With houses in close proximity to one another and narrow streets running parallel to the harbour, Lunenburg is one of the finest examples of eighteenth-century British colonial town planning. But the architecture itself has a flair and uniqueness that belie its early beginnings. Here, low-profile Cape Cods suggest a New England influence; stately Georgian-style homes share streetscapes with pointed dormers, the hallmark of Gothic revival, as well as with the ubiquitous and functional Lunenburg Bump, which serves as a storm porch and provides an elevated view of the harbour; fanciful turnof-thecentury homes–distinguished by large bay windows, elaborate mouldings, expansive verandahs, and corner turrets–overlook each other on hilly streets, while brightly coloured waterfront buildings speak of a long association with seafaring traditions.

Indeed, it is Lunenburg’s proximity to the sea–and the prosperity generated by shipbuilding and the fishery–that have shaped the character of its fine residences, public and commercial buildings, and have allowed the development of a unique regional architectural style that has made the town a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In this collaboration, photographer Terry James and conservation planner Bill Plaskett present a visual and interpretive documentary on this extraordinary town that both records its essential architectural forms and captures the historic sweep of its measured and adaptive development.