Hampton Villa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hampton Villa |
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| Location | 12b Grafton Street, Balmain, Inner West Council, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1847–1849 |
| Architect | John Verge (attributed) |
| Official name: Hampton Villa; Hampton Cottage | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 27 May 2005 |
| Reference no. | 1725 |
| Type | Villa |
| Category | Residential buildings (private) |
| Builders | Edward Hunt |
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Hampton Villa is a historic house located at 12b Grafton Street in Balmain, Sydney, Australia. It was built around 1847-1849 by Edward Hunt, a well-known cabinet maker. The house's design might have been created by John Verge, a famous architect from that time. One of its most famous residents was Henry Parkes, who was the Premier of New South Wales and lived there from 1888 to 1892. Before Hampton Villa, a smaller building called Hampton Cottage stood on the same spot. This important house was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on May 27, 2005.
The Story of Hampton Villa
Hampton Villa was built between 1847 and 1849. It was constructed by Edward Hunt, who was a very successful cabinet maker in Sydney. Edward Hunt came to Sydney in 1814 and quickly became an important person in the community.
Edward Hunt: Builder and Leader
Edward Hunt was involved in many community groups. He helped build the Scots Church in Sydney. In 1842, he was chosen as one of the first aldermen for the City of Sydney. Later, in 1858, he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council. This shows how successful and influential he was.
Hunt likely lived on the property from about 1840. At that time, a small wooden house called Hampton Cottage was there. Hunt bought the land in 1847. He was the first owner to fully pay off the land loan. Edward Hunt and his wife lived in Hampton Villa for 35 years. His family owned the property for almost 50 years.
Who Designed Hampton Villa?
Edward Hunt is thought to have built Hampton Villa as a grand sandstone home. The design is believed to be by John Verge, a leading Sydney architect. Verge designed homes for many important people. Hunt had even hired Verge before for his business showroom.
Hampton Villa's style matches Verge's work. It has fine sandstone walls and a wide stone verandah. The rooms are large with very high ceilings. It also features beautiful cedar wood details and French doors. These features suggest a highly skilled architect like Verge designed it.
Changes to the Property
Both the new Hampton Villa and the old Hampton Cottage were on the land for a while. Between 1851 and 1856, Hunt bought more land around the villa. This made the property much larger, covering about 1.4 hectares.
In 1878, a new street, Ewenton Street, was built. This street cut through the property, dividing it into two parts. This was the first of many times the land would be divided.
Famous Residents: Sir Henry Parkes
Edward Hunt died in the house in 1866. His wife lived there until 1872. After her, a businessman named Eliezer Levi Montefiori leased the villa. He was important in starting the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
In 1888, Sir Henry Parkes moved into Hampton Villa as a tenant. Parkes was the Premier of New South Wales at the time. His time at the villa was very busy and challenging. He broke his leg in 1890 and had to stay home for months.
During this time, important discussions about the Federation were happening. Federation was about uniting the Australian colonies into one country. Parkes continued his work from Hampton Villa. He even held cabinet meetings and government business from his study there. Parkes stayed at the villa until 1892. He had to move due to money problems.
Later Years and a Knitting Factory
In 1893, the Hunt family sold off parts of the Hampton Villa estate. Hampton Cottage was torn down around this time. Frances Perry bought Hampton Villa in 1897, and her family lived there for 15 years.
In 1912, Frank Bourne Wilson bought the house. He ran a knitting business from Hampton Villa. It started in the old stone kitchen. Later, a small brick factory was built in the backyard. This factory employed 52 women, making ladies' knitwear. The business was successful until a fire destroyed the factory in 1925. The company continued on a smaller scale until about 1932.
Frank Wilson gave the house to his son in 1943, who then sold it in 1947. For 100 years, the house had only three owners. After Wilson's family, Hampton Villa was turned into apartments. However, in the late 1970s, it was restored and became a private home again.
What Hampton Villa Looks Like
The Villa's Design
Hampton Villa is an early Victorian house with two floors. It has a wide sandstone verandah on three sides. The main entrance has a large double door. There are also many French doors with shutters leading to the verandah. The verandah ceiling is made of painted timber.
Above the main floor is an attic with seven dormer windows. The roof is made of corrugated iron. This replaced an earlier terracotta tile roof, which itself replaced the original roof.
Inside, the ground floor has four main rooms. They are arranged on either side of a wide central hallway. Each room is about 6 meters by 6 meters with very high 4-meter ceilings. All rooms have original fireplaces and cedar wood details. The internal staircases are also made of cedar.
At the back of the house are newer sections added in 1988. These include a pantry, laundry, and bathrooms. The first floor has five bedrooms, a sitting room, and a bathroom.
The Garden and Views
A stone fence marks the property's edge. In front of the villa is a sloping lawn. There are also Cocos Island palms near the house on the Grafton Street side. Hampton Villa sits on top of a hill. This gives it amazing views over Sydney Harbour and the city.
How Hampton Villa Has Changed
- 1840s: Hampton Cottage was on this site.
- 1847-1849: Hampton Villa was built.
- 1851-1856: Edward Hunt bought more land, making the property much larger.
- 1878: Ewenton Street was extended, dividing the property.
- 1915: The stables were torn down and replaced by the knitting factory. The factory was removed after a fire in 1925.
- Around 1947: Hampton Villa was changed into two apartments.
- Around 1960: The roof was replaced with terracotta tiles.
- 1973-1974: The house was restored to a single family home. Work included removing old materials and replacing the roof with corrugated iron. North and south dormer windows were added.
- 1988: Two new sections were added to the house. The verandah was re-laid with sandstone. Many changes were made to the garden and inside the house.
Why Hampton Villa is Important
Hampton Villa is a special historic place for many reasons. It was built in 1847 and is a rare example of an early Victorian "marine villa." This means it was a grand house built near the water.
Connections to Important People
The villa is linked to several important people from colonial times.
- Sir Henry Parkes: He was the Premier of NSW and lived here from 1888 to 1892. During this time, he worked on the idea of Australian Federation from the house. He even held government meetings there.
- Edward Hunt: He built the house and was a council member for Sydney's first city council.
- Eliezer Montefiori: He was one of the people who helped start the Art Gallery of NSW.
A Landmark with a View
Hampton Villa still has its beautiful views of the harbour and Sydney City. It stands out as an important landmark on the Balmain peninsula. The house's grand style and location show the high status of the people who lived there. It also shows how carefully the villa was placed in its original setting.
The way the land around Hampton Villa was divided up later on is still visible today. It shows how suburban areas grew and took over large colonial estates in Sydney during the 1800s.
What We Can Learn from Hampton Villa
Hampton Villa is important for understanding the history of New South Wales. It is one of the few remaining grand waterfront homes from the early Victorian period in Balmain. It also shows how the waterfront areas of Balmain were developed in the late 1800s.
The house also has social importance because of its role in the lead-up to Australian Federation. It was the home and office of Sir Henry Parkes during this crucial time. The knitting factory that operated there also employed 52 local women. This made it a major employer for women in Balmain in the early 1900s.
Hampton Villa can also teach us about how early Victorian houses were built. There might even be archaeological remains of the old stables, kitchen, and the original Hampton Cottage on the property. This could give us more information about the past.
Hampton Villa is a rare example of its kind. Many similar villas in Sydney are now gone. Its prominent position and clear views of the water are also rare today. Modern buildings often block the views of older colonial structures.
