Englefield, East Maitland

The property now known as Englefield is believed to have been built by "Gentleman" John Smith c. 1837 at Wallis Creek on his Wallis Plains (now Maitland) farm. The land at Wallis Creek was originally "granted" to him (as 'tenant at will') by Governor Lachlan Macquarie in 1818, being one of the eleven early grants in the area permitting settlement to eleven "well-behaved" people.[1]

Smith was an emancipated convict who was sent to the penal settlement at Sydney, arriving in 1810 on the "Indian" under the name of James Sidebottom (born 1787 at Manchester), but managed to escape back to England. Then, apparently finding little opportunity there, he got himself into trouble again and was transported a second time, arriving in 1814 on the General Hewitt, under the new name of John Smith and was sent to the Newcastle penal settlement where he confessed his past to Major James Morisset, the Commandant (documented in the Bigge Report of 1819-1821). He was made Chief Constable in Newcastle under Commandants Wallis and Morisset c. 1817 to 1823, and in 1818 he was allowed to take up land at Wallis Creek, being formally emancipated in 1819. In 1823 Smith opened the first licensed inn in the Hunter Valley, the Ship Inn in Newcastle, and established the first store in it. He formed an agreement with the Waterloo Company in Sydney for the provision of flour to his store and bought the sloop Elizabeth to trade between Newcastle and Sydney.[1]

During this time he continued to expand his farm at Wallis Creek (and other parts of the Hunter) through grants and acquisition, and employed an overseer to run it, supplying wheat to the Commissariat in Newcastle in return for convict labour. In the 1828 Census, Smith was listed twice: in Newcastle as an innkeeper, and in Maitland as a farmer at Hazlewood of Wallis Plains (together with his wife Mary and their seven children) with a total acreage of 775 (of which 160 was under cultivation), 7 horses, 520 head of cattle and 300 sheep. Smith continued to expand his businesses in both locations and other parts of the state.[1]

On 18 August 1837, Governor Sir Richard Bourke ratified Smith's previous grants at Wallis Creek for around 148 acres (refer original indenture with the house signed by both Smith and his wife Mary) and it was around this time that Smith placed an order for stone window sills consistent with those in the original house now known as Englefield, built on that grant. It has not yet been established whether Smith used this house as his Maitland residence, but its size and elegance for the period, its location on his farm within walking distance of both his mill (Smith's Flour Mill, rebuilt as a steam mill in 1844) and his mill workers' accommodation (Smiths Row, later leased by Caroline Chisholm), suggest that it may have been.[1]

While many failed during the 1840s recession, Smith thrived on the available opportunities by "cashing up" and it was at this time (1 March 1843) that he and Mary sold the property to Henry Adams, innkeeper for one hundred pounds sterling, who then transferred his license for the Black Horse Inn from 46 Newcastle Street (across the road) to the property on 17 June 1845. It appears that around this time the house underwent extensions and alterations (as above) consistent with its conversion to an inn, which it remained until 1878 when Adams' sons re-converted it to a private residence and sold it (using the name Englefield for the first time).[1]

In 1856 a private racetrack was established in the paddock to the rear of the house and the first horse races in East Maitland were held there on Queen Victoria's birthday that year.[1]

During the 1870s, when the inn was leased by William Miles (licensee 1864-1877), the Black Horse Inn Races became a local fixture to celebrate special events such as the "Anniversary of the Colony". This was covered extensively in the Maitland Mercury, including the cooking of "kale cannon", a type of Irish stew, in the kitchen at the inn.[1]

In 1901 the architectural firm of John W. Pender (architect of Anambah House, Cintra House and Belltrees) was engaged to carry out restoration works on the property and a detailed specification is held in the Pender archives at the University of Newcastle. In 1910 John Hickling bought the property and the Hickling family, who were hay farmers, occupied it until 1968. During the period 1968 to 1986, it fell into disrepair.[1]

Gardens to one side of the house

In 1986 Peter Gibbs bought the property and received special permission (viz. building restrictions on the floodplain) from the then Minister for Planning, Laurie Brereton MP, who visited the property in 1987, to build a workshop in the grounds, for the purpose of restoring the house and conducting a business from there, conserving Australian colonial furniture and building museum copies from old growth Hunter River red cedar (Toona ciliata) trees. During the next twenty years, Englefield went through its second major overhaul (after the 1843 works) to restore the original 1837 fabric and to make sense of the 1843 alterations and additions by adapting it to modern living. The garden at Englefield is a reconstruction around four remaining old trees (including three jacarandas of the 1940s, an over-100 year old mulberry and an old garden plan from the 1920s/30s (drawn from memory by a member of the family who occupied the property at that time). In both 1996 and 2006 the re-constructed garden was opened through Australia's Open Garden Scheme.[1]

