s Camden Police Station and Residence
35 John
Street
Camden
Lot 2
DP 826795
 |
| Camden Police Station 1997 J Kooyman Camden Images |
Camden Court House
33 John
Street
Camden
Lot 1 DP 826795
 |
| Camden Court House 1991 CWTimes Camden Images |
Camden Police Station and Residence
History and Description
Camden Police Station is a single storey brick
building typical of many official police buildings of the last quarter of the
nineteenth century
Before the John Street building was constructed, police used a timber lock-up and adjoining residence
(c.1844). (http://www.camdenhistory.org.au/chhistoricplaces.html)
The police
barracks was built in 1878 and probably the work of the Colonial Architect
James Barnet. It was initially constructed in 1879 as two adjacent police cottages.
Historical
sources consider that the Police Sergeant lived in the west end of the building, and the constable lived in the east end. The mounted constable boarded
elsewhere. The police horse was kept in the non-presbyterian church area (1925-1950's).
Wooden posts tethered the horse. (NSW
SHI)
Camden
Police Station has a corrugated iron hipped roof and brick chimneys. The building
has a paved verandah with carved timber posts and brackets. It has a four panelled
timber entrance door with a highlight window, and eight double-hung pane windows
with sandstone sills. The front façade is symmetrically designed with two
projecting wings and a central recessed verandah. It is sited adjacent to the
courthouse. (NSW SHI)
Condition and Use
These police barracks were built in 1878
Constructed
in face brickwork.
Picket fence
along footpath has been removed.
The building
has been restored and modernised to facilitate its continuing use as a Police
Station.
Alterations and additions, 1972 1980. (NSW SHI)
The verandah was
once enclosed but has been fully restored in recent times.
The building is no longer used as a police station since the new Local Area Command Police Station was opened at Narellan in 2011.
The building is no longer used as a police station since the new Local Area Command Police Station was opened at Narellan in 2011.
Heritage Significance
The building retains functional integrity and intactness. (NSW
SHI)
The building
is representative of the style of official or important early buildings in the
town. The building's value lies in its relationship to the other important
buildings in the John Street Group. (Australian Heritage Database)
Heritage Listing
Local Environment Plan
Item 44
Read more
Phillip Haylock, The
Very Sociable Policeman, Camden History,
Volume 3 No 7 March 2014, pp. 256-258,
Charlotte Hemans, 'Policing Camden in the early years,
Camden Police Station, 1805-1878', Camden
History, Vol 2, No 8, September 2009, pp. 305-312
The District Reporter,
6 March 2017
 |
| Camden John Street Precinct with the courthouse on the right-hand side of the street before the police station was built. The police station was eventually built between Macaria and the courthouse in 1878. Image is the early 1870s (Camden Images) |
Camden Court House
History and Description
Camden Court House is built on land set aside
for this purpose by James and William Macarthur at the time the town allotment
plans were laid down. The brothers also offered £100 towards the cost of the building.
The first
buildings on this site were a timber lock-up and Chief Constable's residence.
The present construction was commenced in 1855 and completed in 1857 with cells
underneath and at the rear. The building was designed during William Weaver's
term as Government Architect. A new lock-up was built to replace the old one
between 1859-61.
A Court of
Petty Sessions at Camden was established by Proclamation on 20 July 1841 after
lengthy opposition from both Campbelltown and Picton. They were requesting that
the Cawdor Court be removed either to Campbelltown or Picton. Until that date,
the Court was still at Cawdor. (http://www.camdenhistory.org.au/chhistoricplaces.html)
The first
Clerk of the Bench in the area was James Pearson who was Clerk at Cawdor until
his death on 13 July 1841. John Downes Wood, a nephew of Charles Cowper, was
appointed the first Clerk of Petty Sessions for Camden by Government
Proclamation on 23 September 1841. When the new courthouse was completed the
Clerk of the Bench was J.B. Martin, who retained this position for 35 years. (http://www.camdenhistory.org.au/chhistoricplaces.html)
Camden Court
House is a small Italianate court building with a temple front loggia with
three arches. It is a painted ashlar building with painted chimneys and a gable
shingled roof. There is a circular window on the front facade, and twelve panes
and two-pane double-hung windows on the side facades. The entrance door is a
six panelled timber door. The cells were constructed underneath and at the
rear. (NSW SHI)
Condition and Use
Camden Court House was built between 1855-1860.
The building is in good condition. (NSW SHI)
In 2013 the NSW Government spent $200,000 on the refurbishment of
Camden courthouse. (Camden Narellan Advertiser, 25 September 2013)
Heritage Significance
Camden courthouse, like its neighbouring
police station, is of little value alone. Its value lies in its relationship to
the other important buildings. It is probably the work of colonial architect
Alexander Dawson. (Australian Heritage Database)
Heritage Listing
Local Environment Plan
Item 43
Australian Heritage Commission Australian Heritage Database ID 3230
Read more
Iliana Stillitano, 'Court shut down', Camden.
Narellan Advertiser, 1 July 2014
