Plough Inn is a heritage-listed

hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...

South Bank Parklands The South Bank Parklands are located at South Bank within the suburb of South Brisbane in Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list ...

South Brisbane South Brisbane is an inner southern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , South Brisbane had a population of 7,196 people. Geography The suburb is on the southern bank of the Brisbane River, bounded to the north-west, ...

City of Brisbane The City of Brisbane is a local government area (LGA) which comprises the inner portion of the metropolitan area of Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, Australia. Its governing body is the Brisbane City Council. Unlike LGAs in the other mainl ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. It was designed by

Alexander Brown Wilson Alexander Brown Wilson (5 June 1857, in Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland – 5 May 1938, in Kangaroo Point, Queensland, Australia) was an architect in Queensland, Australia. A number of his works are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. L ...

and built in 1885 by contractor Abraham James. In 1922, it was extended to a design by

George Henry Male Addison George Henry Male Addison (1857–1922) was an Australian architect and artist. Many of his buildings are now heritage-listed. Early life Addison was born on 23 March 1857 in Llanelly, Wales, the son of Edward James Addison (1820–1863), a Wes ...

and Son and built by Robertson and Corbette. It is also known as Plough Inn Hotel. It was added to the

Queensland Heritage Register The Queensland Heritage Register is a heritage register, a statutory list of places in Queensland, Australia that are protected by Queensland legislation, the Queensland Heritage Act 1992. It is maintained by the Queensland Heritage Council. As a ...

on 21 October 1992.

History

This two-storeyed former hotel was constructed in 1885 for

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

publican Daniel Costigan. It replaced a previous, less substantial structure on the site, which had functioned as the Plough Inn since 1864. The new building was erected during South Brisbane's heyday and was part of the 1880s boom-time reconstruction of Stanley Street premises. The building was designed by architect Alexander Brown Wilson, who is more known for his domestic work. It was built by contractor Abraham James, whose tender of was accepted in March 1885. The hotel, prominently located in central Stanley Street, serviced the commercial heart of South Brisbane. Its proximity to the South Brisbane wharves ensured its popularity amongst those engaged in shipping interests. Initially the L-shaped interior comprised on the ground floor: a central hall, staircase, dining room, two private rooms (probably for dining also), bar, parlour, storage spaces, billiard room and lavatories; the first floor contained fourteen guest rooms and a bathroom. A verandah along the back of the building connected it to a detached single-storey kitchen. A cellar completed the facilities. The building has been altered a number of times since its initial construction. In 1922, additions were made by contractors Robertson and Corbette, following the designs of

and Son. It is thought that the street awning was added at this time. In 1987 the building was modified to function as a tavern during

Expo '88 World Expo 88, also known as Expo 88, was a specialised Expo held in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia, during a six-month period between Saturday, 30 April 1988 and Sunday, 30 October 1988, inclusive. The theme of the Expo wa ...

. Most of the internal walls were removed, the central fireplace and chimney were taken out, and the interior was re-fitted. Also the front verandah was widened, the rear verandah extended, and windows and doors replaced at this time. In 1991-92 a conservation plan for the Plough Inn was prepared by Bruce Buchanan architects, and the interior was fully refurbished. The front verandah was also reconstructed. The Plough Inn now operates as a Southbank hotel.

Description

The Plough Inn is a two-storeyed rendered masonry building with front and rear verandahs, and a single-storeyed service building to the rear. It has a picturesque front facade which is a remnant of a former streetscape. The hotel has an L-shaped plan; the rectangular service building is attached via the rear verandah. The front facade is richly detailed, while other elevations are more perfunctory. The front facade has three bays, expressed with rusticated

pilaster In classical architecture Classical architecture usually denotes architecture which is more or less consciously derived from the principles of Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, or sometimes even more specifically, from the ...

s and

parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). Whe ...

decoration comprising

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedimen ...

s either end and a central name plaque. The pediments are flanked by

acroteria An acroterion, acroterium, or akroteria is an architectural ornament placed on a flat pedestal called the ''acroter'' or plinth, and mounted at the apex or corner of the pediment of a building in the classical style. An acroterion placed at th ...

, and the plaque is inscribed with the words PLOUGH INN. The pediments and plaques are connected by a miniature

balustrade A baluster is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its con ...

, and rest on a deep

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a ...

with

dentil A dentil (from Lat. ''dens'', a tooth) is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice. Dentils are found in ancient Greek and Roman architecture, and also in later styles such as Neoclassical, Federal, Georgian Reviv ...

s, separated by another band of decoration from a second cornice. Whilst little remains of the original hotel internally, the Plough Inn retains its external envelope and overall form.

Heritage listing

Plough Inn was listed on the

on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history. The picturesque front facade in particular, along with the nearby Allgas Building facade, survives as a fragment of the former streetscape of Stanley Street, South Brisbane's principal commercial thoroughfare in the late 19th century. The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage. Plough Inn is significant historically as a rare surviving remnant of the commercial and shipping heart of South Brisbane in the late 19th century. The place is important because of its aesthetic significance. The picturesque front facade in particular, along with the nearby Allgas Building facade, survives as a fragment of the former streetscape of Stanley Street, South Brisbane's principal commercial thoroughfare in the late 19th century. The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history. The place has a strong association with the work of prominent Brisbane architect Alexander Brown Wilson.

Hauntings

Paranormal investigator

Joe Nickell Joe Nickell (born December 1, 1944) is an American skeptic and investigator of the paranormal. Nickell is senior research fellow for the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and writes regularly for their journal, ''Skeptical Inquirer''. He is als ...

researched reported stories about a ghost at the inn, the stories claim that a young woman or girl haunts near or in room 7. No one reported seeing the ghost, only hearing her wander the halls. Nickell explains that the stories vary which is a sign of folklore. Different versions of the same story, retold person to person, copying and adding changes for "literary purposes".

References

Attribution

External links

* {{official website, http://www.ploughinn.com.au Queensland Heritage Register South Brisbane, Queensland Hotels in Queensland Articles incorporating text from the Queensland Heritage Register Alexander Brown Wilson buildings Pubs in Brisbane