Dalwood House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dalwood House |
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Dalwood House
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| Location | Dalwood Road, Branxton, Singleton Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1829–1838 |
| Owner | National Trust of Australia (NSW) |
| Official name: Dalwood House and surrounds of Wyndham Estate; Wyndham estate | |
| Type | state heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 377 |
| Type | Vineyard/Winery |
| Category | Farming and Grazing |
| Builders | George Wyndham |
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Dalwood House is a very old and important house in Branxton, Australia. It was built a long time ago, between 1829 and 1838, by a man named George Wyndham. This house is special because it's part of the history of the Hunter region and the famous Wyndham Estate winery. Today, it's a museum where people can learn about its past. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999 because of its historical value.
Contents
History of Dalwood House
How Dalwood Began
In 1823, a large piece of land in the Hunter Valley was given to David Maziere. He called it Anandale Estate and started farming there. But he ran into money problems, so the land was sold in 1828. George Wyndham bought it for 1,200 pounds.
George Wyndham and his wife, Margaret, came to Australia in 1827. They moved to the property in 1828 and changed its name to "Dalwood." This name came from a wooded area on a family estate back in England.
Building the House
Building Dalwood House started in 1829 and happened in different steps. Convicts helped to quarry (dig out) the stone for the house. It needed to be a big house because George and Margaret had 14 children (12 sons and 2 daughters)!
By 1830, parts of the house were ready, and the family moved in, even though it wasn't finished. Later, by 1833, a washhouse, kitchen, and other parts of the house were completed.
George Wyndham designed the house to be similar to a house he knew in England. He likely added verandahs (covered porches) around a central courtyard, which was a good idea for the warm Australian climate. He had planned a grand entrance with tall columns, but these columns were later used for other things, so a simpler verandah was built instead.
The first roof was flat and made of timber beams covered with earth, tar, sand, lime, and even blood! This was meant to keep water out, but it didn't work well. So, around 1838, a sloped roof was added instead.
Growing Grapes and Making Wine
Early leaders in New South Wales really wanted people to grow grapes and make wine. They thought it would be good for the economy and help people drink less alcohol.
In 1833, James Busby, an expert in winemaking, brought 437 different grape cuttings to NSW. He shared these widely, including with George Wyndham. George started planting vines at Dalwood in 1830, but many of his first vines didn't survive. He kept trying, planting more vines in 1831 and 1832. He got new types of grapes from friends, like Muscatel and Black Hamburgh.
George's diary shows how much effort he put into his vineyard. He wrote about clearing land, hoeing, ploughing, and pruning his vines. His first wine was made in 1835. It wasn't perfect at first, but soon he was making good white wine. By the next year, he made 1650 gallons of wine! This was a big achievement for someone new to winemaking.
Finding skilled workers was hard. Most early settlers used convict labor. George also had help from Aboriginal people to harvest crops like maize.
The Wyndhams' wine became very famous. They won awards all over the world, even a Gold Medal at the Bordeaux Exhibition in France in 1882 for the best Australian wine.
Besides grapes, George grew many other crops like maize, wheat, and tobacco. He also grew all kinds of fruit trees, vegetables, and flowers. The family treated their assigned servants well. George also bought more land for farming and grazing in other parts of NSW.
By 1843, the Hunter Valley had a lot of vineyards, with Dalwood being one of the most important. Even during tough economic times in the 1840s, winemaking grew. George Wyndham left Dalwood for a while but returned when things got better and continued making wine.
After George, his fourth son, John Wyndham, managed the property until 1887. By then, the winery had cellars, a press house, and offices. Grapes from Dalwood even helped start other vineyards in the nearby Pokolbin Hills.
John Wyndham was also important in starting the Royal Agricultural Society, which puts on the famous Royal Easter Show in Sydney. He helped set up the rules for the wine section, laying the groundwork for Australia's top wine show.
The Wyndhams also experimented with many different fruit trees. They grew 39 types of apples, 25 types of pears, and many other fruits like peaches, figs, and olives.
The wine industry faced challenges, like a bank crash in 1893 and a plant disease in the 1920s. But after World War II, as Australians started drinking more wine, the industry slowly grew again.
In 1959, the last of the original vines planted by convicts were removed. Today, the Dalwood vineyards are part of the Dalwood Estate, owned by Penfold.
Dalwood House in Recent Times
In 1988, Dalwood House was given to the National Trust of Australia (NSW), which looks after important historical places. The house was empty for many years and started to fall apart.
Since the 1980s, a lot of work has been done to save and restore Dalwood House. Experts have fixed the roof, rebuilt parts of the verandah, repaired walls, and restored some of the main rooms.
A community group, the Dalwood Restoration Association, continues to work on the house. Dalwood Estate opened to the public on weekends in March 2018, so people can visit and learn about its amazing history.
What Dalwood House Looks Like
Dalwood House sits on a small hill, looking over the vineyards that George Wyndham started in the 1830s. Many old parts of the property are still there, like a timber barn and the graves of George and Margaret Wyndham among the vines.
The house is a large, single-story building made of sandstone and bricks from the local area. It was built in a style called Greek Revival, which means it looks a bit like ancient Greek temples. It has a grand entrance with two short, strong columns.
The house has a long main section facing the river, with two wings (sections) on each side. These wings used to have bedrooms and servants' quarters. There's also a courtyard in the back with a covered verandah.
Inside, the house originally had beautiful wooden details made from local cedar, stone fireplaces, and plastered walls. Many of these original features have been restored.
Why Dalwood House is Important
Dalwood House is very important for many reasons:
- History: It shows the history of one of the most important families in the Hunter Valley, the Wyndhams, and how early English settlers lived.
- Architecture: It's one of the oldest examples of the Greek Revival style in New South Wales, especially in the Hunter Valley.
- Wine Industry: It played a huge role in starting and growing the famous Hunter Valley wine industry.
- Technology: The way the house was built, especially its early flat roof design, shows interesting building methods from that time.
Dalwood House and the land around it were officially listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999. This means it's protected because of its special history and beauty.
