Hunting Lodge (former)

Item details

Name of item: Hunting Lodge (former)
Other name/s: Hunting Lodge
Type of item: Built
Group/Collection: Recreation and Entertainment
Category: Other - Recreation & Entertainment
Location: Lat: -33.6648159186 Long: 150.9139049540
Primary address: The Water Lane, Rouse Hill, NSW 2155
Parish: Nelson
County: Cumberland
Local govt. area: The Hills
Local Aboriginal Land Council: Deerubbin
Property description
Lot/Volume CodeLot/Volume NumberSection NumberPlan/Folio CodePlan/Folio Number
PART LOT175 DP10157
All addresses
Street AddressSuburb/townLGAParishCountyType
The Water LaneRouse HillThe HillsNelsonCumberlandPrimary Address

Owner/s

Organisation NameOwner CategoryDate Ownership Updated
 Private 
 Private 

Statement of significance:

The Hunting Lodge has both historic and architectural significance as follows:

a) for its associations with the early farms at Rouse Hill, Box Hill and Copenhagen Farm;
b) for its possible association with S.H.Terry, MLA, and;
c) for its rarity as a 19th century hunting lodge and its associated elements including gothic/baronial design follies and the remains of a surrounding moat.

There are only three surviving buildings associated with the three early farms: Rouse Hill House, Box Hill House and the hunting lodge (Heritage Branch Manager's report 285/86).
Date significance updated: 24 Mar 10
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

Builder/Maker: Henry Montgomery (stonemason)attrib.)
Construction years: 1857-1860
Physical description: Site and context:
Located on Water Lane west of Annangrove Road, Rouse Hill. Water Lane runs between Annangrove Road and Nelson Road, Box Hill (Musecape, 2014).

A two lot curtilage surrounds the Hunting Lodge with a proposed surrounding residential density of 15 dwellings per hectare on a development called 'The Meadows', off Edwards Road. The Lodge site is bordered by three new streets: Longmeadow Parkway, Limestone Road and Timbercrest Street. Restoration of the Lodge began in September 2017 with the addition of a new slate roof and galvanised guttering under the supervision of Musecape heritage consultants (ibid, 2018).

Lodge:
The building is a small, single storey sandstone cottage of gothic/baronial design (in the tradition of such follies) with an attic. (Heritage Branch Manager's report 285/86). It is a rare example of a small Victorian sandstone cottage of cruciform plan with fine Gothic (Revival) details. It has three projecting bay windows on the east side with diamond-patterned windows of leaded glass. The external and original internal walls, and central chimney, are of sandstone. The building has a corrugated iron roof. The ground floor has four main rooms within the original cruciform (shape) and a fifth room filling out the south-east corner, added in the 1920s (ibid, 2018).

A ladder stair leads to an attic level within the roof space. Physical evidence of the intricate stonework suggess the original building was built in the 1850s by a skilled stone mason. Roof battens indicate that the original roof was probably slate. No original joinery survives. Woodwork dates from the 1920s and is in poor condition - beyond repair, as the building has not been lived in since 1989 (ibid, 2018).

To the south of the lodge beside the entrance drive is a cylindrical underground water cistern cut into the shale with a sandstone block lining (ibid, 2018).
Physical condition and/or
Archaeological potential: 		Restoration of the Hunting Lodge began in September 2017 with the addition of a new slate roof and galvanised guttering under supervision of Musecape heritage consultants (ibid, 2018).
Date condition updated:15 Aug 19
Modifications and dates: Up to the 1970s the lodge had a small moat around it, presumably to keep animals away and possibly fire. It is not known when the moat was constructed but the present owner has filled it in. During the early 1970s there was an avenue of wattle trees leading from the gate to the house which the present owner has removed. (Heritage Branch Manager's report 285/86).

It is understood that unsympathetic additions had been made to the house (Branch Manager's report 341/88).
Further information: 1986: zoned non-urban 1A under IDO no.118 Baulkham Hills Shire. Minimum lot size is 40 ha.
Current use: without a use.
Former use: Aboriginal land, colonial era hunting lodge

History

Historical notes: William Bligh arrived in Sydney on 6 August 1806 and received grants of land from Governor King: 240 acres (97 ha) at Campbelltown, 105 acres (42 ha) near Parramatta and 1000 acres (405 ha) near Rouse Hill on the Hawkesbury Road (Wilson, 2018).

