Royal Oak Inn, Rouse Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Royal Oak Inn |
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Royal Oak Inn, now known as the Fiddler Hotel
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| Location | Windsor Road, Rouse Hill, The Hills Shire, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1829 |
| Architectural style(s) | Australian Georgian Revival |
| Official name: Royal Oak Inn (former); Fiddler Hotel; Queens Arms Inn | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 698 |
| Type | Inn/Tavern |
| Category | Commercial |
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The Royal Oak Inn is a historic hotel located in Rouse Hill, Australia. It was built way back in 1829! Over the years, it has been known by different names, including the Queens Arms Inn. Today, it's called the Fiddler Hotel. This special building is privately owned and is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register, which means it's an important part of history that needs to be protected.
A Look Back in Time
Rouse Hill, where the hotel stands, has a long history. It was first mentioned in 1802 by Governor King. The area was originally known as Mulgrave Place, then Upper Nelson. For a while, after a big event called the Battle of Vinegar Hill in 1804, it was even called Vinegar Hill! Later, it was renamed Rouse Hill after a local landowner named Richard Rouse.
The land where the Royal Oak Inn now sits was first given to Charles Davis in 1818. Charles Davis arrived in Australia as a convict in 1799. By 1829, he leased part of his land to William Cross. William Cross then built the White Hart Inn, which was one of the very first places to get a license to sell drinks in the colony. He got the license in 1830.
A carpenter named James Gough helped build the White Hart Inn. Later, in 1839, John Booth became the person in charge of the inn. John Booth bought the land and the inn in 1841. He changed its name to the Queens Arms, and then in 1845, he renamed it the Royal Oak.
In the 1840s, John Booth faced money problems, and the inn was sold to George A. Sheffield in 1852. John Booth was known for being the first person to carry mail from Sydney to Bathurst and Windsor.
In 1858, John Seath bought the inn and changed its name back to the White Hart Inn by 1865. He ran the inn until he passed away in 1876. During this time, trains became very popular, which meant fewer people needed to stop at roadside inns for travel. For example, the train line to Windsor was finished in 1864.
After John Seath's death, the inn's license stopped. The building was later used as a home. In 1916, Thomas Alfred Paterson bought the property. He made many changes, turning the old inn into a house. He replaced the original roof with tiles and fixed the brickwork.
Later, in 1947, the inn site was sold to John Cooper, and then to Stuart Lester Binns. Stuart Binns used the building as a restaurant, an antique shop, and a place for refreshments.
In 1962, Windsor Road was made wider and straighter. This led Stuart Binns to divide the land into smaller parts. In 1966, Emanuel Schembri and his family bought the inn site. They leased it to others who renovated the inn and reopened it as a licensed restaurant called "The Royal Oak Inn." A car park was built around this time. The building was also used as an antique store again before becoming a restaurant once more. In the late 1970s, it was known as the Windsor Wayhouse, offering fun activities like hayrides and meals by the fire.
Since the 1970s, many changes have happened around the inn. A motel was built next to it in 1991, and a wedding reception hall was added in 1986-87. The building has continued to be updated and used as a hotel and restaurant, now known as the Fiddler Hotel.
What the Inn Looks Like
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The Royal Oak Inn is a single-story building made of sandstone. It has a classic Georgian style. There's a front porch, called a verandah, with double wooden columns and a decorative edge. The front door has glass panels, with smaller windows on the sides and a large fan-shaped window above. French doors, which are doors that open like windows, lead out onto the verandah, and they have shutters. The front of the building is made of neatly cut sandstone, while the sides and back use more natural, random-shaped stones.
Underneath the building, there are stone cellars. At the back, there are older brick parts that used to be a kitchen, a smokehouse for preserving meat, and a large room with a baker's oven. There was even a blacksmith's shop made of timber slabs attached to it.
Today, parts of the original kitchen are still there, mixed with newer additions. The back verandah is separate from the main roof.
Besides the old inn building, the area around it has been developed a lot. There's a motel next to it, a courtyard bar, and additions to the Royal Oak Restaurant.
Condition of the Building
The main part of the original Royal Oak Inn building is still in good shape. It has kept much of its original look and feel. Experts believe there might be old items buried underground from when the inn was first used, like old wells or pits. However, much of the land around the inn has been changed by new buildings and car parks.
Why It's Special
The Royal Oak Inn (now the Fiddler Hotel) is very important because it's one of the few early colonial inns from the 1820s-1840s that is still standing and being used. It's thought to be one of the first inns on the road between Parramatta and Windsor/Richmond, and one of the earliest places to get a license in the colony, dating back to 1830.
It's rare to find an inn like this on Windsor Road that still serves as a "watering hole" or a stop for people traveling. Its beautiful sandstone front and elegant verandah facing Windsor Road remind us of all the inns that used to be common along these old roads.
The Royal Oak Inn was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999 because it meets several important requirements:
- It shows how history unfolded in New South Wales. The inn is a key part of Windsor Road's history, showing how early travel routes developed. Its story also shows how roadside inns changed as trains became popular, and then again when cars became common. It represents a time when inns were vital resting places before railways existed, playing a big role in the local area's growth.
- It has strong connections to important people. The inn is linked to many owners who were involved in the early development of the area.
- It has beautiful design and great craftsmanship. The way the site developed shows how small land grants were used in the north-west of the Cumberland Plain.
- It can teach us more about history. Any old items found under the inn could tell us a lot about daily life and business activities from when it was first built.
- It's a rare and special part of history. The Royal Oak Inn is a rare survivor of an early colonial coaching inn from 1829-1830. It's a vivid reminder of the many inns that once lined Windsor and Old Windsor Roads. It's also one of the earliest licensed places in the colony.
- It shows the main features of its type of historical place. The Fiddler Hotel represents an important type of traveler's stop that was once common on the early road system of New South Wales.
