''Abbotsford'' is a heritage-listed former farm and residence and now vacant building located at Oaks Road in the outer south-western

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

suburb of Picton, in the

Wollondilly Shire Wollondilly Shire is a periurban local government area adjacent to the south-western fringe of Sydney, parts of which fall into the Macarthur, Blue Mountains and Central Tablelands regions in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Wollo ...

local government area of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, Australia. It was built from 1822 to 1908. It was added to the

New South Wales State Heritage Register The New South Wales State Heritage Register, also known as NSW State Heritage Register, is a heritage list of places in the state of New South Wales, Australia, that are protected by New South Wales legislation, generally covered by the Heritag ...

on 2 April 1999.

History

Picton

The town of Picton was named by Major Antill after

Sir Thomas Picton Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Picton (24 August 175818 June 1815) was a British Army officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. According to the historian Alessandro Barbero, Picton was "respected for his courage and feared for his irascible ...

in 1841. The location was previously known as "Stonequarry". The

Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of ...

described Picton as a "rough foul-mouthed devil as ever lived" but very capable. He was "respected for his courage and feared for his irrascible temperament". He was chiefly remembered for his exploits under Wellington in the Iberinan Peninsular War displaying great bravery and persistence. He was killed at the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armie ...

and was the most senior officer to die there. He was buried in the family vault at St. George's, Hanover Square in London. In 1859 Picton was re-interred in St. Paul's Cathedral, London, lying close to the body of the Duke of Wellington.Wheeldon, 2015, 3

Abbotsford

The property was taken up in 1822 by George Harper, natural history collector, settler, noted Scottish government official and surveyor. The main block of the house may have been built before Harper made his trip to England in 1827. The ornamental plantings include relatively rare species of horticultural interest and are thought to have been planted by George Harper. The rest of the house was built before his death at ''Abbotsford'' in 1841. Purchased by William Redfern Antill, local Magistrate and prominent early settler in 1865. ''Abbotsford House'' was built . The original access road to ''Abbotsford House'' extended in a straight line from the Abbotsford crossing of Race Course Creek. The timber truss

Abbotsford Bridge Abbotsford Bridge is a steel Allan truss-type road bridge that carries the Silver City Highway across the Murray River, between in New South Wales, and in Victoria, Australia. It is the only remaining steel truss bridge with a lift span that ...

was built . It was handed over to the

Wollondilly Shire Council Wollondilly Shire is a periurban local government area adjacent to the south-western fringe of Sydney, parts of which fall into the Macarthur, Blue Mountains and Central Tablelands regions in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Wollondil ...

by the NSW Public Works Department. New works in commenced in 1985 and the original bridge was demolished in 1986.It was replaced with present concrete road bridge . The property remained with the Antill family until 1952. The house was considered to be a remarkable survival of a farmhouse from an early period of Australia's settlement. In the late 1970s it was reported as being virtually unchanged since the middle years of the last century except for the loss of the original ceilings. Neglect, and two separate fires over the following decade, led to its state of dereliction.

Description

Site/grounds/garden

The main components of the group are: *House (now ruins) (WO0108) *Trees, Gardens & Grounds (WO0109) *Underground Water Storage Tank (WO110) *Cottage & Brick Outhouse (now ruins) (WO0111).

Site/grounds

The original access or carriageway probably started at the Chinese funeral cypress (''

Cupressus funebris ''Cupressus funebris'', the Chinese weeping cypress, is a species of cypress native to southwestern and central China. It may also occur naturally in Vietnam. Description ''Cupressus funebris'' is a medium-sized coniferous tree growing to 20� ...

'') south of the present entrance gate and continued in a line parallel to the present drive. This old line is marked by a regular linear depression in the grass and a double line of European trees, two Lombardy poplars (''

Populus nigra ''Populus nigra'', the black poplar, is a species of cottonwood poplar, the type species of section ''Aigeiros'' of the genus '' Populus'', native to Europe, southwest and central Asia, and northwest Africa.Flora Europaea''Populus nigra''/ref> ...

