Hambledon Cottage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hambledon Cottage |
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| Location | 47 Hassall Street, Harris Park, City of Parramatta, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1821–1825 |
| Architect | Henry Kitchen (part) |
| Owner | Parramatta City Council |
| Official name: Hambledon Cottage, Grounds and Archaeology; Firholme; Valley Cottage; Macarthur Cottage | |
| Type | state heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 21 September 2012 |
| Reference no. | 1888 |
| Type | Garden House |
| Category | Parks, Gardens and Trees |
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Hambledon Cottage is a very old house in Harris Park, Sydney, Australia. It is now a museum that you can visit. The house was built between 1821 and 1825. Henry Kitchen designed the first part of it.
This special house is also known by other names like Firholme, Valley Cottage, and Macarthur Cottage. The Parramatta City Council owns it today. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 21 September 2012. This means it is a very important historical place.
Contents
History of Hambledon Cottage
Aboriginal People in Parramatta
Aboriginal people have lived in the Parramatta area for thousands of years. They left behind signs like rock shelters, campsites, and special trees. Parramatta was a great place for them to live. It had fresh water from the Parramatta River and lots of plants and animals.
They could find food like ducks, eels, fish, kangaroos, and fruits. The local Aboriginal group was called the Boromedegal. We learn about their traditional life from old sites found by archaeologists. When Europeans arrived, many Aboriginal sites were lost.
Building Hambledon Cottage
Hambledon Cottage was built between 1821 and 1824. It was part of a large property called Elizabeth Farm Estate. This estate belonged to John Macarthur, a famous soldier and farmer.
People first thought the cottage was for Penelope Lucas, the family governess. But now, it is believed it was built to offer more space for guests at Elizabeth Farm. The main part of the cottage was designed by Henry Kitchen. He was a well-known architect at the time.
Early Residents and Changes
In 1825, Archdeacon Thomas Hobbes Scott lived in the cottage for a short time. He was a friend of the Macarthur family. He added a coach house and stables in 1826. Penelope Lucas moved into the cottage in 1827. She stayed there until she died in 1836. John Macarthur wanted her to live there for life.
The kitchen wing was added between 1832 and 1836. John Macarthur's daughter, Emmeline, also lived with Penelope Lucas. This happened because John Macarthur was ill and preferred not to have women at Elizabeth Farm.
After Penelope Lucas died, different people lived in the cottage. These included Macarthur family employees and Dr Matthew Anderson. He was a doctor for the Macarthur family. In 1851, Edward Macarthur, John's son, lived there temporarily. He made some changes, like adding a new entrance and planting many trees.
Later Owners and Public Use
From 1864 to 1881, families like the Bohles and Gills rented the cottage. In 1881, the Elizabeth Farm Estate was sold off in smaller parts. Hambledon Cottage was sold in 1883 to Francis John Wickham. He paid 1100 pounds and renamed it Firholme. He added new stone pillars and iron gates with the name "Firholme" on them.
After Wickham died, the cottage was rented out. It changed hands several times over the next 34 years. In 1940, The Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Co. bought the property. People worried a factory would be built, but the community stopped it.
In 1945, Kolynos Limited bought the property. The community again fought against building plans. In 1953, the company agreed to give the historic part of the site to Parramatta Council.
In 1959, Parramatta Council began big renovations. The cottage was renamed Hambledon Cottage. It opened as a folk museum in 1963. In 1964, the Parramatta and District Historical Society took over. They restored the inside to look like it did in the 1830s-1850s. Hambledon Cottage opened as a house museum in February 1966.
The gardens around Hambledon Cottage are now a public park. They still have some of the original paths and trees planted by John Macarthur. These include old English oak trees and other rare trees.
What Hambledon Cottage Looks Like
Hambledon Cottage is located away from Hassall Street and Gregory Place. It is surrounded by a park with many large, old trees. There are picket fences around the house and the park.
The Main Cottage
The main part of the cottage has a hipped roof and a rectangular shape. It is built in the Georgian style. The walls are made of brick covered with stucco, painted to look like stone. The roof is made of galvanised iron, which replaced earlier shingles. Two original chimneys are still there.
The windows are made of cedar wood and have stone sills. French doors open onto a front verandah. This verandah has a special vaulted ceiling and thin timber columns. The north-east corner of the verandah was changed in the 1820s to make an extra room.
The Kitchen Wing
The kitchen wing used to be a separate building. Now, a flat-roofed section connects it to the main house. It has a central pediment and a projecting bay on the northern side. The kitchen wing roof is also made of galvanised iron. Together, the two buildings form an L shape.
Inside, much of the wood is Australian cedar. Some ceilings and walls are still original lath and plaster. One bedroom has its original ironbark floor. A brick oven is next to the fireplace in the kitchen.
The Coachman's Cottage
The coachman's cottage is a single-storey brick building. It has a gabled roof made of iron. The bricks are laid in a special pattern called English bond. The windows have stone sills and brick arches. The building has three separate rooms. One room is now a kitchen.
