Silverwater Correctional Complex - Newington House & Grounds

Item details


Name of item:	Silverwater Correctional Complex - Newington House & Grounds
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Law Enforcement
Category:	Prison
Primary address:	Holker Street, Silverwater, NSW 2264
Local govt. area:	City of Parramatta

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Holker Street	Silverwater	City of Parramatta			Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
Corrective Services - Department of Communities and Justice	State Government

Statement of significance:


	Newington House, and its setting is of state significance as being one of three surviving grand houses in the Sydney region, each formerly part of a large estate; as evidence of an estate run using convict labour. The house provides evidence of the way in which the colonial society operated and the contrast between the lifestyle of the Blaxland family and their assigned convicts. Newington House is an important reminder of the westward expansion of development towards Parramatta and the Blue Mountains in the early 19th century. Newington House has a high degree of heritage significance as part of an elaborate landscape setting that also included the neighbouring estates; for the subdivision of the estate and the changes in institutional use following the sale of the estate by the family; for its association with the development of education in NSW during the nineteenth century; as a significant example of the craft of joinery dating from c1830. The house is important for its associations with John Blaxland and his family, noted entrepreneur and pastorialist. Newington House is historically significant as an integral part of the original Blaxland estate, dating from the 1820s. Newington House is aesthetically significant at a state level as it is a high quality example of a Regency Villa, dating from the late 1820s, in good condition. Newington House, and its setting also has aesthetic significance for being an integral element within an elaborate landscape setting. Newington House has research potential linked to the possibility of archaeological evidence of the original European settlement and estate.
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Designer/Maker:	attrib Henry Cooper 1829-1832 attrib John Verge 1829-1832 James Houison 1838- W L Vernon 19
Builder/Maker:	unknown
Construction years:	1829-
Physical description:	Newington House is a two storey Regency villa. The main front of the house is symmetrical, with a central pedimented break-front. The main entrance door is surmounted by a decorative fanlight. The design has been attributed variously to John Verge and Henry Cooper(?) however no original drawings have been located. A Doric colonnade, described as one of the grandest colonnades in the colony, was added c1838 to a design by James Houison. Newington House is one of three remaining grand houses, each part of a large estate, in the Sydney region, the other two examples being Camden House and Elizabeth Bay House. The floor plan of Newington House is based around two reception rooms, each with an apse that is expressed on the exterior of the building, and a central hall which once featured a geometric staircase. The house was designed to allow entertaining on a grand scale and to reflect the social standing of the Blaxland family. The layout of the principal rooms remains intact however the staircase was replaced at the turn of the century. The replacement stair is thought to have been designed by the Government Architect W L Vernon. High quality cedar joinery was used throughout the house, aand a large proportion of which remains intact. Newington House is one of the best surviving examples of joinery dating from this period in NSW. An infilled underground tank is behind the house. Elements of the landscaped grounds of the house are extant, including scattered individual and groups of mature tree plantings, the outline of the formal carriage loop north of the house.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Newington House is in good condition
	Date condition updated:04 Jan 07
Further information:	Further assessment required.


Current use:	Administration building
Former use:	Residence, school, hospital.

History

Historical notes:

Newington House was built, c 1829-32, for the prominent landowner and member of the legislative council, John Blaxland to replace an earlier farmhouse. The main house was the centre of a complex of structures including a kitchen block, a coachhouse, stables and an underground water tank. The house was erected amongst an established landscaped garden with an extensive orchard. Picturesque buildings, a gazebo (by 1834) and a chapel (1838) were built to enhance the setting.

The estate was run using assigned convict labour, as farm workers, as factory workers and as servants in the main house. The Blaxland family were among the social elite of the colony and the house and grounds were the setting for many social occassions. The abandonment of the system of convict assignment had an impact on the running of the large estates.

Following the death of John Blaxland in 1845 the estate began to decline and was eventually sold by the family in 1860. In 1863 Newington College was established and run on the site by the Methodist Church. During the tenancy, the refurbished Newington House accommodated bedrooms, dining room, pantry, tea-room and the President's parlour and study. The former kitchen and storeroom retained their uses. (Brooks 2003: 12) In 1880, the whole school relocated to Stanmore.

