>> Read more

>> Hide detail

Physical Description

A colonial single-storey sandstone house with a brick wing at the rear and a two room attic. The hip rooves are of slate, the main roof has a rear dormer to the attic with flashing hips over the east and west wings. East wing is of rubble sandstone.

A slate rooved verandah, supported by simple rectangular posts onto stone flags, borders the house on the eastern and southern sides. Colonial shuttered French doors open onto the verandah.
(Source: National Trust (NSW), 1981)

The façade facing Victoria Road is symmetrical with three hipped roof forms; two room attic in the central portion.
There is a straight pitched verandah to the east and south supported on simple rectangular timber posts.
Roofs are of slate with portions of restored Morewood and Rogers type iron tiles.
There is a central front door and four pairs of shuttered French doors opening onto the stone flagged verandah.
External joinery and door furniture, including six panel front door and fanlight, are generally intact, but few original internal fittings have survived.
There is a stone outbuilding at the rear and a freestanding oven (J Ward) with areas of stone paving and remains of other footings. (Source: RNE, 1991)

Modifications

post 1794 / pre 1810 first three-roomed cottage built.
1810 central section rebuilt as six-room house around the original cottage.
1822 west wing added.
1840 east wing added.
(Source: National Trust (NSW, 1981)

Archaeological and documentary evidence suggests construction between 1833-41, with further additions until the 1870s.
The house was built in at least four separate stages, the brick walled rear wing being one of the earliest sections, pre-1840.
C1991 attic's rear facing dormer windows replaced
(Source: RNE, 1991)

1794 30 acres of land.
1908-1919 E.H.Rogers owns house and 1 acre of land. Rest of land (? Acres?) purchased by E.H.Rogers in 1911.

Condition

External joinery is mostly intact, stone work on main portion of house appears sound.
House is substantially waterproof.
Internally most original fittings have not survived and there is some damp.
Floors and ceilings are in fair condition where not replaced.
(Source National Trust (NSW), 1981)

External joinery and door furniture, including six panel front door and fanlight, are generally intact, but few original internal fittings have survived. (Source: RNE, 1991)

Abbreviated findings of 1988 Stocks report (stage 1 of restoration works):
-an extensive area of paving was found to the rear (north) of the house and its different stages were identified. Other paths and paved areas were observed, where possible, near the cistern, stable, driveway and front (south) of house.
- the nature of the 'stable' outbuilding to the NE of the site was investigated, and it was found to be the expected size and extent, ie: a long rectangular structure running E of the privvy. Lack of a south wall and the sandstone floor packing and paving was not anticipated. Its function is interpreted to have been a doorway or open area that continued south as a driveway.
- a trench excavated in the stable provided evidence of pre-stable surface and rubbish disposal behaviour of the mid-late 19th century - yielding useful and displayable artefacts
- areas 5-8 yeilded information on aspects of Addington's construction - structural details of the dripstones feeding water into the box drain and of the ballroom floor and cistern were revealed. The ballroom's occupation deposits are well protected below ground and the area obviously has great archaeological potential.
- the area close to the cistern was revealed to have been a refuse area in late 19-20th centuries, making it another (comparable) source of info on behaviour and lifestyles of Addington's occupants
- adjacent properties to Addington also contain evidence of the earlier farm, particularly behind no.s 809, 811 and 815 Victoria Road. Any redevelopment of these houses should be noted and appropriate action taken
- the interior of Addington is capable of providing much info about its residents and change in room functions over time. No works should be done on the house without consulting the Heritage Council of NSW, and Burra Charter.
- the fact that much of the flooring of the house is presently (1988) raised in preparation for stage 2 of the restoration makes below-floor deposits very accessible for archaeol. Investigation. (perhaps more so than ever again). However unless these deposits are investigated as part of a broad and far-reaching program it is best they should be left alone, and thus preserved for the future. An adequate research design would necessitate the excavation of all the undisturbed deposits. (continues) Whole rooms must be looked at, including those in the attic.
- the large 'foreign' objects that are found on the grounds of Addington should either be kept appropriately or given back to their previous owners (dumped). If they are to be kept, adequate procedures must be undertaken for their preservation and display, eg; the stump jump plough and mangle are rusting and need conservation.
- the sandstone and brick rubble should be assessed for value and if it cannot be used in any way on site should be dumped or sold. If used on site, a record of where it goes must be kept.
- records and finds of stage 1 archaeological project are not remaining with Council or at Addington. Written and photographic records will be kept at the Heritage Council of NSW. Artefacts have been boxed and will eventually be housed at the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (later the Powerhouse Museum). Records and artefacts of Pat Burritt's 1980 excavation are at the places described above and it is appropriate that they are put together.
- records, artefacts and memory of the members of the Addington Trust, esp. J.Rich, should be fully investigated prior to any final decision about objects on the site and the way it is to be presented to the public
- further investigation/testing of the driveway for possible construction details is recommended. Auger testing is a method that can be employed initially.
- further investigation of the outbuildings area NE of the house, especially behind #811 Victoria Road, is recommended, as is testing of areas behind #815 Victoria Road.
- ensuring that the privvy area is undisturbed until it can be excavated to fund evidence of the diet and health of residents via long-drop deposits, is recommended.
- it is recommended that an archaeologist be employed during stage 2 of the restoration project to ensure that the resource of the site is not damaged and appropriate actions are taken on discovery of useful features. The archaeologist should be part of the decision making process when the work strategy and aims of the project are considered and finalised. Such a consultant should be employed to help prepare a Conservation Plan for Addington as well as for any future plans for the site by Council. (Stocks, 1988)