The Garden Area
The garden is a rectangular area with fences around it. It has a very large bunya pine tree behind the cottage. There are also other big trees like cypress, hackberry, and bangalow palms. In the middle of the garden, there is a wooden structure with Chinese wisteria growing on it.
Near the kitchen wing, there is an Osage orange tree. This tree was once used for hedges before wire fences became common. It is now very rare in Sydney. Paved areas are at the back of the house and under the wisteria. A square brick structure covers a well with a hand pump.
The Parkland Reserve
Hambledon Reserve is a flat, open area for people to relax. It provides a beautiful setting for the cottage and garden. Many old trees from the Macarthur period are here. These include English oaks, a cork oak, and a hoop pine. There are also jacaranda trees and plum pines.
A small car park is on the eastern side of the reserve. Crushed granite pathways lead through the park. There are also modern bench seats and picnic tables. Part of the Hassall Street fence has old stone gate posts with "Firholme" carved into them.
Condition and Importance
The house was in good condition in 2012. There are likely many old things buried around the house and in the park. These archaeological finds can tell us a lot about the past. They can show how people lived and what the area was like long ago.
Hambledon Cottage is built on sand that may have Aboriginal archaeological importance. This sand was likely left by the Parramatta River during floods. Digging here could help us understand the diet and lifestyle of Aboriginal people.
The cottage is mostly intact, meaning it hasn't changed much. It is a rare example of an early cottage. The garden still has many of its original plants and layout from the colonial period. It also has a strong connection to the Macarthur family.
Changes Over Time
Hambledon Cottage has had many repairs and changes over the years:
- 1959-1960: Major renovations by Parramatta Council.
- 1961: A garage was added to the coachman's cottage.
- 1964: Extensive interior restoration and refurbishment.
- 1981: The vaulted ceiling of the eastern verandah was rebuilt.
- 1994: A new drainage system was installed. The roof was replaced on both cottages.
- 2001-2002: More repairs to walls, floors, chimneys, and verandah columns.
- 2004-2005: The garden was rebuilt based on old plans. Some trees not from the original period were removed.
- 2005: A picket fence with chains was installed around the park.
- 2009: The toilet block on the western wall of the coachman's cottage was removed.
- 2012: Repairs were made to the front fence and "Firholme" gate after a traffic accident.
- Around 2012-2014: New English oaks and jacaranda trees were planted.
Why Hambledon Cottage is Special
Hambledon Cottage is important because it is strongly connected to the Macarthur family. They were one of the most important families in Australian history. The house also shows the tastes and needs of its owners over time.
The garden has some of Australia's oldest European tree plantings. The site was part of the Elizabeth Farm estate, which was a model for land management in Australia. It also has links to other important people like Thomas Hobbes Scott and Henry Kitchen.
The cottage helps us understand how Parramatta grew and changed. It is a great place to learn about early colonial life. The archaeological finds here can tell us even more about the past.
Historical Significance
Hambledon Cottage is important for its history in New South Wales. It shows the close link to the Macarthur family and their story. It helps us understand how John Macarthur's health affected his family. The cottage is one of the oldest surviving houses in Parramatta and NSW. Its garden shows how domestic places were used in the past.
It is also part of a group of important colonial houses in Parramatta, like Elizabeth Farm. Its later history shows how large estates were divided as Parramatta grew.
Connections to Important People
Hambledon Cottage is important because of its links to many key people. These include John Macarthur, his wife Elizabeth, and their son Edward. It is also connected to Henry Kitchen, a famous early Australian architect. Other important people who lived there or were connected include Archdeacon Thomas Hobbes Scott, Penelope Lucas, and Dr Matthew Anderson.
Beautiful Design and Landscape
Hambledon Cottage is a beautiful and rare example of a colonial house. Its original layout is still very clear. It is part of the Macarthur's Elizabeth Farm Estate. The setting includes trees planted by the Macarthur family. You can also see views of Elizabeth Farm and other old sites.
The landscape around Hambledon Cottage is important. It has some of the oldest exotic trees in Australia. These plantings show how European ideas influenced the local area. The design of the wooded landscape fits perfectly with the house.
Social and Educational Value
The fact that the council bought the cottage and made it a museum shows how much people value historic sites. Many tourists visit it today. It is a local landmark in Parramatta.
The garden and grounds are great for learning. They can teach us about architecture, design, social history, and gardening. The cottage itself is an important educational resource. It shows how Australian colonial architecture developed and the building techniques used in the early 1800s.
Rarity and Unique Features
Hambledon Cottage is rare because it is an early 19th-century cottage that is still very intact. It shows the tastes of wealthy people from that time. Its old landscape elements also make it rare. Some trees in the garden are among the oldest exotic plantings in NSW and Australia. The Osage orange tree is a very rare example of a species once common in old hedges.
Representing a Class of Places
Hambledon Cottage is a great example of an early 19th-century house. The garden also shows what colonial landscapes looked like. Wealthy European settlers used European gardening methods and planted exotic trees like English oaks. The mix of different trees and plants creates a unique landscape. It stands out from the busy city area around it.
See also
- Australian residential architectural styles
