Crown Hotel, Sydney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crown Hotel |
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| Location | 160–162 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Owner | Crown Hotel |
| Official name: Crown Hotel | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 733 |
| Type | Hotel |
| Category | Commercial |
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The Crown Hotel is a historic building found at 160–162 Elizabeth Street in Sydney, Australia. It's a hotel that has been officially recognized as a heritage site. This means it's an important place that needs to be protected because of its history and special features. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
Contents
A Look Back at the Crown Hotel's History
Early Days and First People
Long before any buildings stood here, the land around Sydney was home to Aboriginal people. They are known as the Eora people. The specific groups who lived in the Sydney city area were the Cadigal and Wangal bands of the Eora. This land has a very long and rich history.
Land Ownership Changes
After Europeans arrived in 1788, land in areas like Surry Hills started to be given to private owners. One of the first landowners in Surry Hills was Captain Joseph Foveaux. Later, a former convict named Samuel Terry owned a huge amount of land, about 19,000 acres, in what is now Surry Hills. The Crown Hotel is located on land that was once called Sheriff's Garden. It was part of a land grant given to John Wilde in 1823.
The Hotel's Beginnings
The first time a "Crown Hotel" is mentioned at this spot is in 1882. A woman named Mrs. Sarah Walsh was listed as the person running it. In 1883, the hotel was at number 160 Elizabeth Street, and John Bell was the person in charge. Charles Hones took over in 1888.
The building you see today was likely built in the early 1900s. It might have started as a guesthouse, which is like a small hotel. It became a licensed hotel around 1909. The city council took ownership of the land in 1910. Later, in 1936, a company called Tooth and Co. Ltd bought the property. They then leased the hotel to different people over the years. Some of the people who ran the hotel included John Edward Hennessy (1937–1954) and Louis John Liddle (1954-1958).
What the Crown Hotel Looks Like
The Crown Hotel is a three-story building made of brick. It's covered in a smooth, rendered finish. It's built in a style called Federation Anglo Dutch. This style often has special decorative details and unique "Dutch gables" on the roof, which are like fancy stepped or curved tops.
The hotel is located on a very noticeable corner where Elizabeth Street and Goulburn Street meet. It's just a few blocks north of Central railway station. You can see ceramic tiles on the wall under its awning. The building still looks a lot like it did when it was first built, with its original doors and windows.
Inside, the upper floors still have their original layout. In the public bar area, you can still see the early striped ceramic tiles on most of the walls. The bar counter and other fittings probably date from the early 1930s. The Saloon bar has wooden panels covering some of the original tiling.
Why the Crown Hotel is Important
The Crown Hotel is special for a few reasons:
- A Great Example: It's a really good and mostly untouched example of the style used for corner hotels in Australia.
- Continuing a Tradition: There was an older hotel with the same name on this spot, so the current building continues that long history.
- Adds to the Area: The hotel helps give the area its unique look and feel. It also fits well with the older Victorian-style buildings on Goulburn Street.
- One of a Few: It's one of only three hotels in this specific style found in the city. The other two are the Forbes Hotel and the Chamberlain Hotel.
- Social Hub: The hotel was part of a group of smaller hotels built to offer places for people to meet and stay. Because it's close to Central Station, it shows how important these hotels were for travelers and locals in the early 1900s.
Heritage Listing
The Crown Hotel was officially listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. This means it's recognized as an important part of New South Wales' history and culture.
