Mail Coach Inn facts for kids

The Mail Coach Inn is a very old building in Berrima, Australia. It used to be an inn, which is like a hotel for travelers, and also a home. It was built between 1833 and 1841. Sometimes, it was called the Royal Mail Coach Inn. More recently, it was a bed and breakfast called the Coach and Horses Inn, but that name actually belonged to a different old hotel in Berrima. This historic building is now protected on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.

The Story of the Mail Coach Inn

Berrima is a very old European settlement in the Wingecarribee Shire. It is the oldest town that is still active in the area. The first settlement nearby was at Bong Bong in 1821.

How Berrima Was Chosen

In 1829, Surveyor General Sir Thomas Mitchell picked the spot for Berrima. He was planning a new road from Sydney. The old road had a very steep hill and a difficult river crossing. Mitchell wanted a better route. In 1830, he asked Robert Hoddle to mark out the town. Mitchell's plan was like a traditional English village. It had a central market square and many blocks facing the Wingecarribee River. The town was named using a local Aboriginal word. The new main road went right through Berrima. The plan was for Berrima to become an important center for business and government.

The Rise of Inns

From 1824 to 1841, Berrima grew a lot. This happened after Governor Bourke approved the new road in 1831. Mail coaches started using this new road. This meant more travelers and more need for places to stay.

Early plots of land in Berrima were sold in 1833. Many of these were bought by innkeepers, especially around Market Square. In March 1833, Bryan McMahon bought the land where the Mail Coach Inn stands. He also bought the land next door, which became the Berrima Inn. McMahon was an innkeeper from Sutton Forest.

The Mail Coach Inn Opens

It is believed that a Mr. Matthews built the Mail Coach Inn. It opened as a licensed public house and a stop for mail coaches. This was around 1837-1839. Michael Doyle was the person who ran it. It was one of the first inns in Berrima. Other early inns included the Surveyor-General Inn and the Berrima Inn. In 1839, Michael Doyle moved his liquor license. He opened a new inn across Market Square, which is now the White Horse Inn.

The Name Confusion

Recently, this property was called the "Coach and Horses Inn." However, this name is not historically correct for this building. Research shows that the original Coach and Horses Inn was located elsewhere. That inn was granted a license to Lewis Levy in 1856. It was on the corner of Oxley Street and Argyle Street. That building is now known as Bramber Cottage. After 1839, the Mail Coach Inn building became a private home.

Later Owners and Changes

Bryan McMahon's son, Bryan Patrick McMahon, inherited the property. In 1862, he sold it to Francis Breen, who was also an innkeeper. The land grant for the inn was officially transferred to Francis Breen in 1862. Francis Breen's will in 1870 left the house to his brother, Edward Breen.

In 1885, Edward sold it to John Sewell Sr. Then, in 1887, it was sold to Percy Hiram Matthews. In 1947, Matthews sold it to Mrs. Nellie Clinton. Nellie Clinton lived in the house until 1970.

Around 1888, an eastern extension was added to the Mail Coach Inn. This included a Victorian bay window facing Jellore Street. A new part was also added at the back for the kitchen and bathroom.

In 1969, Nellie Clinton sold the property to Robert Glenn. In 1988, it was sold to Brian Thomas Timmis. During Timmis's ownership, three new buildings were added to the site. The property was restored and started operating as a bed and breakfast in the late 1980s. The name "Coach & Horses Inn" was given to it around this time. In 1990, Lesley Bensley bought the property. In 2002, David and Wendy Paley became the owners. The Coach and Horses Inn bed and breakfast is no longer open.

Exploring the Inn's Surroundings

The Mail Coach Inn and the nearby Berrima Inn are important parts of Jellore Street. They help create the historic look of Berrima village. The buildings show the Colonial and Victorian Georgian styles of architecture.

The Gardens and Grounds

The property is on the northern side of Berrima Market Square. It slopes gently down towards the Wingecarribee River. There are several buildings close to the street, behind a picket fence. There is a gravel parking area and a brick paved courtyard behind the inn. A lawn area is between the old kitchen building and a stone outbuilding. The garden area slopes down to the river. Brick and stone paths connect the buildings. Small gardens and native trees are grouped in the lawns.