Bligh named his Rouse Hill grant 'Copenhagen' after the Battle of Copenhagen, a naval encounter in 1801, in which he had distinguished himself. This grant lay between Bligh's land at Parramatta and land which he (had) purchased himself on the Hawkesbury River, which was promoted as a model farm. It seems that the Copenhagen farm land was unoccupied. After his run in with John Macarthur and the NSW Corps, Bligh was arrested in January 1808 and remained in confinement for over a year. In February 1809 he sailed to Tasmania to seek support from Lieutenant Governor David Collins, but instead alienated both Collins and the locals. Bligh returned to Sydney after the arrival of Lachlan Macquarie in 1810 and sailed for England in May that year (ibid, 2018).

The New Windsor Road (as opposed to the Old Windsor Road of 1794) was formed in 1810 and met up with the Old Windsor Road outside Kellyville leaving a strip of land between Blight's 'Copenhagen' grant and the new line of road. In 1811, Bligh's grant was offered for lease in small lots for grazing land by Robert Campbell and the Rev. Samuel Marsden who had been taking care of Bligh's affairs. Records of returns suggest that Bligh's various grants had little cultivation or grazing on them. The 'Sydney Gazette' of 23/11/1811 advertised 'clearing leases for seven years in small lots of 100 acres, the farm Copenhagen. The grounds are capital for cultivation or grazing' (ibid, 2018).

The land on which the building is located was granted by Governor King to Governor Bligh in 1806 and ratified by Governor Macquarie (Heritage Branch Manager's report 285/86).

Between 1813 and 1818 Richard Rouse built Rouse Hill House on his grant. On the other (eastern) side of the Hawkesbury (Windsor) Road, in 1819, Samuel Terry purchased Robert Fitz's 1700 acre grant on which he built Box Hill House in the 1820s. The 1822 Muster records Terry living in Sydney as a dealer. However by the 1825 Muster Samuel Terry is recorded as a landholder residing in Sydney (ibid, 2018).

Bligh's six daughters could not manage their inheritance after Bligh's death in 1820 from abroad. In November 1824 Colonel O'Connell was claiming the Copenhagen Estate as his own in a 'Sydney Gazette' notice of 25/11/1824 through his wife Mary's inheritance (she was Bligh's daughter) but the dispersal of her estate had not been finalised at the time as Bligh had died intestate. The 'Sydney Gazette' suggests that there were no resident tenants on the Copenhagen property (ibid, 2018).

In 1834 part of 'Copenhagen' was occupied by Edward Cullen who cultivated it, together with an unoccupied area of the Bligh grant. In the 1828 Census Cullen is listed as residing at Seven Hills. Sale of the Copenhagen Estate was finalised in May 1841. John Terry bought the land adjoining his Box Hill Estate to the west but he died in November that same year, leaving his eldest son, Samuel Henry (S.H.) Terry who was only 8 years old. S.H. Terry appears to have acquired title to the land on which the Hunting Lodge now sits, in 1841. He leased the land to Henry Montgomery, a stonemason, from August 1857-1872, who may have been commissioned by S.H. Terry to build the stone hunting lodge. It was later leased to another member of the Montgomery family, followed by C.W.Munt and a person named Cornwell in 1873 and 1874 before Samuel Terry regained the property in the late 1870s (ibid, 2018).

Later in the century the property passed to the land holder and politician S.H.Terry (1833-1887) who possibly built the lodge in the 1860s or later. Through Terry the property is strongly associated with Rouse Hill House and Box Hill House. Terry was born at his family's Box Hill farm (Heritage Branch Manager's report 285/86).

Local legend holds that the lodge was constructed by William Bligh, as the original land grant was given to him. It appears more likely it was constructed by the Terry family of Box Hill or one of their tenants who was a stone mason, but used the surrounding land as an orchard (Lampard, pers.comm., 2014). Another possibility is that it was built by Henry Ferdinand Halloran who was mortgagee in possession for 7 years - Halloran is renowned for building quirky structures on his estates (Betteridge, pers.comm., 2014).

