Bishops Lodge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bishops Lodge |
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| Location | Moama Street, Hay, Hay Shire, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1888–1888 |
| Owner | Hay Shire Council |
| Official name: Bishops Lodge; Linton House Hostel for Boys | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 482 |
| Type | Homestead building |
| Category | Residential buildings (private) |
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Bishops Lodge is a special old building in Hay, Australia. It was built in 1888. It used to be a home for a bishop, then a hostel for boys, and now it is a museum. The building is also known as Linton House Hostel for Boys. The local council, Hay Shire Council, owns it. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999, because it is an important historical site.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Bishops Lodge
How Hay and the Church Grew
Long ago, in the 1830s, explorers and settlers traveled along the Murrumbidgee River. By 1839, people had settled near where Hay is today. The area became important for raising animals. This was because the Victorian gold rush created a big market for meat.
The spot where Hay town grew was first called Lang's Crossing-place. It was a popular place to cross the Murrumbidgee River. In 1858, steamboats started traveling up the river to this spot. By 1859, the town was officially named "Hay." It was named after John Hay, a wealthy landowner. Hay was planned to be a big city, but it stayed small and quiet. However, it did get a railway line to Sydney.
In 1882, people in Hay wanted their town to be the main center for the new Anglican Church area, called the Riverina Diocese. They hoped a cathedral and a bishop living there would make the town better. Other towns, like Deniliquin, also wanted this honor. Hay was chosen because it was in the middle of the Riverina area.
The First Bishop and His Home
The first Bishop of Riverina was Sydney Linton. He arrived in Hay in 1885. He traveled a lot and saw how hot the Riverina climate could be. This helped him plan a special house for his family and for church work.
Bishop Linton worked with an architect named John Sulman. Sulman drew the plans for Bishop's Lodge in 1888. Bishop Linton had many ideas for the house to keep it cool. The house was built, but the people of Hay did not give as much money as they promised. So, the Linton family had to pay most of the building costs. Later, the main church office moved to Narrandera.
Bishop Linton and his family moved into their new home in 1890. He wrote that the house was very comfortable and beautiful. He said it was "cool beyond any other in town." Even when it was 90 degrees outside, it stayed cool inside.
The garden around the house was also very important. Bishop Linton planted many fruit and ornamental trees. However, the garden faced challenges. In 1890, a huge swarm of locusts ate almost everything. In 1891, a flood covered half of the garden. The house stayed safe, four feet above the water. These events shaped how the garden grew over time.
Bishop Sydney Linton passed away in 1894. After his death, the church had to deal with the money owed for Bishop's Lodge.
Bishop Anderson's Time at the Lodge
Ernest Augustus Anderson became the new Bishop of Riverina in 1894. He had worked in similar conditions in Queensland. He faced big money problems in the church area. Part of this was due to the debt on Bishop's Lodge. Also, some church money was lost because of a dishonest lawyer. Bishop Anderson spent his own money to keep the church going and to live at Bishop's Lodge. It took him 22 years to pay off his debts.
Bishop Anderson, his wife Aimee, and their four children moved into Bishop's Lodge in 1895. They had two more daughters while living there. The house was big enough for their family. Bishop Anderson was a strong and active man. He loved art and gardening. He collected china and created beautiful rose gardens. He even painted a mural in the church, which was sadly damaged by fire in 1964.
The staff at Bishop's Lodge included a married couple, Mr. and Mrs. Bond, who lived near the kitchen. Mrs. Bond was the cook, and Mr. Bond worked in the garden. There was also a maid and a governess. A Chinese gardener named Ah Mow, who Bishop Linton hired, worked there until 1921. He grew vegetables for the family and sold extra produce in town.
Bishop Anderson traveled a lot for his church duties. He helped build many churches and rectories. By 1915, cars made travel easier. By 1918, Bishop Anderson had paid off the loans for Bishop's Lodge. When he retired in 1924, the church was in much better financial shape.
