Kelvin Park, Bringelly, NSW

Kelvin Park Farm Group

The Retreat, Kelvin Park Drive, Bringelly, NSW.

Lot 271  Vol  803167

Kelvin Park Homestead c.2010  (australiancountry.net.au)

History and Description
The Kelvin Park Group is part of a 600 acres "Bringelly" land grant originally granted to Thomas Laycock Jnr. He came to Australia with his father, Sergeant Thomas Laycock of the NSW Corps in 1789. Thomas Jnr became a Lieutenant in 1802, left the colony in 1810 and fought for England in the American War of 1812, becoming a Captain. On his return to Australia with his family in 1817 he received the Bringelly grant in 1818. He had the main homestead and surrounding outbuildings of Kelvin Park constructed c.1820. He died here in 1823 and by 1824 the property was bought by J T Campbell former secretary to Governor Macquarie. In 1825 the property was leased by the Australian Agricultural Company.

Kelvin Park was purchased by Alfred Kennerley in 1833, later premier of Tasmania. He lived there until 1856, during this time the double gabled brick coach-house was constructed, c.1851.

Since the mid-19th century the property has had various owners. The group is presently privately owned and occupied.

See also SHI 1970119 (Homestead), 1970139 (Kitchen, former), 1970157 (Staff/Shearer's quarters), 1970164 (Coach House, former), 1970167 (Farm Shed), 1970177 (Farm Shed), 1970445 (Relics) and 1970446 (Site Landscaping). (State Heritage Inventory)


Condition and Use
The buildings are intact, and have a high degree of integrity

The current use is a private residence. Its former use was a Homestead complex, part of working farm (State Heritage Inventory)


Heritage significance
The Kelvin Park Group is an intact complex of early Colonial farm buildings within an attractive, mature garden in a rural hilltop setting. The earlier buildings include an excellent example of an 1820s homestead and associated outbuildings in the form of timber slab sheds. The complex also retains additional relics and structures illustrative of the original functioning of the property. There is the potential to gain more information on the site from further architectural, archaeological and documentary research. (State Heritage Inventory)

Heritage ListingLiverpool LEP 0252
State Heritage Inventory

Read more about the Kelvin Park Farm Group Click here

Denbigh, Cobbitty, NSW

Denbigh

421 The Northern Road, Cobbitty, NSW 2570

Lot 2001  DP 1139483

Denbigh Homestead c.1990 (Camden Images)

History and Description

The original owner of Denbigh was Charles Hook, who had been imprisoned by the rebel government for supporting Governor Bligh's attempt to control the military in New South Wales. Hook had suffered greatly over the previous events and was in his fifties when he received his grant in 1812 by Governor Macquarie (Bligh's successor). The grant consisted of 1100 acres in the Parish of Cook, located at Cobbitty between the Cowpasture Road and Bringelly Road (later Northern Road). During 1818, Hook and his wife stayed at nearby Macquarie Grove while their own house was being built. The construction of Denbigh house was completed c1822 and Hook began clearing the surrounding land for agricultural use. He died in 1826.

In 1826 the property was growing wheat (60 acres) and maize (23 acres). It was described as including 'a large dwelling house and other convenient out-houses on the farm'. Aborigines held 'tribal rites' in the adjacent paddocks after the house was constructed. A dense grove of olives was planted west of the house pre-1826. A small vineyard was established on a hill to the north of the house pre-1826. A number of mud huts clustered around the main building, surrounded by a 7-8 foot paling fence (all now vanished)(Godden Mackay Logan, 2007, 27).

The property was then purchased by parson Thomas Hassall who began extending the homestead in 1827. It took four and a half years to complete major renovations on the house and service buildings. After its completion, Hassall was joined by his wife and children (Helen Baker, 'Denbigh - Historic Homesteads', Australian Council of National Trusts,1982).

Denbigh homestead resembled a scattered village surrounded mostly by an enclosed landscape with a half circle of hills, five acres of gardens consisting of an abundance of fruit trees, a vineyard and an orange grove with magnificent views from the hills. Together with a wide extent of country, churches were clearly seen at nearby Camden, Narellan and Cobbitty (Hassall, Rev, James S. in 'Old Australia, Records and Reminiscences from 1784', Brisbane, 1902) (SHI)

Condition and Use

Former use was as a working farm & Clydesdal horse stud, dairy farm, vineyards, Ayrshire cattle stud.

The current use is as a working farm & Hereford stud. (SHI)

Heritage Significance

Denbigh is of State significance as an intact example of a continuously functioning early farm complex (1817-1820s) on its original 1812 land grant. It contains a rare and remarkable group of homestead, early farm buildings and associated plantings with characteristics of the Loudon model of homestead siting within an intact rural landscape setting fundamental to its interpretation. The large collection of early farm buildings is perhaps the most extensive and intact within the Cumberland/Camden region.

It has historic associations with pioneering Anglican minister Thomas Hassall and its relationship with the early Heber Chapel and the township of Cobbitty. The estate is significant as an early contact point between Aboriginal and European culture and is of social significance for the descendants of the Hassall and Macintosh families. It retains its historic views across the valley to Cobbitty in the west.

The place is of scientific significance for its potential to reveal, through archaeology, evidence of both early European farming practices and aboriginal occupation. The significance of Denbigh is considerably enhanced by the extent to which it has retained its form, character, fabric and rural setting (Heritage Office).

The Denbigh estate is of exceptional cultural significance for its historical, aesthetic, social and technical values. (SHI)




Denbigh is of historical significance on a state level as an intact example of continuously functioning early farm complex on its original 1812 land grant. (Heritage Office draft)

Heritage Listing

LEP Listing No 48

REP Listing No 48

Heritage Act - State Heritage Register Listing No 01691

National Trust of Australia register No 7311

Read more

State Heritage Inventory Click here

Historic Denbigh at Cobbitty

Open Day

The Denbigh Open Day is a rare opportunity to view one of the area's premier historic colonial properties. Denbigh was part of a land grant to Sydney merchant Charles Hook in 1812. The property was then sold in 1827 to 'The Galloping Parson" Rev Thomas Hassall.

Historic Denbigh at Cobbitty Open Day 10 October 2015.

The earliest part of Denbigh house was constructed by Hook in 1817 and added to by Thomas Hassall in 1838.

The State Heritage Inventory states:

The homestead is sited in contrast with the surrounding open agricultural land and is complimented by the half circle of hills which define Denbigh's landscape character. In terms of elevation and character, the buildings and trees have been sited in a manner influenced by John Claudius Loudon, the Scottish writer on landscape taste.

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Read more on the State Heritage Inventory. Click here
View more images from the State Heritage Inventory. Click here