Bowenfels National School Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bowenfels National School Site |
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| Location | 70 Mudgee Street, South Bowenfels, City of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1851–1853 |
| Official name: Bowenfels National School Site; Bowenfels National School Site | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 761 |
| Type | historic site |
| Builders | James Connor (mason) |
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The Bowenfels National School Site is a very old and special place in South Bowenfels, New South Wales, Australia. It's located at 70 Mudgee Street. This site used to be a school and later an artist's studio. Today, it is a private home. The main building was constructed between 1851 and 1853 by a skilled builder named James Connor. Because of its important history, it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
A School's Long Journey
Public education started quite early in the Blue Mountains area. The Bowenfels National School was one of the first. Its foundation stone was laid in October 1850. Local people designed and built the school themselves.
The original building, finished in 1851, had three rooms. One room was for the school, and the other two were for the teacher, John Edhouse, to live in. When it first opened, the school had no furniture, no water, and no toilets. But local supporters, mostly Scottish farmers, paid for improvements in 1852 and 1853.
In 1866, a brand new school room was built. After this, the original 1851 building became the schoolmaster's home. The new school room was built by James Connor. He was a local innkeeper and a very talented mason. He also created some beautiful grave markers in local cemeteries.
The school building from 1866 was used as a primary school for a very long time. It stayed open for over a century, until the end of 1969. Since then, the entire property has been privately owned. For a while, the 1866 school building was used as an artist's studio. The artist lived in the older 1851 building.
Why This Site is Special
The Bowenfels National School Site is very important for many reasons. It helps us understand the history of education in New South Wales.
- Earliest Government School: The schoolmaster's residence and the combined school room are the oldest government school buildings in New South Wales that still look like they did when they were built in 1851.
- First West of the Blue Mountains: This residence was also the very first government school established west of the Blue Mountains.
- Unique School Group: The two sandstone buildings at Bowenfels are the only known group of school buildings built under the Board of Education. This board managed education in New South Wales from 1848 to 1866.
- Shows School History: These two buildings show how country schools changed from 1851 all the way to 1969.
- Important Local Landmark: They are the oldest school buildings of any kind in the Bowenfels and Hartley areas. They are a key part of the historic Old Bowenfels Village.
- Well-Preserved Buildings: Both buildings have changed very little since they were built. The residence is a great example of local building style. The classroom building is a rare work by the famous colonial architect Henry Robertson.
- Community Connection: These buildings have strong ties to the local community since 1851. Many important local people, like Andrew Brown of Cooerwall, are connected to this site.
- Historic Landscape: The site itself has not changed much since 1851. It forms an important part of the historic village of Old Bowenfels.
