19th and early 20th Century Glebe houses display a variety of boundary fences, most commonly wooden pickets and iron railings. Apart from security and delineation, fences give a uniform appearance to a street – especially with a run of identical terraces or houses; and complement their wooden and iron lace verandahs.

The Victorian iron fence and gate was usually constructed using wrought iron for the horizontal bars and palisade rods and cast iron (moulded) for the spearheads and finials.

Although the iron fence is a feature of many Glebe buildings there is a range of spearheads used with some common forms such as the fleur-de-lis and a few that are more individualised. The first two photographs are of Margaretta Cottage in Leichhardt St and Emslee in Mansfield St. These two early Glebe houses have simple but substantial spearhead designs. Later Victorian designs were more decorative.

If your property has yet a different iron fence top, we’d love to see it. Email your photo to editor@glebesociety.org.au.

 

 

(Images by Peter Crawshaw)