Plas Mawr is an English Arts and Crafts style cottage designed and built by distinguished New Zealand architect and builder James Walter Chapman-Taylor [1878-1958] in 1913.
Best known for his domestic architecture, Chapman-Taylor was committed to the principles promoted by the Arts and Crafts movement. A reaction against industrialisation, this movement attempted to reunite the craftsman with the creative process. It thrived from the late nineteenth century to the beginning of the First World War. Chapman-Taylor studied buildings erected according to Arts and Crafts principles on a trip to England in 1909 and, on returning to New Zealand, adapted the style to suit local conditions. Over his 50 year career Chapman-Taylor erected numerous high-quality, hand-crafted homes in the English cottage style throughout New Zealand.
Plas Mawr is a two-storey cottage that was commissioned by Anne Burgess, wife of the former mayor of New Plymouth, Charles H. Burgess. For two years Mrs Burgess had been unable to find an architect who would design a house suitable for her small, triangular section. The section inspired Chapman-Taylor to develop his 'sun-trap' plan, a design he subsequently used for other houses. Described by Chapman-Taylor as a butterfly with two splayed wings, the open 'L' shaped house fitted neatly into a corner of the property, leaving the rest free for a garden. The house is built of brick covered with white, trowel-stroked plaster and has a roof of slate tiles. On completing Plas Mawr, Chapman-Taylor commented that although house building is generally a 'trade', it can and should be an 'art'.
Inside, the exposed timber beams of darkened jarrah were intended to contrast strongly with the white, plastered walls. The wood surfaces were hand-adzed to give them an interest and beauty that Chapman-Taylor considered was totally lost in smooth, machine made finishes. The ceilings were plastered between the beams and the surface worked to a suitable texture with a brush while still wet. The house still features the hand-crafted, built-in timber shelves and seats characteristic of most Chapman-Taylor homes. The floor was made of concrete flagstones enlivened with small red tiles. The iron door hinges and window latches were forged by hand. The house was given the Welsh name 'Plas Mawr' or 'My Place' by Chapman-Taylor, and was designed to house two elderly people in comfort.
The house remained in the hands of the Burgess family for almost 42 years. Since then it has had a number of owners, the majority of whom have been retired couples. It has been the subject of a numerous articles, both in New Zealand and America, and is a recognised part of New Plymouth's architectural heritage. Only a few, minor modifications have been made to the house, and it remains in excellent condition.
Plas Mawr has national architectural significance as the work of one of New Zealand's renowned architects of the twentieth century, James Chapman-Taylor. It is a typical example of a Chapman-Taylor home and includes features such as the adzed jarrah timber and built-in furniture that characterise his work. The commission to design the house inspired the development of the sun-trap plan and the house has architectural significance as the first use of this plan by the architect. The house is also the first example in which Chapman-Taylor used hand-adzed wood as a building finish, although he had used it in earlier commissions on furniture. The hand-adzed wood and furniture and the hand-forged ironwork give the house technological significance. The house has historical significance as one of a number of houses built between 1909 and 1913 that mark the development of the architect's principles on building design. It also has national and international significance as a fine example of the principles promoted by the Arts and Crafts movement as applied to building construction.
Best known for his domestic architecture, Chapman-Taylor was committed to the principles promoted by the Arts and Crafts movement. A reaction against industrialisation, this movement attempted to reunite the craftsman with the creative process. It thrived from the late nineteenth century to the beginning of the First World War. Chapman-Taylor studied buildings erected according to Arts and Crafts principles on a trip to England in 1909 and, on returning to New Zealand, adapted the style to suit local conditions. Over his 50 year career Chapman-Taylor erected numerous high-quality, hand-crafted homes in the English cottage style throughout New Zealand.
Plas Mawr is a two-storey cottage that was commissioned by Anne Burgess, wife of the former mayor of New Plymouth, Charles H. Burgess. For two years Mrs Burgess had been unable to find an architect who would design a house suitable for her small, triangular section. The section inspired Chapman-Taylor to develop his 'sun-trap' plan, a design he subsequently used for other houses. Described by Chapman-Taylor as a butterfly with two splayed wings, the open 'L' shaped house fitted neatly into a corner of the property, leaving the rest free for a garden. The house is built of brick covered with white, trowel-stroked plaster and has a roof of slate tiles. On completing Plas Mawr, Chapman-Taylor commented that although house building is generally a 'trade', it can and should be an 'art'.
Inside, the exposed timber beams of darkened jarrah were intended to contrast strongly with the white, plastered walls. The wood surfaces were hand-adzed to give them an interest and beauty that Chapman-Taylor considered was totally lost in smooth, machine made finishes. The ceilings were plastered between the beams and the surface worked to a suitable texture with a brush while still wet. The house still features the hand-crafted, built-in timber shelves and seats characteristic of most Chapman-Taylor homes. The floor was made of concrete flagstones enlivened with small red tiles. The iron door hinges and window latches were forged by hand. The house was given the Welsh name 'Plas Mawr' or 'My Place' by Chapman-Taylor, and was designed to house two elderly people in comfort.
The house remained in the hands of the Burgess family for almost 42 years. Since then it has had a number of owners, the majority of whom have been retired couples. It has been the subject of a numerous articles, both in New Zealand and America, and is a recognised part of New Plymouth's architectural heritage. Only a few, minor modifications have been made to the house, and it remains in excellent condition.
Plas Mawr has national architectural significance as the work of one of New Zealand's renowned architects of the twentieth century, James Chapman-Taylor. It is a typical example of a Chapman-Taylor home and includes features such as the adzed jarrah timber and built-in furniture that characterise his work. The commission to design the house inspired the development of the sun-trap plan and the house has architectural significance as the first use of this plan by the architect. The house is also the first example in which Chapman-Taylor used hand-adzed wood as a building finish, although he had used it in earlier commissions on furniture. The hand-adzed wood and furniture and the hand-forged ironwork give the house technological significance. The house has historical significance as one of a number of houses built between 1909 and 1913 that mark the development of the architect's principles on building design. It also has national and international significance as a fine example of the principles promoted by the Arts and Crafts movement as applied to building construction.
