The Alexander and Jennie Templeman house in Bonavista was built in 1895 by Robert and Allan Ryder for local fisherman Edmund Templeman. The home is considered one of the best examples of small-scale Gothic Revival architecture in the community, showing the early use of the twin-peaked dormers that came to dominate Bonavista's vernacular architecture by the 1920s. With its gabled roof and dormer windows, the two-storeyed structure was typical of a style found in the area in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The dwelling is a testament to the construction capabilities of the Ryder brothers.

© 1998 Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (24Kb)

Edmund actually built the house for his son, Alexander, who at the time of construction was working in the coal mines at North Sydney, Nova Scotia. It was completed by the time the son returned. Alexander married in 1905 and raised his family in the home built for him by his father. It was subsequently handed down to Alexander's son, Norman, and later to his grandson, Philip, who still resides there.

In March 1996, the Heritage Foundation designated the Alexander and Jennie Templeman House a Heritage Structure. It was also awarded the Southcott Award for heritage restoration by the Newfoundland Historic Trust.