Conservation architect Clive Lucas visited the Hunting Lodge in 1960. He remembers being told by Nina Terry nee Rouse that the lodge was used by the Terry family from the late 1870s as they were very involved in the Sydney Hunt Club. The master of the hounds was Samuel Terry's brother, who lived at Eastwood (ibid, 2018).

In 1884 S.H.Terry applied to bring his Rouse Hill lands under Torrens Title. He had leases with James Cornwell and Thomas Robins with annual leases to J.Hynds, N.Cornwell, James Cornwell, J. Robins, C. Mason, David Brown and James Robins. S. H. Terry was the registered owner from 11/10/1884 (ibid, 2018).

In 1887 S. H. Terry died and the property was transferred in January 1896 to his sons Charles, George, Richard and a solicitor, William Wilkinson. George Terry apperas to own the property from 17 February 1896. At this time George had become master of the Sydney Hunt Club and the Hunting Lodge would have been used for hunting parties. In an 'Evening News' report of 27/7/1895 the Sydney Hunt Club met for a run over Box Hill. A special Sydney train transported the members, horses and hounds to Riverstone Railway Station. A drag was laid across the paddocks, a trip of 8 miles, with 25 fences and 4 creeks crossed, finishing at the Hunting Lodge. A photo of the occasion still hangs at Rouse Hill House. Later the club's hunting hound kennels were kept at Box Hill (ibid, 2018).

The Box Hill Estate was subdivided for small farms in 1919 and 1921. However much of the land remained unsold due to the lack of water and other amenities (ibid, 2018).

From 1925-1928 Henry Halloran, surveyor and real estate agent, was listed as mortgagee in posession of the Hunting Lodge property. From 9/7/1928-20/3/1930, Ivy Rumble, spinster, was the owner. It was then acquired by a married woman, Edith Foley, until 1948. In that year it was transferred to Margaret Mason and in 1957 to Muriel Shipley. Contractor Knud Ravn-Pedersen held the title from February 1960 to November 1981 when it was transferred to Noel Machon (ibid, 2018).

Up to the 1970s the lodge had a small moat around it, presumably to keep animals away and possibly fire. It is not known when the moat was constructed but the present owner has filled it in. During the early 1970s there was an avenue of wattle trees leading from the gate to the house which the present owner has removed. (Heritage Branch Manager's report 285/86).

In 1989 the property was bought by Charles Holdings P/L and in 2014 Dallas Investments P/L bought it. The building has not been lived in since 1989 (ibid, 2018).

The Box Hill Growth Centre was rezoned for development in April 2013 to provide for 9600 dwellings within 974 hectares. A two lot curtilage surrounds the Hunting Lodge with a proposed surrounding residential density of 15 dwellings per hectare on a development called 'The Meadows', off Edwards Road. The Lodge site is bordered by three new streets: L:ongmeadow Parkway, Limestone Road and Timbercrest Street. Restoration of the Lodge began in September 2017 with the addition of a new slate roof and galvanised guttering under the supervision of Musecape heritage consultants (ibid, 2018).

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)New South Wales themeLocal theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures. Other open space-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures. Changing the environment-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures. Cultural: Plains and plateaux supporting human activities-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture Private farming-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture Truffle farming-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture Ancillary structures fencing-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture Rural Estates-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture Ancillary structures - wells, cisterns-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture Clearing land for farming-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Agriculture-Activities relating to the cultivation and rearing of plant and animal species, usually for commercial purposes, can include aquaculture Attempting to transplant European farming practices to Australian environments-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings Significant Places How are significant places marked in the landscape by, or for, different groups-Monuments and Sites
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings Developing local, regional and national economies-National Theme 3
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use Modifying landscapes to increase productivity-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies Pastoralism-Activities associated with the breeding, raising, processing and distribution of livestock for human use Agisting and fattening stock for slaughter-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life Leisure-Activities associated with recreation and relaxation Going hunting and shooting-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups Associations with Governor (Captn., later Vice-Adm.) William Bligh RN, 1806-1810-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups Associations with Samuel Terry, wealthy emancipist merchant-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups Associations with Governor (Captn.) Phillip Gidley King RN, 1800-1806-

Recommended management:

