marlborough District

Region

Marlborough Region

Extent of List Entry

Extent includes part of the land described as Lots 2, 8 DP 375893 (RT MB305286), Marlborough Land District and the part of the land described as Legal Roadway that encompasses the footprint of the verandah, and the structure known as Oxley's Hotel Facade thereon, and its fittings and fixtures, including the verandah and verandah posts. (Refer to map of extent in Appendix 1 of the review report for further information).

Legal description

Lots 2, 8 DP 375893 (RT MB305286) and Legal Roadway, Marlborough Land District

Location Description

The facade is situated on the corner of London Quay and Wellington Street

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