McLean's Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids McLean's Mansion |
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McLean's Mansion in July 2013
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| Former names | Holly Lea |
| General information | |
| Type | Homestead |
| Location | Christchurch Central City |
| Address | 387 Manchester Street |
| Town or city | Christchurch |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 43°31′20.4″S 172°38′19.2″E / 43.522333°S 172.638667°E |
| Completed | September 1900 |
| Client | Allan McLean |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Robert William England |
| Main contractor | Rennie and Pearce |
| Designated: | 7 April 1983 |
| Reference #: | 300 |
McLean's Mansion is a very large old house in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was first called 'Holly Lea'. This amazing building was once the biggest wooden house in all of New Zealand!
It was designed by an architect from Christchurch named Robert England. The house mixes two old styles: Jacobean and Victorian. Building started in April 1899 and finished in September 1900. Today, McLean's Mansion is a special heritage building, meaning it's protected because of its history. After a big earthquake in 2011, there were plans to knock it down. But people fought to save it, and now it's being restored to become an art gallery.
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History of McLean's Mansion
The mansion was built using strong kauri wood by builders Rennie and Pearce. It took about a year and a half to finish, from April 1899 to September 1900. At that time, it was the largest wooden home in New Zealand.
The house was built for Allan McLean, a kind man from Scotland who had moved to New Zealand. He was 78 years old when the house was finished. He lived there for the last seven years of his life. Because of its importance, the building was officially listed as a top heritage building on April 7, 1983.
Inside the Mansion
Building Style and Details
McLean's Mansion has three floors and is built in a rectangular shape, following the Jacobean style. The house has a huge floor area, with 53 rooms in total. This includes 19 bedrooms, nine bathrooms, and six rooms for staff.
The walls are made of kauri wood. The floors use wooden beams called joists. The roof domes are made of iron, and the pointy decorations on top are cast-iron crestings, which is a French design. The main roof is made of corrugated iron sheets. Even the pipes that drain rainwater are made of cast iron.
Fancy Interior Decorations
The inside of the mansion is very detailed and decorative, just like a grand Jacobean house. Local artists from Christchurch created the beautiful ceilings, plasterwork, and stair railings.
The ceilings have rose designs with simple patterns in the corners of the rooms. Two rooms on the ground floor have very fancy ceilings with carved and golden decorations in the middle. The top part of the doors in the main rooms has a carved wooden panel called a tympanum. The stair railings and main newel posts (the big posts at the end of a staircase) have carvings of thistles and flowers. These are symbols of Scotland, reminding everyone of Allan McLean's home country. The newel posts also have carved leaves and brass lights.
Furniture and Fabrics
The furniture and decorations were chosen very carefully. A special fabric expert from Paris helped pick out the materials. The walls in some rooms were covered with satin fabric in a soft apricot cream color. The drawing room had elegant satin fabrics with special buttoned trim. Many beautiful lights were placed on the walls and ceilings. A white marble fireplace with fancy brass added to the grand look.
The main staircase had a red carpet, and the hall walls were decorated with colorful velvet fabrics. The dining room had satin curtains, a large chandelier, and a black marble fireplace. The silver room was filled with shelves from floor to ceiling, holding many fancy dishes and cutlery. Even the bathrooms had brass fittings and porcelain bathtubs.
At the entrance, there were two carved hat stands shaped like a 7-foot tall mahogany tree trunk with bear and cub designs. The drawing room had a large mirror with a polished mahogany frame, decorated with bronze and marble statues. A tall grandfather clock was also in this room. The sofas were high-backed and upholstered in a burgundy color. The chairs had fancy fabrics, and a beautiful Persian carpet covered the floor. Paintings of landscapes from Victorian, Flemish, and Scottish styles hung in the main rooms. The dining room had a large oak table that could seat 14 people, with all matching oak furniture. The special green and gold dinner plates had Allan McLean's initials on them.
After the mansion was sold to the government in 1955, most of the original furniture was moved away.
Recent History of the Mansion
Saving the Building from Demolition
McLean's Mansion was badly damaged during the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. In 2013, there was news that the building might be torn down. Many people in the community were very upset about this idea, as it is a very important heritage building.
The owners tried to get permission to demolish the house, but Heritage New Zealand said no. The owners then took their case to the Environment Court. In 2016, the court agreed with Heritage New Zealand, saying that the owners had other ways to fix the building without tearing it down. The court also said that McLean's Mansion has "very high historical and cultural heritage value" and should be protected.
New Owners and Future Plans
In August 2018, McLean's Mansion was sold to a special trust. The Christchurch City Council helped by giving a large amount of money (NZ$1.9 million) to help with the repairs. The trust also got an interest-free loan to buy the building.
The trust plans to spend about NZ$12 million to buy and restore the mansion. They hope to open parts of the building to the public soon after repairs begin. The trust wants to use the mansion as an art gallery and a place for music performances. It will even show some art from Sir James Wallace's private collection. The new owners are working hard to bring this historic mansion back to life for everyone to enjoy.
