House

Item details


Name of item:	House
Other name/s:	part of North Street Group; Semi-detached cottage; Brick Semi-detached cottage; cottage
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Residential buildings (private)
Category:	House
Location:	Lat: -33.6043103100 Long: 150.8266315120
Primary address:	25 North Street, Windsor, NSW 2756
Parish:	St Matthew
County:	Cumberland
Local govt. area:	Hawkesbury
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Deerubbin

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
LOT	201		DP	593790

Boundary:

The study area encompasses an easement that crosses the property boundaries of cottages at 23 to 39 North Street, Windsor. These properties are located within the Parish of St Matthew, County of Cumberland, and are within the Local Government Area of Hawkesbury City Council.

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
25 North Street	Windsor	Hawkesbury	St Matthew	Cumberland	Primary Address
27 North Street	Windsor	Hawkesbury			Alternate Address

Statement of significance:


	The group of houses, including No. 25 North Street, are a substantially intact example of nineteenth century housing. Individually, 25 North Street has no direct association with persons of state or local importance in NSW’s cultural history. The group of houses can be associated with persons of local importance, such as Samuel Wilcox, Lieutenant Samuel North and with George Palmer. The building is a representative, rather than fine example of its type, and does not demonstrate a high level of technical or aesthetic achievement. The curtilage has some potential in yielding further information on nineteenth century domestic life. The building and indeed the group is of state significance.
	Date significance updated: 14 Jan 09
	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


Physical description:	The study area is located on the northern side of North Street between the intersection of this street with Arndell and Palmer Streets. The buildings follow the topography of North Street, which drops from the highest point at the western end (37-39 North Street) to the lowest level in the study area at the east (23 North Street). There is also a slope from north to south. The facades of the nineteenth century buildings are in a similar alignment along North Street and are sited close to the present street separated from it only by a narrow grassed footpath. All of the properties have substantial trees behind them and all have landscaped gardens in the immediate environs of the houses. 25 North Street comprises semi-detached cottages with two front doors now used as a single occupancy house. It is built from sandstock brick above a sandstone cellar and foundations. The verandah paving and sills are also formed from sandstone. There are twelve-pane window sashes and six-panel doors. There is a jerkin head roof with dormer windows. It is hipped to the verandah. The centrally placed chimney reflects the two former occupancies. There are out-buildings behind.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	"The archaeological resource is likely to encompass evidence that could relate to secondary buildings, yard and garden improvements, services and/or domestic wastes of approximately the mid-nineteenth century onwards. It is unlikely, though possible, that evidence earlier than that date will be found during the work. "Because of the very limited primary archival evidence that is available for the study area and the lack of visible surface indicators it is almost impossible to define any specific archaeological feature and the small area that will be physically impacted upon by the excavation required for drainage compounds this problem. For these reasons the archaeological profile for the study area must be expressed in the most general terms as follows: " - Evidence of the pre-settlement environment may be preserved as micro-flora in relict top-soils but these are likely to have been substantially disturbed through agricultural and construction activities. " - Some evidence of Aboriginal occupation might be found within the excavation area (the proximity of the study area to the fertile areas around the Nepean River and South Creek suggests that it is likely to have been attractive to indigenous peoples). This association would be identified through remnant artefacts. " - Evidence of environmental change including deforestation and flooding may be seen through alluvial soil strata and possibly charcoal and other deposits associated with fire clearance. " - Evidence of early nineteenth century agricultural activity could be preserved as micro-flora in soil profiles. " - Possible evidence of structural development associated with Peninsula Farm's agricultural area, . . . " - The potential for structural evidence of out-buildings, particularly privys, behind all of the . . . North Street buildings covering a broad period from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. " - The potential for disused services for all of the buildings including drainage, sewerage, gas, electricity. " - The potential for domestic wastes from all buildings in the form of discarded artefacts." (Thorp 2004a: 3). The archaeological assessment also reports that the occupants of the houses in the study area have found considerable quantities of small artefacts, broken ceramics and glass in the gardens (Thorp 2004a:26).
	Date condition updated:12 Aug 04


Current use:	Residence
Former use:	Residence

History

Historical notes:

INDIGENOUS OCCUPATION
The lower Hawkesbury was home to the Dharug people. The proximity to the Nepean River and South Creek qualifies it as a key area for food resources for indigenous groups (Proudfoot, 1987).
The Dharug and Darkinjung people called the river Deerubbin and it was a vital source of food and transport (Nichols, 2010).

NON-INDIGENOUS OCCUPATION
Governor Arthur Phillip explored the local area in search of suitable agricultural land in 1789 and discovered and named the Hawkesbury River after Baron Hawkesbury. This region played a significant role in the early development of the colony with European settlers established here by 1794. Situated on fertile floodplains and well known for its abundant agriculture, Green Hills (as it was originally called) supported the colony through desperate times. However, frequent flooding meant that the farmers along the riverbanks were often ruined.

