Historical Archaeological Assessment Maryland & Birling, Bringelly Lowes
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Historical Archaeological Assessment Maryland & Birling, Bringelly Lowes Creek Maryland (Precinct), Rezoning Detail of “Reduced plan of the Cowpasture Estates, formerly J. Dickson's”, subdivisions prior to auction 28 July 1840. Surveyor: E. J. H. Knapp. Study area outlined in blue. SLNSW Z/M2 811.113/1840/1A. Report prepared for NSW Department of Planning and Environment September 2018 i Contents Contents ..................................................................................................................................... i 1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Study Area ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.3 Statutory Constraints ............................................................................................................ 4 1.4 Previous Reports ................................................................................................................... 8 1.5 Authorship ............................................................................................................................. 8 1.6 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................... 9 1.7 Limitations ............................................................................................................................. 9 1.8 Glossary ................................................................................................................................. 9 1.9 Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... 11 2.0 Historical Background .................................................................................................... 12 2.1 Early land use ...................................................................................................................... 12 2.2 First land grants 1810s to 1850s ......................................................................................... 13 2.3 ‘Birling’ (1830s – present) ................................................................................................... 27 2.4 ‘Maryland’ (1840s – present) .............................................................................................. 31 3.0 Archaeological Potential ................................................................................................ 44 3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 44 3.2 Site description .................................................................................................................... 45 3.3 Analysis of historic site development ................................................................................. 87 3.4 Summary Phases ............................................................................................................... 108 3.5 Comparative sites .............................................................................................................. 108 3.6 Discussion of archaeological potential .............................................................................. 111 4.0 Heritage Significance .................................................................................................... 123 4.1 Heritage significance ......................................................................................................... 123 4.2 Heritage significance and archaeology.............................................................................. 123 4.3 Previous statements of heritage significance ................................................................... 125 4.4 Discussion of Heritage Significance ................................................................................... 126 4.5 Statement of Heritage Significance ................................................................................... 138 5.0 Results and Recommendations ..................................................................................... 140 5.1 Results ............................................................................................................................... 140 5.2 Recommendations ............................................................................................................ 141 5.3 Draft Indicative Layout Plan .............................................................................................. 142 6.0 Bibliography ................................................................................................................. 144 6.1 Primary Sources ................................................................................................................. 144 6.2 Printed works .................................................................................................................... 147 Appendix 1 – Draft SHR listing for Maryland from NSW State Heritage Database ...................... 153 Appendix 2 – Abstracted land transactions related to Birling, Bringelly ..................................... 154 Casey & Lowe Lowes Creek Maryland (Precinct), Rezoning Historical Archaeological Assessment ii Document Status Date Purpose Author Reviewed / Approved 27/5/16 Draft 1 for review Nick Pitt Tony Lowe & Mary Casey 15/9/16 Draft 2 Expanded study area. Nick Pitt Nadia Iacono 16/9/16 Internal Draft Review Nick Pitt Tony Lowe 6/9/18 Final Nick Pitt Tony Lowe Casey & Lowe Lowes Creek Maryland (Precinct), Rezoning Historical Archaeological Assessment Lowes Creek Maryland (Precinct), Rezoning Maryland & Birling, Bringelly Archaeological Assessment 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background Casey & Lowe Pty Ltd were engaged by Tropman & Tropman Architects on behalf of the NSW Department of Planning and Environment to prepare a Historical Archaeological Assessment for the area known as Lowes Creek Maryland Part (Precinct), within the South West Growth Area as part of the rezoning precinct planning process. The rezoning precinct includes the properties known as ‘Maryland’, 773-877 The Northern Road, Bringelly (Lot 1, DP218779 and Lot 29, DP872135) and ‘Birling’, 975 The Northern Road, Bringelly (Lot 3, DP1218798) (Figure 1.1). In addition to the rezoning requirements, this report has also been prepared to inform the Conservation Management Plan being prepared by Tropman and Tropman and to provide guidance in light of the proposed rezoning and future development. Only historical archaeological remains, that is evidence associated with occupation of the site post- dating British colonisation, has been considered in this assessment. This report has not assessed the potential for the site to contain Aboriginal archaeological remains. 1.2 Study Area The study area consists of the Lowes Creek and Maryland Precinct, which is presently subject to planning under the NSW Government’s Precinct Acceleration Protocol (Figure 1.2).1 It is located in the Camden Council Local Government Area. The rezoning area is located on The Northern Road, approximately 9km north-west of the Narellan Town Centre, and 7km west of the Leppington Railway Station. The rezoning area has a total area of 517 hectares. Most of the rezoning area consists of two large historic properties: Birling, north of Lowes Creek, and Maryland, south of Lowes Creek (Figure 1.2). The remainder of the rezoning area consists of areas which were historically on the periphery of other large rural properties. 1.2.1 A note on terminology Throughout this report the property names ‘Maryland’ and ‘Birling’ have been used to refer to the historic properties of these names. Broadly, ‘Maryland’ consisted of the area south of Lowes Creek and ‘Birling’ the area north of Lowes Creek. Historically, these two properties have functioned separately although there were connections between the neighbouring properties. In the 19th and 20th centuries the property names were often used by many people living in the study area to identify the place where they lived, often in the form ‘Maryland, Bringelly’ or ‘Birling, Bringelly’. Most of these women and men would have lived in various accommodation on the properties, such as the several workers cottages which remain on Maryland. When this report needs to refer specifically to the main historic houses in the study area the terms ‘Maryland homestead’, ‘Birling homestead’, ‘main homestead’ and ‘the homestead’ have been used. Previous studies including the 2015 Conservation Management Plan by Tropman & Tropman 1 http://vparegister.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=6825 [accessed 13/04/2016]. Casey & Lowe Lowes Creek Maryland (Precinct), Rezoning Historical Archaeological Assessment 2 have referred to the main house as the homestead. When this report needs to clearly refer to both the homestead and the associated property, phrases like ‘the Maryland homestead and property’ have been used. Figure 1.1: Aerial photo with cadastral lots and other features added. Study area outlined in blue. SIX Maps, NSW Imagery (date taken 04-01-2014), © Land and Property Information (NSW). Casey & Lowe Lowes Creek Maryland (Precinct), Rezoning Historical Archaeological Assessment 3 Figure 1.2: Map showing