A)A landscape plan must be prepared and submitted to the Heritage Council of NSW or its delegate for approval. This plan shall include proposed plantings of trees capable of reaching at least 9m height, shrubs both bushy in form and capable of reaching 6m height and grasses to provide perimeter screening of adjacent residential development and actively interpret and reinstate the former rural nature of the hunting lodge surrounds and colonial rural garden plantings found near farm outbuildings. Such planting shall: *use species making up the endangered ecological community that is the Cumberland Plain Woodland; and *exotic garden shrub species based on the palette found in Rouse Hill House's garden and other early gardens in the area including Rouse Hill properties owned by the Terry and Rouse families. The conservation management plans for the Hunting Lodge and Rouse Hill House may provide useful information in this regard. B)Opportunities to provide heritage interpretation of the Hunting Lodge and its former role and surroundings, through signage, pavement or other artworks should be explored and inform the Landscape plan C)Following approval of this landscape plan by the Heritage Council of NSW, the proposed plantings must be implemented and maintained accordingly (s63 approval, 18/5/2016).

Recommendations

Management CategoryDescriptionDate Updated
Recommended ManagementReview a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) 
Recommended ManagementPrepare a maintenance schedule or guidelines 
Recommended ManagementCarry out interpretation, promotion and/or education 

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of actDescriptionTitleCommentsAction date
57(2)Exemption to allow workHeritage Act Record converted from HIS events


Order Under Section 57(2) to exempt the following activities from Section 57(1):
(1) The maintenance of any building or item on the site where maintenance means the continuous protective care of existing material; and
(2) Garden maintenance including cultivation, pruning, weed control, the repair and maintenance of existing fences, gates, garden walls, tree surgery but not including extensive lopping;
(3) Change of use
(4) Pasture improvement, not requiring substantial clearing of existing vegetation.
(5) Eradication of noxious plants and animals.
(6) Horticultural and agricultural management. 		Oct 3 1986
57(2)Exemption to allow workHeritage Act See File For Schedule


Order Under Section 57(2) to exempt the following activities from Section 57(1):
(1) The maintenance of any building or item on the site where maintenance means the continuous protective care of existing material;
(2) Garden maintenance including cultivation, pruning, weed control, the repair and maintenance of existing fences, gates and garden walls and tree surgery but not extensive lopping;
(3) Change of use
(4) Pasture improvement not requiring substantial clearing of existing vegetation.
(5) Eradication of noxious plants and animals.
(6) Horticultural and agricultural management. 		Sep 30 1988
57(2)Exemption to allow workHeritage Act See File For Schedule


Order Under Section 57(2) to exempt the following activities from Section 57(1):
(1) The maintenance of any building or item on the site where maintenance means the continuous protective care of existing material;
(2) Garden maintenance including cultivation, pruning, weed control, the repair and maintenance of existing fences, gates and garden walls and tree surgery, but not extensive lopping and subject to any tree preservation orders. 		Sep 15 1989
57(2)Exemption to allow workStandard 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

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

Listings

Heritage ListingListing TitleListing NumberGazette DateGazette NumberGazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register 0063202 Apr 99 271546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former 0063215 Sep 89 947171
State Environmental Planning PolicySydney REP no. 19 01 Sep 89   
Local Environmental PlanSchedule 1 01 Mar 91   

References, internet links & images

TypeAuthorYearTitleInternet Links
WrittenBranch Manager1986Branch Manager's report 285/86
WrittenEvening News1895article, 27/7/1895
WrittenLampard, Susan2014(unpublished) personal communication (email) 4/6/14
WrittenMusecape P/L2014Heritage Impact Statement - for proposed residential subdivision adjoining The Hunting Lodge, 58 The Water Lane, Rouse Hill - a property listed on the NSW State Heritage Register
WrittenMusecape P/L (Betteridge, Chris); with Peter Phillips (Orwell & Peter Phillips Architects)2014Conservation Management Plan - The Hunting Lodge, 58 The Water Lane, Rouse Hill
WrittenMusecape P/L; and Phillips, Peter2016Conservation Management Plan for 'The Hunting Lodge', The Water Lane, Rouse Hill
WrittenSydney Gazette182425/11/1824 article
WrittenSydney Gazette1811articles, 25/11/1811
WrittenWilson, Pam2018The Hunting Lodge, Rouse Hill

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: 5045575
File number: S90/03128, HC 33384

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