The garden at Bishop's Lodge was famous for its roses during Bishop Anderson's time. He loved roses and labeled each bush. He also had orange and lemon trees. There was a summer-house and a small greenhouse for plants.
Changes and New Uses
After Bishop Anderson retired, the church tried to sell Bishop's Lodge. But they couldn't find a buyer. So, in 1925, the new Bishop, Reginald Halse, moved in. During his time, the house was often empty, and not much maintenance was done.
Between 1931 and 1935, new trees were planted in the garden, including a Canary Island date palm and pencil pines. An old olive hedge was also cleared.
In 1935, a big part of Bishop's Lodge was turned into the Linton House Hostel for Boys. The large house and grounds were perfect for boys to play tennis, cricket, and football. There was also a swimming spot nearby. The hostel worked well until 1946, when the building was finally sold.
Private Owners and a Museum Today
In 1946, after 22 years of trying, the church sold Bishop's Lodge to Mr. Nick Panaretto and Mrs. Kerany Carides. They lived there comfortably for many years. After they passed away, Mrs. Panaretto sold the property to the Hay Shire Council in 1985.
Since 1985, the Council has run Bishop's Lodge as a community house museum. It is also used for special events. In 1988, old-fashioned roses were planted in the garden. Volunteers now help keep the garden beautiful. The goal is to keep the special feeling of the garden alive, not to make it look like one specific time period.
What Bishops Lodge Looks Like
Bishops Lodge is a grand building that faces north towards the Murrumbidgee River. You can see it clearly from the Sturt Highway, making it a well-known landmark. The building's design was carefully planned to suit the hot climate.
The Garden
The Lodge has a large country garden, especially towards the river. It has many old and special roses. Volunteers work hard to keep the garden in good shape.
In the past, there was a formal entrance from Lang Street with a wide path for carriages. Now, it's mostly a walking path. The Roset Street entrance is known as the "front gate." Around 1915, the garden had neat lawns, beautiful flower beds, and large rose bushes. Pepper trees and plane trees were also growing well.
The big rose garden was north of the driveway. Bishop Anderson loved roses and labeled each one. There was also a "hidden garden" that was once an enclosed rose garden. It still has some original posts and wire netting. Orange and lemon trees grew around the rose beds. Bishop Anderson also had a summer-house and a small greenhouse.
A wide path led to Lang Street and the river. Along this path were trellises with white and black grapes. Rosemary and lavender grew underneath. There were vegetable gardens in the north-west corner and at the back of the building. Ah Mow, the Chinese gardener, grew vegetables there. There was also an orchard.
The stables, where horses were kept, became home to the Dean family in the 1920s. This was probably after the Bishop got a car. The Deans lived there until the early 1940s, and the stables were later taken down.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Chinese market gardens near the river supplied vegetables to the boys' hostel. For a while, there was also a tennis court in the north-east corner of the grounds.
The House Itself
The Lodge has the main house, a kitchen building, and two smaller buildings. The main house has a courtyard at the back and a verandah all around it. You can get to all the rooms from the verandah. There is only one hallway inside.
The outside walls are made of corrugated iron, and the inside walls are ripple iron. Sawdust was put inside the walls for insulation. This design helped the house stay cool in summer and warm in winter. It also helped prevent cracks from soil movement. The roof is sloped, and there are vents to help air flow. The chimneys are made of brick. Above the main entrance, there is a special decoration with a bishop's mitre (a bishop's hat).
The house has 18 rooms, each about 25 feet by 25 feet. The ceilings are 12 feet high. Each room has a marble fireplace. The old chapel room has a decorated arch and a stained glass window above the door.
The Kitchen Area
The kitchen building has a large kitchen and several smaller rooms. It is connected to the main house by a raised, covered walkway.
Why Bishops Lodge is Important
Bishops Lodge is a special and rare example of a large iron house from the 1800s in the Riverina area. Its design and materials show how people adapted to the extreme climate and soil conditions. Its unique design even influenced other buildings in Hay.
Bishops Lodge was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
Images for kids
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The front of Bishops Lodge.
