Description of Historic Place

The Defensible Lockmaster’s House overlooks the Rideau Canal and stands close to the lock at Poonamalie Lockstation, as part of the Rideau Canal National Historic Site of Canada. It is a two-storey, cube-shaped building with a hipped roof and symmetrical façades, both front and rear. The darker, limestone walls of the first-storey contrast with the painted clapboard exterior of the second-floor. An open porch protects the main entrance. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Defensible Lockmaster’s House is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value
The Defensible Lockmaster’s House is a good example of a building associated with the construction and operation of the Rideau Canal. The house illustrates the theme of military defence for Upper and Lower Canada in the 19th century, and the evolution and transformation of the waterway as a federal public work. This building is the only surviving residence among those constructed on the site during the military era, and hence is an important representative example of that period in the community's development.

Architectural Value
The Defensible Lockmaster’s House is valued for its good aesthetic design. Its appearance is characteristic of a late 19th-century and early 20th-century residence. The second-storey addition, summer kitchen and the interior layout reflect an increased emphasis on residential design, which resulted from a change in the function of the canal by the 20th century from defence to recreation and commerce and as such, combines both its original military form as well as added residential features. Very good functional design is evidenced in the interior layout. Very good craftsmanship can be seen in the ground floor stonework. The regularly coursed stone masonry of the lower storey and defensible porch represent the craftsmanship of the Royal Engineers.

Environmental Value
The Defensible Lockmaster’s House reinforces the historic character of its park-like setting at Poonamalie Lockstation and is a familiar landmark to local residents and to visitors.

Sources: James De Jonge, Twenty Nine Buildings, Central Area, Rideau Canal, Ontario, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Building Report 91-072 to 91-081; Defensible Lockmaster’s House, Poonmalie Lockstation, Rideau Canal, Ontario, Heritage Character Statement 91-072.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Defensible Lockmaster’s House should be respected.

Its excellent aesthetic, good functional design and excellent materials and craftsmanship, for example: the two-storey massing with hipped roof, and a chimney; the exterior walls, the thick ground floor wall constructed of limestone masonry and the frame second floor clad in clapboard; the symmetrical front and back façades with regular placement of the windows and doors; the enclosed east porch and the summer kitchen at the rear; the interior configuration with its centre hall plan, the central staircase, and the base of the original hearth.

The manner in which the Defensible Lockmaster’s House reinforces the historic character of its park-like setting at Poonamalie Lockstation and is a familiar local landmark, as evidenced by: its overall scale, design and materials, that harmonize with the green spaces around the lock station; its visibility due to its prominent location adjacent to the canal, which makes it a local landmark; its role as an historic museum, which makes it well known in the area.

Heritage Character Statement

Disclaimer - The heritage character statement was developed by FHBRO to explain the reasons for the designation of a federal heritage building and what it is about the building that makes it significant (the heritage character). It is a key reference document for anyone involved in planning interventions to federal heritage buildings and is used by FHBRO in their review of interventions.

The Defensible Lockmaster's House was built at Poonamalie Lockstation in 1840-41 by the Royal Engineers as part of the defence system for the Rideau Canal. A single-storey summer kitchen was added to the rear in 1899, while a second storey was added to the main structure in the first decades of the twentieth century. The Canadian Parks Service is the custodian. See FHBRO Building Report 91-72.

Reasons For Designation

The building was designated Recognized as a result of its historical associations, its functional design and quality craftsmanship, and the heritage character of its site and setting.

The original defensible design components of this lockmaster's house reflect the military role of the Rideau Canal in the defence of the united Canadas during the nineteenth century. This building is the only surviving residence among those constructed on the site during the military era, and hence is an important representative of that period in the community's development.

The second-storey addition, summer kitchen and interior layout reflect the emphasis on residential design which resulted from a change in the function of the canal by the twentieth century from defence to recreation and commerce.

The setting has remained essentially unchanged since the turn of the century, while the site reflects a residential character in keeping with its historic function.

Character Defining Elements

The heritage character of this structure is defined by the combination of military and residential design features, the high level of craftsmanship and the retained historic relationship to the lockstation.

The Poonamalie Defensible Lockmaster's House is a two-storey, hipped-roof structure, retaining an original defensible porch on the east side and the 1899 summer kitchen at the rear. It was originally a single-storey hipped-roof structure, square in plan. The addition of the clapboarded second storey maintains the simple massing, and the original symmetry of the main facade -- central door with flanking windows -- is maintained by the three upper windows.

The structure retains the original first-storey limestone walls, the stone base of the original hearth, the first-floor heavy timber joists, and several original partition walls. While the front porch is recent, the east porch is an original defensible component attesting to the military function of the structure. The thick stone walls of the lower floor reflect this military role and the careful construction associated with the Royal Engineers. The centre-hall plan with its central staircase dates from the addition of the second-storey, and reflects the change in function from defence to simple domestic accommodation associated with the change in the role of the canal itself.

The building retains its original orientation close to the lock, and reinforces the historic character of the setting. The house is a local landmark. The overall form, historic materials, domestic character, and setting of this property should be maintained.