A well at the rear of the building collapsed in 1997 and had to be filled in for safety reasons.[1]

In February 2005, her Excellency the Governor of New South Wales, Marie Bashir and Sir Nicholas Shehadie made an official visit to Englefield.[1]

Following completion of the conservation and restoration works, the owners nominated the house and garden to the State Heritage Register in 2006 with the support of Maitland City Council. Englefield (house and gardens) were listed on the State Heritage Register in April 2008.[1]

Heritage boundaries

Built in 1837 by John Smith on one of the eleven early 1818 "grants" from Governor Lachlan Macquarie at Wallis Creek, Englefield is a rare example of a pattern book, colonial, double pile Georgian house built in the style of an Irish farmhouse (jerkin head roof), retaining many original features (including its c. 1826 kitchen with working fireplace and wood-fired bread oven). It forms part of an important group of early colonial/Georgian houses clustered together on the road between Newcastle and Maitland in East Maitland. All of these houses are listed on the Register of the National Estate and can be seen from Englefield. In c. 1843 it underwent extensions and alterations at the rear (visible on the un-rendered southeast side of the northwest wing) to convert it to the Black Horse Inn, which achieved notoriety for the Black Horse Inn Races, and is significant in the social and economic history of inn development along the Newcastle - Maitland road. The significance of the property relates not only to its architecture and socio-economic history, but also to its association with Smith, an emancipated convict and an early entrepreneur in the Hunter Valley at a time when the Hunter was a key supplier of goods to the Sydney colony. The house stands on Smith's former Wallis Plains (now Maitland) farm, Hazlewood, close to two other important Smith buildings: Smith's Flour Mill and Caroline Chisholm Cottage (formerly Smith's Row), both listed on the NSW State Heritage Register.[1]

Englefield was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 30 April 2008 having satisfied the following criteria.[1]

The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.

Englefield is of state heritage significance as one of the earliest surviving buildings (with original kitchen/scullery) of the early days of NSW settlement, demonstrating (within the building) the upward mobility of early settlers and especially emancipated convicts (starting with its earlier kitchen, then the construction of a finer house and later additions). It also demonstrates the changing fortunes of early settlers, especially during the 1840s recession and the house's later conversion to an inn, capitalising on the increasing trade along the Newcastle-Maitland road.[1]

The place has a strong or special association with a person, or group of persons, of importance of cultural or natural history of New South Wales's history.

Englefield is locally significant for its associations with John Smith (an emancipated convict and early entrepreneur operating between the Newcastle-Maitland area and Sydney), Governors Lachlan Macquarie and Sir Richard Bourke, architect John W. Pender.[1]

The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

Englefield is of state heritage significance as an exceptional late Colonial period Georgian house/inn characterised by window and door proportions and detail, and slender Doric verandah columns. It is locally significant as a key townscape element on the bend of the New England Highway.[1]

The place has strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.

Englefield is locally significant for its strong association with the development of settlement in the Newcastle-Maitland area and the rise to prominence of Maitland (formerly Wallis Plains) when the Hunter was a key supplier of food, timber and goods to the Sydney colony.[1]

The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

Englefield is of state heritage significance for its ability to demonstrate the way of life of early settlers, the way they cooked, slept and entertained. Architecturally it shows materials, colour schemes (from original scrapings), detailing of joinery, and developments in these over time. I[1]

In its current condition, Englefield further demonstrates the philosophy and techniques typical of heritage conservation projects of the late 1980s, when this project was conceived. At that time, reconstruction, as defined in Article 1 of the then-current version of the Burra Charter,[6] was a more widely favoured practice than it has subsequently become. The work carried out at Englefield exemplifies the principles expressed in Articles 17, 18 and 19 respecting reconstruction. Later revisions of the Burra Charter incorporated caveats advocating a minimalist approach.[1]

Locally significant attributes include: its skewed placement to the road signifies the changing nature of the original Newcastle-Maitland road, old coins, bottles, clay pipes, farm implements, ironwork and crockery frequently found in the garden and the original 1843 indentures signed by both John and Mary Smith and transferring the property to Adams which demonstrate the way land boundaries and ownership were defined and the way land was transferred at that time.[1]

The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

Englefield is of state heritage significance as a rare surviving example of a late colonial house/inn, built in the style of an Irish farmhouse and with many original features, including original kitchen and ovens.[1]

The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales.

It is representative of the architecture and building styles of the 1830s. It is also representative of the philosophy and techniques of heritage conservation in the late 1980s when the current reconstruction was conceived and of the numerous places restored to "house-museum" standard at that time.[1]