In 1879 the Government bought Newington House and the surrounding 48 acres. From about 1883 existing buildings were used as an asylum for destitute women suffering from chronic or serious illness.. Between 1912-18 the complex of buildings developed and the function of the asylum changed to a more modern hospital. The house was occupied at one time by a nurses' home.

During the 1960s sale of the site to industry was proposed, however representation by the National Trust saved the house from demolition and eventually it was taken over with the surrounding estate to form Silverwater Gaol.

In 1969, some restoration was carried out when the house was incorporated into the Silverwater Correctional Centre Complex, for use as an administrative centre. In 1985 a major conservation study was conducted by McConnel, Smith and Johnson. The Heritage Council of NSW proposed a permanent conservation order under the Heritage Act 1977. Major restoration took place prior to the house's occupation by the Inmate Classification and Case Management Branch in 1998. (A Guide to Newington House' NSW Department of Corrective Services 2002)

The Newington site includes a men's minimum security facility and the Mulawa women's centre. Newington House was used as the Administrative Block of the Men's Correctional Centre. In December 1990, the NSW Government approved the development of the 900 bed Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre (MRRC) on a site within the Silverwater Correctional Centre Complex, taking into account the Newington Precinct, Irwin House and historic landscape. A Conservation Plan was prepared for the site in 1993, and updated conservation reports produced by MSJ in January and October 1994.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Convict-Activities relating to incarceration, transport, reform, accommodation and working during the convict period in NSW (1788-1850) - does not include activities associated with the conviction of persons in NSW that are unrelated to the imperial 'convict system': use the theme of Law & Order for such activities	(none)-(none)
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Health-Activities associated with preparing and providing medical assistance and/or promoting or maintaining the well being of humans	(none)-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use	(none)-(none)
7. Governing-Governing	Law and order-Activities associated with maintaining, promoting and implementing criminal and civil law and legal processes	(none)-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	Newington House, and its setting is historically significant at a state level as being one of three surviving grand houses in the Sydney region, each formerly part of a large estate; as evidence of an estate run using convict labour; as evidence of the way in which the colonial society operated and the contrast between the lifestyle of the Blaxland family and their assigned convicts. Newington House is historically significant as an integral part of the original Blaxland estate, dating from the 1820s. The house is also significant for its links to the subdivision of the estate and subsequent uses, and for its association with the development of education in NSW during the nineteenth century; as a significant example of the craft of joinery dating from c1830.
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	Newington House has associative significance for its links to John Blaxland, noted landowner and merchant in early 19th century Sydney.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	Newington House is aesthetically significant at a state level as it is a high quality example of a Regency Villa, dating from the late 1820s, in good condition. Newington House, and its setting also has aesthetic significance for being an inegral element within an elaborate landscape setting; and as a significant example of the craft of joinery dating from c1830.
SHR Criteria e) [Research potential]	Newington House has research potential linked to the possibility of archaeological evidence of the original European settlement and estate.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	Newington House and its setting has a high degree of rarity at a state level as being one of three surviving grand houses in the Sydney region, each formerly part of a large estate.
Integrity/Intactness:	Newington House has a moderate degree of intactness.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Recommended management:

Conserve and maintain according to the Burra Charter. It is recommended that Newington House and Newington Chapel and their setting, be declared a conservation area. No new development that would have an adverse impact on the Conservation Area, including the significanct vegetation, should be permitted. The vistas of, and to, the main house should also be retained. Consideration should be given to the re-instatement of the front carriage loop and the provision of limited public access. Upgrading of the conseravtion plan and the preparation of a maintenance strategy is recommended. The infilled water tank is a potential archaeological site.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register	L

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title
Written			Silverwater and Mulawa Correctional Centres, Conservation Plan, Main Report, Planning Workshop 1993
Written			Newington, Silverwater, A report on its history and present condition. Cox, Tanner P/L 1978.
Written	Heritage Design Services, NSW Department of Commerce	2005	Newington House Silverwater - Condition Survey
Written	McConnel Smith & Johnson.		"Silverwater Complex of Prisons Development Study 1985 Phase 1",

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	State Government
Database number:	3360125

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