During the Victorian period of architecture there was much innovation, change, experimentation and free use and intermingling of styles – and so when yet another influence arose in the 1870’s – 1880’s it was almost as if there wasn’t any philosophical room left for yet another style. And so it was with the Victorian Romanesque style – in fact very few examples of it can be found around Australia and little reference is made to it in accounts of Victorian styles.

The Victorian Romanesque style became notable in Europe and America largely as a result of the works of architect Henry Richardson, but in Australia his influence didn’t come to the fore until the Federation stage. There were some public buildings, mostly churches, which were built according to this style, but its prevalence was not strong.

Some of the characteristics of this style were:

• Strong solid walls
• Parapet gables
• Small windows and doors
• Wheel windows
• Circular openings
• Pyramid roofs

It was a good style for churches because there was often the idea of a solid heavy area over an empty space or void. There were some decorative features, usually incorporated into the brickwork, but no evidence of the ornate embellishments characteristic of other Victorian styles.
A notable example of Victorian Romanesque is St Saviour’s Anglican Church in Redfern Sydney, as pictured below. (Source sydneyarchitecture.com) View other limited examples.