Devon Place

Devon Place has been designated because of its aesthetic, historical and cultural value.

Devon Place has aesthetic value as it one of the finest domestic examples of Classical design in Newfoundland and Labrador. At the time of its construction this house would have been among the most magnificent in St. John’s. Even with the presence of numerous Classical design elements, Devon Place exudes an aura of elegance and refined simplicity, as its decorative facade is essentially regular and symmetrical. Devon Place also stands as a testament to the skill, craftsmanship and creativity of the city’s builders and tradesmen.

Devon Place has historical value because of its age and association with several individuals who played key roles in the political, economic and social evolution of Newfoundland and Labrador. In 1843, merchant and politician William Thomas acquired a grant for a piece of land between Forest Road and King’s Bridge Road. By 1849, Noad’s map of St. John’s shows a home on this plot. Devon Place is therefore one of the older original buildings in this area to have survived the great city fires of the nineteenth century. Also of historical note is the changing ownership of Devon Place by several influential residents of St. John’s. These men would help shape the political, economic and social development of both the city and the colony; for example, William P. Thomas, merchant and politician, James Murray, merchant, Robert J. Pinsent, Supreme Court Judge, Charles Bowring, merchant, Harry Duff Reid, Reid Newfoundland Company, Dr. Charles Howlett, dentist and mayor of St. John's, and Dr. Charles Hutton, Chief Medical Examiner for the province.

Devon Place has cultural value as it stands as a physical reminder of an earlier time and place. The area of St. John’s in which Devon Place is located was developed in the early nineteenth century by the upper class, whose wealth was evidenced in the stately residences they had constructed away from the congestion of the downtown core. The original homes in the historic Forest Road area speak to the prosperity of the business and merchant elite in this small colony.