1794: The study area covering allotments at 23 through to 39 North Street, Windsor, is located on land first alienated for European purposes in a grant made by Francis Grose of thirty acres to Samuel Wilcox, who named it Wilcox Farm. It is likely that land clearance and agricultural activities as well as some building works took place during this period and during the subsequent of occupation;

early 19th century: Former Wilcox Farm was incorporated into a larger holding of 1500 acres known as Peninsula Farm.

Governor Lachlan Macquarie replaced Governor Bligh, taking up duty on 1/1/1810. Under his influence the colony propsered. His vision was for a free community, working in conjunction with the penal colony. He implemented an unrivalled public works program, completing 265 public buildings, establishing new public amenities and improving existing services such as roads. Under his leadership Hawkesbury district thrived. He visited the district on his first tour and recorded in his journal on 6/12/1810: 'After dinner I chrestened the new townships...I gave the name of Windsor to the town intended to be erected in the district of the Green Hills...the township in the Richmond district I have named Richmond...' the district reminded Macquarie of those towns in England, whilst Castlereagh, Pitt Town and Wilberforce were named after English statesmen. These are often referred to as Macquarie's Five Towns. Their localities, chiefly Windsor and Richmond, became more permanent with streets, town square and public buildings.

Macquarie also appointed local men in positions of authority. In 1810 a group of settlers sent a letter to him congratulating him on his leadership and improvements. It was published in the Sydney Gazette with his reply. He was 'much pleased with the sentiments' of the letter and assured them that the Haweksbury would 'always be an object of the greatest interest' to him (Nichols, 2010).

In marking out the towns of Windsor and Richmond in 1810, Governor Macquarie was acting on instructions from London. All of the Governors who held office between 1789 and 1822, from Phillip to Brisbane, recieved the same Letter of Instruction regarding the disposal of the 'waste lands of the Crown' that Britain claimed as her own. This included directives for the formation of towns and thus the extension of British civilisation to its Antipodean outpost (Proudfoot 1987, 7-9).

1840s: Peninsula Farm was subdivided, with lots along North Street, Windsor, being developed throughout the nineteenth century (North Street named for Lieutenant Samuel North). It is likely this development was primarily residential in nature;

1840s: Allotments 20 and 21 at 25 North Street purchased by Charles Campbell (who also owned the allotment at No 23, 2004/S140/048).

1844: Lot 21 was sold to James bell of North Richmond and Robert Stewart, a watchmaker of Windsor.

1844-1865: Stewart came into sole possession of the property. A house largely built over Lot 21 was probably constructed during this period..

1884: Site sold to James Ewing (whose wife was the daughter of Aquila Hagger, the owner of the adjoining property) and remained in the extended Ewing family's ownership until 1922 with further changes of ownership since that time.

1930s: A survey plan shows only the house with no out-buildings elsewhere on the property.

1974: Property sold to the National Trust of Australia (NSW)

Present: 25 North Street is in private ownership, after the National Trust of Australia (NSW) undertook renovations.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	Housing ordinary families-

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) OF THE HERITAGE ACT 1977 Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977. I, the Hon James Griffin MP, Minister for Environment and Heritage, pursuant to subsection 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales do by this Order, effective at the time of publication in the New South Wales Government Gazette: 1. revoke the order made on 9 November 2020 and published in the Government Gazette Number 318 of 13 November 2020; and 2. grant the exemptions from subsection 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 that are described in the attached Schedule. The Hon James Griffin MP Minister for Environment and Heritage Signed this 2nd day of June 2022. To view the standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 click on the link below.	Jun 17 2022

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		00150	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former		00150	13 Mar 81	41
Local Environmental Plan		1989	18 Dec 89
National Trust of Australia register	Semi-detached Cottages, North Street 23-25 (part O	9628	01 Jan 86
Register of the National Estate	Cottage 23-25 North St, Windsor	003157	20 Dec 76
Register of the National Estate	North Street Group, 23-39, 28 North St, Windsor	003156	20 Dec 76
Register of the National Estate	Brick Semi-Detached Cottage, 23-25 North Street Wi		21 Mar 78

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Tourism		2007	Windsor Heritage Walk	View detail
Tourism	Attraction Homepage	2007	Windsor Heritage Walk	View detail
Written	John Potts	2008	25 North Street Windsor NSW 2756 : photo archival recording
Written	Nichols, Michelle (Local Studies Librarian)	2010	Macquarie and the Hawkesbury District

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:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5045174
File number:	S90/05765 & HC 32530

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