'Italica), a hoop pine (''

Araucaria cunninghamii ''Araucaria cunninghamii'' is a species of ''Araucaria'' known as hoop pine. Other less commonly used names include colonial pine, Queensland pine, Dorrigo pine, Moreton Bay pine and Richmond River pine. The scientific name honours the botanist a ...

''), a kurrajong (''

Brachychiton populneus ''Brachychiton populneus'', commonly known as the kurrajong, is a small to medium-sized tree found naturally in Australia in a diversity of habitats from wetter coastal districts to semi-arid interiors of Victoria, New South Wales and Queenslan ...

''), another cypress and Bunya pine (''

Araucaria bidwillii ''Araucaria bidwillii'', commonly known as the bunya pine and sometimes referred to as the false monkey puzzle tree, is a large evergreen coniferous tree in the plant family Araucariaceae. It is found naturally in south-east Queensland Austral ...

''). Other European trees mark sites such as a possible former croquet lawn and orchards. The ornamental plantings include relatively rare species of horticultural interest and are thought to have been planted by George Harper. A line some long remains, containing a number of exotic species: a discontinuous series of fairly random plantings, including a Chinese funeral cypress, bunya pine, field elm (''

Ulmus campestris ''Ulmus glabra'' Hudson, the wych elm or Scots elm, has the widest range of the European elm species, from Ireland eastwards to the Urals, and from the Arctic Circle south to the mountains of the Peloponnese and Sicily, where the species reaches i ...

''), kurrajong, cypress and a hoop pine. A solitary specimen of ''Photinia x serrulata'' (a Chinese hedging shrub) also remains.Brad Vale, pers.comm., 14 & 20/11/3012

Abbotsford Bridge site

It is the site of the original timber trestle bridge over Racecourse Creek, at the site of Abbotsford crossing. The timber bridge was replaced with the present concrete road bridge . The location of the earlier Abbotsford bridge and crossing is significant because knowledge of its position contributes to the understanding of the siting of Abbotsford House and its

driveway A driveway (also called ''drive'' in UK English) is a type of private road for local access to one or a small group of structures, and is owned and maintained by an individual or group. Driveways rarely have traffic lights, but some that bear ...

avenue plantings in relation to the Oaks Rd and Abbotsford Road.Heritage Study, 1992

Grounds/garden

The mature trees and remnants of the gardens and grounds of the Abbotsford property have scientific significance as a collection of rare species of horticultural interest and their association with George Harper who was a noted natural history collector. Together with the other components of the Abbotsford group, the plantings provide evidence of the structure and layout of the farm estate. In a wider context, the surviving plantings also illustrate the horticultural practice of plant collecting which was to remain an important influence in the development of gardens of the colony for a substantial period of time. Today, the trees are a landmark and contribute to the character of the rural landscape north-west of Picton. The listing includes all trees and buildings on the land from road to hill top.AHC, 1980

Buildings

=House (now ruins) (WO0108)

= A colonial Georgian brick house with front

verandah A veranda or verandah is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure. Although the form ''veran ...

, the main block being flanked by slightly later ones which at the rear form a U-shaped verandah court with the centre block. The whole is raised on a terrace at the front which is unusual. The main block is double pile plan and the elevation is five bays wide under a hip roof of shingles covered with

corrugated galvanised iron Corrugated galvanised iron or steel, colloquially corrugated iron (near universal), wriggly tin (taken from UK military slang), pailing (in Caribbean English), corrugated sheet metal (in North America) and occasionally abbreviated CGI is a bu ...