History

The Ryde area was highly suitable for farming and orchards, and early grants to marines were given to encourage agriculture. In 1792 land in the area was granted to 8 marines; two of the grants were in the modern area of Ryde. Isaac Archer and John Colethread each received 80 acres of land on the site of the present Ryde-Parramatta Golf Links, now in West Ryde. Later in 1792, in the Eastern Farms area, 12 grants, most of them about 30 acres, were made to convicts. Much later these farms were bought by John Macarthur, Gregory Blaxland and the Reverend Samuel Marsden. The district remained an important orchard area throughout the 19th century. (Pollen, 1996)

1794-1806 emancipated convict James Stewart owned this 30 acre grant, named "New Farm" - it was now 1/12 of the original grants made at 'Kissing Point' as the area was then known. He built a small three room cottage of sandstock bricks. (Leary, 1976, 113).

1809-33 James Shepherd owned it, 30 acres.

1810 the property was taken over by James Shepherd, who completed the central section by building a six-room sandstone house around the original three-room cottage.

1822 Thomas Bowden, the colony's first professional school teacher, added the west wing and in 1840 the east wing was added. It is of rubble sandstone. (Leary, 1976 notes that in 1820 Thomas Bowden, the colony's second school master, added 3 rooms and attics in front of the cottage. In 1825 the west wing was added (part has since been demolished) and Bowden started the first Boarding School in the colony here. (Leary, 1976, 113).

1833-1876 Isaac Shepherd (son of James). 1860s-70s Thomas Kendall Bowden and his wife Mary Elizabeth (nee Shepherd) occupied Addington.

1850 the east wing (3 rooms) was added (one has since been demolished) using old bricks of Stewart's cottage which were so soft that they crumble when touched - these were preserved by a veneer of harder brickwork and numerous coats of paint on the interior. (Leary, 1976, 113).

1876-1896 Farm was left in trust for Mary Elizabeth Bowden (nee Shepherd) and her children (Mary Elizabeth was the daughter of Isaac Shepherd).

c1880 for a short time Addington was home to Sir Henry Parkes, NSW Premier and 'Father of Federation'. It was later home to the Benson family - well known in the Ryde district (Leary, 1976, 113).

1882 John F. Loxton, surveyor 'Addington' occupied it.
1889 A.W.Sutton occupied 'Addington'
1891-3 A.G.Walker, squatter occupied Addington
1894-5 Thomas K. Bowden occupied Addington. (died 1897)

1896-1908 owned by Mabel Genevieve Bowden and Florence Edith Bowden (daughters of Mary Elizabeth Bowden).
Occupied by W.C.Burton 1896-7;
M.Montgomery 1898-9; W.
Boyce Allen 1900-1;
Thomas C.Read 1904;
John W.Pickworth 1905-6;
Joseph Payer 1907;
Richard H.Owen 1908;
Hugh McManamey 1910-11

1908-1919 owned by Edith Harriet Rogers (house and 1 acre of land). The rest of the land was purchased by E.H.Rogers in 1911. Occupied by RH Owen 1908 and H.McManamey 1910-11 as above

1919 Lots 23 & 24 of Addington estate (Addington: house only) bought by Sydney Albert Benson. The Benson family were well known in the Ryde district and that they still owned Addington in 1979. Leary adds that a trust was formed with the aim of buying Addington, restoring it for use as a historic home and museum. (Leary, 1976, 113).

1970 owned by Addington Trust (Annable, R., in Stocks, R., 1988)

Internet links

Webpage	Source
Addington House	Attraction Homepage
Addington House	Tourism NSW

Go back to search results