Abercrombie House, Bathurst
Yesterday we travelled to
Bathurst and visited
Abercrombie House. Abercrombie House is a country family mansion, in the Victorian Tudor style, built of granite stone with sandstone dressing to the quoins and window surrounds. It sits high on a hill, with a panoramic view overlooking a broad landscape. The house has a prominent, stepped and gabled slate roof with traceried windows and an octagonal spire and stone balustrade porch. It was built by the
Stewart family, who were
Bathurst pioneers.
William Stewart was the Lieutenant Governor General of New South Wales and was granted the land in
Bathurst as a reward for doing his job well.
Abercrombie House is of great historical significance and is listed on the National Trust Register, the New South Wales Heritage Register and the Australian Heritage Database. There are two storeys and an attic floor. The building's most striking feature is its array of curvilinear parapeted gables, topped by iron finials.
The 50 acre land and house is currently owned by the
Rex Henry Morgan family. Since 1969 the
Morgan family has made major restorations to the house. The house is currently occupied by
Christopher Morgan and his family. The young Christopher can remember when his family brought the house and growing up in this 50 room mansion. Every room had to have a purpose and items of furniture were bought, at auction, to furnish the rooms. There are many pianos throughout the house and even a pipe organ in the Gallery above the Dining Room.
This is the long wrap-around
front verandah, where we sat at a table and enjoyed a lovely morning tea. The floor is paved in a traditional design of
tessellated tiles.
There are many unusual decorations on display throughout the house. This
Chinese Dragon was in the entrance hallway as we entered the house. On the opposite wall was a
wooden carved elephant. It was a very hot day outside, but beautifully cool inside.
Part of the landscape from the front gate looking towards
Bathurst. After we left
Abercrombie House we set off to have lunch at the
Beekeepers Inn
2 comments:
Beautiful architecture!
Yes indeed, It is built in a British traditional style that sought a nostalgic view of England and Scotland in the 16th Century. They attempted to build houses that were picturesque and this country mansion fits the bill perfectly.
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