The Bay-and-Gable Style of Victorian Toronto

bayandgablevictorian — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:36:00 +0000

Three story homes with ten foot or higher ceilings in the public rooms resulted in eccentric narrow and tall homes in both semi and row figurations.

The Bay-and-Gable homes of Toronto are unique within the world of Victorian architecture, in part due to taxation laws of the time that assessed annual taxes based on the width of a lot’s frontage. Canadian pragmatism resulted in narrow lots, often between 15-20 feet in width and houses built upwards into usually three stories. Three story homes with ten foot or higher ceilings in the public rooms resulted in eccentric narrow and tall homes in both semi and row figurations.

According to McHugh (1989), early examples, beginning in 1875, have more Italianate features including round headed windows, angled bays, and steep gables. Those dating from the late 1880s have more of a Queen Anne influence with rectangular bays, straight window lintels and less steeply pitched gables.

Tons of variation exists and while most Bay-and-Gable homes abide by a typical floor plan, the dimensions of rooms and hallways can vary widely. Typical features include stained glass, tall 10-11 foot ceilings, ornate plaster work, detailed barge boards and ginger-breading, steeply pitched roofs, tall windows with low sills, and detailed millwork common in other Victorian revival styles. The style of exterior masonry, millwork, stained-glass and plaster work also varies tremendously producing few if any Bay-and-Gables that are the same.

McHugh, Patricia. (1989). Toronto Architecture: A City Guide. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Inc.

1889 Bay-and-Gable Victorian » Italianate

The Bay-and-Gable Style of Victorian Toronto