. Internal detailing is intact. Originally a Colonial Georgian, one storey house flanked by later gabled pavilions forming a U-shaped verandahed

courtyard A courtyard or court is a circumscribed area, often surrounded by a building or complex, that is open to the sky. Courtyards are common elements in both Western and Eastern building patterns and have been used by both ancient and contemporary ...

with the whole raised on a high terrace at the front. Face brick on rubble

foundation Foundation may refer to: * Foundation (nonprofit), a type of charitable organization ** Foundation (United States law), a type of charitable organization in the U.S. ** Private foundation, a charitable organization that, while serving a good cause ...

for main block. Two brick outbuildings are associated with house; one containing a kitchen and servants' quarters, the other a smokehouse. Twice destroyed by fire in last decade and main building now derelict. The ruins of the main ''Abbotsford'' farmhouse are significant for their associations with the settlement of the area and the links with the Harper and Antill families. The architectural value and intactness of the house as an early homestead has been lost. The ruins, together with the other components of the property, provide an opportunity to interpret an early pastoral property through archaeological investigation. The ruins are also an evocative part of the Abbotsford group which is a landmark in the rural surrounds of Picton.

=Cottage & Brick Outhouse (WO0111)

= The cottage was used as servants' quarters and the brick outhouse as a smokehouse. These domestic buildings are thought to date to the mid 19th century.

= Timber barns

= Convict Barracks/Old Gaol (demolished)

= Together with the main residence these two buildings and the

gaol A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correct ...

(now demolished) were positioned around a central court with a deliberate axial relationship to the hill, the driveway and selected trees.

=Underground Water Storage Tank (WO110)

= A large brick tank about in diameter.

Archaeological and other elements

As well as the water storage tank there are other sites considered to be of archaeological interest. They are the site of the "Old Gaol" or Convict Barracks, a line of stones adjacent to the existing timber barns and the remains of a floor surface (LEP). The ruins, together with the other components of the property, provide an opportunity to interpret an early pastoral property through archaeological investigation. The ruins are also an evocative part of the ''Abbotsford'' group which is a landmark in the rural surrounds of Picton.

Condition

As of 27 March 2012, a large brick tank about in diameter, internally rendered and capped with a brick dome, still holds water. As well as the underground water storage tank there are other sites considered to be of archaeological interest. They are the site of the "Old Gaol" or Convict Barracks, a line of stones adjacent to the existing timber barns and the remains of a floor surface.

Modifications and dates

*1985the original access road to Abbotsford House extended in a straight line from the ''Abbotsford'' crossing of Race Course Creek. New works commenced in 1985. *1986the 1908 L timber trestle bridge was demolished. It was the site of original bridge over Racecourse Creek, at the site of ''Abbotsford'' crossing.

Heritage listing

As at 27 March 2012, the ''Abbotsford'' property is significant because of its associations with the early settlement of the Picton area and its links with prominent colonial figure, George Harper and later, the Antill family. In addition to its historical significance the site has the potential to yield further evidence of the working of this important pastoral estate through archaeological investigation. The Abbotsford cottage and brick outbuilding are significant for their contribution to the understanding of the function and layout of the group as a whole. The architectural value and intactness of the house as an early homestead has been lost. The ruins, together with the other components of the property, provide an opportunity to interpret an early pastoral property through archaeological investigation. The ruins are also an evocative part of the Abbotsford group which is a landmark in the rural surrounds of Picton. The mature trees and remnants of the gardens and grounds of the Abbotsford property have scientific significance as a collection of rare species of horticultural interest and their association with George Harper who was a noted natural history collector. Together with the other components of the Abbotsford group, the plantings provide evidence of the structure and layout of the farm estate. In a wider context, the surviving plantings also illustrate the horticultural practice of plant collecting which was to remain an important influence in the development of gardens of the colony for a substantial period of time. Today, the trees are a landmark and contribute to the character of the rural landscape north-west of Picton. The mid-19th century cottage and brick outbuilding are significant from their contribution to the understanding of the function and layout of the homestead group.LEP, 1991 The underground water tank at Abbotsford is significant through its contribution to our understanding of the group as a whole. It is considered to be a potential source for archaeological research into the occupation phases of the site as domestic artefacts are often dropped into wells. Other sites are also considered to have archaeological significance, particularly into the earliest phases of the development of the property and the role of convicts. The location of the earlier Abbotsford bridge and crossing is significant because knowledge of its position contributes to the understanding of the siting of Abbotsford House and its driveway avenue plantings in relation to the Oaks Rd and Abbotsford Road. Abbotsford was listed on the