Round House (Western Australia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Round House |
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The Round House from the east
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| General information | |
| Type | Prison |
| Architectural style | Panopticon |
| Address | Arthur Head |
| Town or city | Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Construction started | August 1830 |
| Completed | 18 January 1831 |
| Cost | £1603/10/0 |
| Owner | City of Fremantle |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 2 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Henry Willey Reveley |
| Main contractor | Richard Lewis, W Manning and I Duffield |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 8 cells + other rooms |
| Type | State Registered Place |
| Designated | 13 November 1993 |
| Reference no. | 896 |
The Round House is a very old and important building in Fremantle, Western Australia. It was the first permanent building constructed in the Swan River Colony. Built in late 1830 and opened in 1831, it is one of the oldest European buildings still standing in Western Australia. You can find it at Arthur Head in Fremantle. This area was sometimes called Gaol Hill because of the prison.
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The Round House: Western Australia's Oldest Prison
The Round House holds a special place in Western Australian history. It was the first official building constructed in the Swan River Colony. It served as a prison for many years.
Building a Unique Design
The famous architect Henry Willey Reveley designed the Round House. Construction began in 1830 and finished on January 18, 1831. It was built to be a prison. The building had eight cells and a home for the jailer. All these rooms opened onto a central courtyard. This design was inspired by the Panopticon. A Panopticon is a type of building, often a prison, where a single guard can watch all prisoners without them knowing if they are being watched. This makes prisoners feel like they are always under observation.
The Round House was built by Richard Lewis and his partners. They used local limestone, which helped keep the building costs down. In 1833, a well was dug in the central area to provide water.
Later, in 1837, the Fremantle Whaling Company asked for a tunnel to be dug. This tunnel would go through Arthur Head to High Street. The company also built a protective wall for ships. The tunnel was 57 metres (187 ft) long and connected Bathers Beach Whaling Station to High Street. It was built quickly, in just five months, finishing in January 1838. Prisoners from the Round House helped with the construction. Today, the tunnel is 45 metres (148 ft) long because parts of the cliffs were cut back after 1880.
From Prison to Police Station
The Round House was used as a prison for both colonial settlers and Indigenous people, including the notable Aboriginal leader Yagan, until 1886. After that, a larger prison called Fremantle Prison took over. The Round House then became a police lockup until 1900. For a while, it even served as a home for the chief police officer and his family.
There were ideas to remove the Round House and use its materials for other projects, like building the South Mole. These ideas came up in 1894, 1903, and again in 1929, but thankfully, the building was saved.
In 1936, the Fremantle Harbour Trust took charge of the building to protect it. There were plans to turn it into a museum, but these were put on hold because of World War II.
A Historic Landmark Today
In 1966, the Port Authority opened the Round House to the public for a few hours each day. Later, the Western Australian Historical Society helped manage it. In 1982, the building was given to the City of Fremantle. Since then, it has been open daily for everyone to visit.
Today, the Round House is a popular tourist spot. Friendly volunteers from the Fremantle Volunteer Heritage Guides help visitors explore the building. Entry is usually by donation, making it easy for everyone to learn about this important piece of history.
See also
In Spanish: Casa Redonda para niños
