Penwortham, South Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids PenworthamSouth Australia |
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Northern entrance sign along Horrocks Highway
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| Established | 1839 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 5453 | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | District Council of Clare and Gilbert Valleys | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Clare Valley | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Frome | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Grey | ||||||||||||||
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Penwortham (33°55′S 138°38′E / 33.917°S 138.633°E) is a small town in the beautiful Clare Valley in South Australia. It's located along the Horrocks Highway, about 10 kilometres south of Clare. This historic town was one of the very first European settlements north of Adelaide.
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Exploring Penwortham's Natural Surroundings
Penwortham is surrounded by natural eucalyptus bushland. It's also near a part of the Skilly Hills. These hills are part of the larger Mount Lofty Ranges. You can find two important peaks nearby. One is Mount Oakden, named after John Jackson Oakden. The other is Mount Horrocks, named after John Ainsworth Horrocks, who founded the town. The Hill River starts about 3 kilometres east of Penwortham.
Penwortham's Early Days: A Town's Story
Penwortham was founded by a brave explorer named John Ainsworth Horrocks. He was born in 1818 and came to South Australia on his 21st birthday in 1839. This was less than three years after the colony of South Australia was officially started.
Founding Hope Farm and Early Buildings
After meeting another explorer, Edward John Eyre, John Horrocks heard about good farmland north of Adelaide. So, he and his servant, John Green, went to find it. Horrocks settled in an area he thought was along the Hutt River. He named his new home Hope Farm.
In 1839, they started building the first stone cottage. By 1840, Horrocks and his workers built stone stables for horses. Horses were very rare and valuable in the new colony back then. For a short time, Hope Farm was the only inland European settlement north of Adelaide and Gawler.
The next year, 1841, an inn called The Derby Arms was built. It provided a place for the many new travellers passing through Penwortham. In 1842, the first parts of a flour mill were laid. However, the mill didn't fully work until 1856, when all its parts finally arrived from Europe. Also in 1842, the first stone was laid for the main house at Hope Farm.
Growth and Changes in Penwortham
John Horrocks sadly died in 1846 from a hunting accident near Lake Gill. By then, Penwortham had grown into an established town. It had a butcher, a general store, a tailor, a school, and a blacksmith.
In 1847, an unofficial post office opened. The local pub owner, James Bleechmore, was the first postmaster. Building for St Mark's Anglican Church began in 1851. The church was finished in 1855, with a bell, turret, and porch.
The Railway Era and New Industries
A new time for transport and industry began in 1915. The Riverton to Spalding railway line was built through the town. This brought many changes. The manor house at Hope Farm had to be taken down because it was in the railway's path.
At this time, the main industries in the town were fruit, dried currant, and dairy farming. These continued until after the Second World War. Then, competition from the Riverland area made these industries less profitable in the Clare Valley. Because of this, the growing wine industry in the region started to become very popular.
The railway line from Riverton to Spalding closed on April 17, 1984. This happened after the tracks were damaged between Sevenhill and Penwortham. The tracks were removed in 1989. Today, the Riesling Trail follows the old railway path.
Remembering John Horrocks
On September 22, 1946, a monument was built and revealed. It honours the life, explorations, and early death of the town's founder, John Ainsworth Horrocks. Gordon Ross and William Robins built it. It now stands by the Main North Road, near St Mark's Church.
The Meaning Behind Penwortham's Name
Penwortham shares its name with a town in Lancashire, England. That English town was home to Richard Arkwright. He invented the water frame, which was very important for the textile industry in the late 1700s.
John Horrocks was the grandson of an English cotton maker named John Horrocks. A part of a highway in the English Penwortham is named John Horrocks Way after him.
The name Penwortham has a clear meaning: a settlement on a hill by a ford (a shallow place to cross a river). Horrocks first called his settlement Penwortham-on-the-Hill. He was born at his family home, Penwortham Hall, near Preston, Lancashire. The name is a mix of the Welsh word pen, meaning headland, and an Old English word worphamm, meaning enclosed homestead.
Penwortham Today: What to See and Do
Today, Penwortham offers a mix of history and modern attractions.
- Pearson Wines are located on the Main Road. They have a cellar door in an old stone building.
- St. Mark's Church cemetery is where explorer John Horrocks is buried.
- John Horrocks Cottage (once called Greens Cottage) was built in 1839. The local historical society now owns and runs it. You can visit it on the first Sunday of each month.
- The Riesling Trail is on the eastern side of the village. It connects Penwortham to Auburn and Clare. It's great for walkers and cyclists who want to enjoy the beautiful countryside.
- You can take a scenic drive to the Skillogalee Valley, west of the Main North Road (Horrocks Highway). This drive passes several well-known wineries. These include Mitchell Wines, Penna Lane Wines, Kilikanoon Wines, and Skillogalee Wines and Restaurant.
How Penwortham is Governed
Penwortham is part of the District Council of Clare and Gilbert Valleys. For state government, it is in the electoral district of Frome. For the national government, it is in the Australian House of Representatives Division of Grey.
