House Summary

This Regency style home, located on Bishopsgate Road, was built in 1860. It features a small front gable window, six-over-six sash windows and a porch that may be an original variation on the style. It had been in the Shearer family for many decades and still features much of the original windows and doors.¹

Timeline

c. 1860 – Joseph Porter built the home¹

18?? – Peter Porter purchased home¹

1933 – Shearer family purchased home¹

19?? – Partitions put in to make three bedrooms¹

1952 - Kitchen cupboards put in¹

1953 - Bathroom added¹

1968 - John Vamos purchased and rented out home¹

19?? - Fences were torn down¹

1983 - Koustall Family purchased home¹

19?? - Barn was torn down¹

19?? - Drive Shed was torn down¹

19?? - Tractor was removed¹

19?? - Silo torn down¹

1989 - Addition/Garage was built¹

19?? - Back porch was redone¹

19?? - Front porch was redone¹

19?? - Boulder was added to the front of the yard¹

19?? - Deck was renovated from original cement¹

19?? - Row of Walnut Trees removed¹

2002,2007 - Land was professionally landscaped¹

2016 - Outdoor fireplace was added¹

2016 - Deck was renovated¹

Summary of Inhabitants

Otto and Leta Shearer

They were married on February 20, 1929 by Reverend Roberts in Brantford. They had two children, Norma who married Harold Kerr of Mount Pleasant and Edith who married Roger Davis of Burford. They had 7 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. They spent approximately 35 years on the property. In 1989, they were presented with the Service Diploma at the annual meeting of the Burford Agricultural Society having owned a successfully dairy operation. They also received the Force Family Memorial Award in the same year.²

Architectural Features

This Regency style home was built in 1860. It features header bond brick with decorative dentil brick work alongside the roof. It is a centre door front façade with a small gable with an overhang. The roof has a decorated cornice bracket underneath it. The windows are six over six double hung windows with soldier brow with wood sills. The front door has two sidelights on either side of it with a brown shingled shed style roof with a large fascia board supported by white pillars. The right side features decorative cornice brackets and dentils underneath the roof. It has one six over six sash double hung window and a red shuttered blind window with soldier brick brow with wood sills. Most of the basement windows also feature brick brows. The back deck area features one over one sash double hung windows, wooden deck and white pillars with the doors and windows having brick brows as well. A back addition features a wooden exterior and single paned windows with two garage doors and a six grid windowed entry door. The left side of the home features an enclosed glass porch area with vinyl and single paned windows. The front left of the house features decorative cornice brackets and dentil brick work. There is one six over six double hung window and one red shuttered blind window – both of these featuring soldier brick brow. There is a single chimney on the left side of the residence. The exterior of the home has been beautifully landscaped and the interior well-maintained.

Notes

1. Koustall Family. Personal Interview, June 2017.
2. Burford Museum. July 2017.

References

• Koustall Family. (June 2017). Personal Interview.
• Burford Museum. July 2017

• Burford
  Ontario, Canada
  

  Latitude: 43.0834 Longitude: -80.49968