From the back of the property, you can see the Berrima Gaol. The gardens are well-kept and lead down to the river. There are also various trees, a storage building (which used to be an outdoor toilet), and vegetable gardens.

Old photographs show that most of the trees on the site are less than 40 years old. This means the garden is mostly modern. Some older trees include an apple tree and a Lombardy poplar. Other trees are young eucalypts, wattles, and poplars.

The gardens near Jellore Street are like traditional cottage gardens. They use plants like lavender and abelia. Other trees like Chinese elm and Japanese maple add seasonal color. These plants help connect the garden to the look of Jellore Street and the Monterey pine trees in Market Square.

The outdoor toilet building was rebuilt in 1988 using old stone. Most of the other buildings, paths, driveways, and fences were added between 1988 and 1990. New plants were also added after the 1988 renovations.

What the Inn Looks Like Today

As of 2007, there were six buildings on the property.

The Main Inn Building

The original inn building is a single-story cottage with six rooms. It was built in three stages: 1830s, 1850s, and 1880s. It is very close to Jellore Street and can be seen easily from Market Square.

The outside walls are brick covered with cement. This cement is painted and marked to look like stone blocks. It has 12-pane sash windows. The roof is partly hipped and covered with corrugated steel. A part of the roof sticks out to the east with an unusual angled bay window. The rest of the front has a skillion roofed veranda supported by square timber posts.

Inside, there are six rooms: a lounge, two bedrooms, a bathroom, a dressing room, and a kitchen. The main parts of the original 1856 building are still there. The laundry is outside under an added roof. The living areas have been updated in the last 20 years. They have new ceilings, plastered walls, and painted skirting boards. The living and bedrooms have timber floors, sometimes with carpets.

Inn Cottage (Old Kitchen)

This is a separate, single-story brick building from 1856. It used to be the kitchen for the inn. It has a simple hipped corrugated iron roof. The brick is rendered. It still has its original fireplaces, showing it was once a detached kitchen. These kitchens were often separate from the main inn. It is now connected to the main building by a newer flat roof addition.

Stone Outbuilding (Old Toilet)

This is a separate storage building that used to be an outdoor toilet. It was rebuilt and renovated in 1988. Recycled stone was used for its reconstruction.

Modern Outbuildings

• Double Weatherboard Garage (1988): This garage is made of timber and weatherboard with a metal gabled roof. It was rebuilt from an older, damaged garage in 1988 using recycled materials.
• Weatherboard Cottage (1988) 'Dandarbong Cottage': This cottage was built to look like an old timber cottage. It has exposed timber beams and studs inside, with a polished timber floor. It has a gabled corrugated iron roof and a verandah.
• Two-Story Brick Barn (1988) 'Daphne Cottage': This two-story brick building has a tall gabled roof. Its height makes it stand out from the street. The southern side is made of dressed stone. It has a large living area and kitchen downstairs. Timber stairs lead to a large attic bedroom upstairs. The stone for the southern side came from the Sydney Museum.

Changes Over Time

• 1833-1841: The first part of the building was constructed.
• 1850s: An extension was added, including the current lounge room and a fireplace.
• 1880s: A Victorian bay window and another extension were added to the eastern side. A new kitchen and bathroom were built at the back.
• 1988-1990: During Brian Timmis's ownership, many changes happened.
  • The original residence was refurbished and re-roofed.
  • Two new cottages, 'Dandarbong' and 'Daphne', were built to offer tourist accommodation. Daphne's front stone facade used recycled stone from the Sydney Museum.
  • The garden was completely redone. New stone and brick paths were installed to connect the new buildings. Fences were put up for privacy.
  • The driveway and car park were moved to the west of the house.
  • Recycled stone paving was installed between the cottages. This stone also came from the Sydney Museum.
  • A new timber shed was built behind the house using recycled materials.
  • The new driveway was surfaced with crushed granite.

Many elements in the garden were installed after 1988. This includes the picket fence along Jellore Street, new paths, and various fences. Stone retaining edges were added around the vegetable garden using recycled sandstone blocks.

Why the Inn is Important

The former Mail Coach Inn is important because of its connection to the history of Berrima. It is also special because of its unusual architecture compared to other early buildings in the town. It is part of the group of historic buildings on Jellore Street. Its unique asymmetrical front and half-gabled roof make it stand out.

The Mail Coach Inn was officially added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.