Andrew Wilson

History 4 1982

REGENTVILLE: AN HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDY

An Australian local his.tory using non-documentary evidence

Supervisor: Professor R Ian Jack

'~ --- . TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction

2. Acquisition of the Regentville Estate

3. The Estate 3.1 The Mansion' 3.2 The Vineyard and Winery 3.3 The' Dam 3.4 The Cottages 3.5 The FactorY'and attendant'buildings 3.6 The Windmill

3.7 ~homas Jamison's House 3.8 The School & Church Building 3.9 Miscellaneous items

4. Bibliography

5. Appendix of contemporary descriptions

6. Illustrations

7. Maps and Plans 1. INTRODUCTION

The study is restricted, in general, to in situ remains. I have made no attempt to follow up evidence which may have left the site, but have recorded it if it became available.

The study is further restricted to the era of Sir John Jamison in the main. I have not initiated new studies after the time of Sir John's death but have endeavoured to, follow through the history of the remains from that period.

I have endeavoured to record, as fully as practicable, all archaeological evidence on the site which relates to the era.

Under the provisions of the Heritage Act it is illegal to disturb the ground with, the ,intention of discovering or exposing a relic; Consequently all observations have had to be confined to what is immediately visible. Furthermore, because of the'possibility of vandalism as little vegetation as possible was removed (it presently ,serves to, screen the ruins from the ,road) •

The,submission is in three,parts: the 'written text; the folder of illustrations; and the portfolio of maps and plans. All maps and plans drawn by me conform to the Australian Height Datum and the Australian Map Grid., 2 ACQUISITION OF THE ESTATE

When Sir John Jamieson returned to New South Wales in 1814 it was with the intention of settling permanently (for his return see Jamison, Narrative of Experiences ••• p19, and for his intention see Wentworth Corr. Jamison to Wentworth 11 March 1811). Having failed in his attempt to acquire Emu Plains he decided to expand the 1000 acre grant in Evan that he had inherited from his father (Jamison to Macquarie 24 Aug 1814). The question of Jamison's inheriting this land is a vexed one. Pike (1967 Vol 2 pll) says that Sir John inherited the land. Fletcher (1979 p2 & note 10) says that Sir John purchased the land from his father, on the basis c;>f an indenture between the two·in .Jamison Papers p5ff. There ·is nO such indenture. Jamison Papers pp5-7 is a bill from Thomas Jamison's solici.tor itemising his services in drawing up Thomas' will. Under the heading 'Yourself to Johnston & Others' it records the drawing up of' a release and assignment of all Thomas' property

in NSW to Messrs Johnston, Bell & Thr~sby~~b~~@-i~-nQ-i~~~f~r-a~sting the execution of this document; it is last mentioned.on 21 Jan 1811 in a

draft form and unengrossed~ Under the heading 'Yourself to Jamison' it lists on 22 January a change of instructions whereby·Uthe whole of your property was to be made over to your son instead of.Messrs Johnston, Bell & Throsby". This document went through ·a .number of changes, mostty concerned'with appointing trustees .for Thomas' two '.infant' daughters. On 25 January the .' . fir~t' two items listed are for the drawing and fair copying of Thomas' will

and attesting the exec~tion of that will. Thomas died on 27 January 1811.

This reading of the'document is confirmed by a copy of Thomas Jamison's will included in the abstract of title with Real Property Application No. 2821. The will is dated 25 January 1811 and, after providing a legacy for two daughters, it reads, in part.: nand after payment of the matters and things aforesaid I give'and qequeath all the residue of my estate and effects whatsoever and ·.w;heresoever .unto. my son John Jamison, doctor •••• " There seems little doubt that Sir John inherited his father's property in New South Wales.

The gr.ants acquired by Sir John·Jamison to make up the Regentville estate are identified on plan 7.1 - fuller details are as·follows:

l. 27 January 1811 inherited from Thos Jamison 2. 21 Feb 1816 purchased from Revd R Cartwright 200 pounds 3. c Oct 1816 purchased from Simeon Lord ? 4. 18 July 1817 crown grant 5. 20 July 1818 purchased from W Cox ? 6. 3 Sept 1818 purchased from Thos Rose 100 pounds and others' (in 3 lots) plus ? 7. 25 Sept 1818 purcha.sed from J & S Brabyn 166.13.4 8. 31 Aug 1819 crown grant 9. 16 April 1821 pur.chased from o Luttre11 ? 10. 2 June 1821 purchased from Wm Brad1ey 200 pounds 1l. 12 Sept 1821 purchased from E Luttre11 ? 12. .9 July 1822 crown grant 13. 15 Jan 1823 purchased from Revd H Fu1ton 200 pounds 14. 15 Feb 1823 purchased from John Lacy ? 15. 13 Sept 1824 purchased from John Single 100 pounds 16. 2 Dec 1834 purchased from P P King ?

...... I 3.1 THE MANSION

The site is on the crest of a hill, overlooking the Nepean River, south west of Regentville township and about ~ km south of Muigoa Road. For the location see plans 7.1 and 7.2, and also the Reuss map 7.13 (see also Jackson 1863; Reuss 1879 a & b).

The foundation stone was laid on 9 September 1823. Sir John Jamison entertained a large party to dinner (Gazette Tuesday 11 September 1823). The house was at least two years in the building; William Horton describes it as being in process of construction in June of 1824 (see extract 5.3) and in 1825 Baron de Bougainville recorded that it was very nearly completed. Jamison lived in the house until his death in 1844. The attempt to see the -house in 1847 was unsuccessful. On-6 May 1862 it was opened as a mental asylum by a Mr Frederick Bell, for the well-to-do; it was leased and 1500 pounds had-been spent on repairs (Attorney Gen. Special Bundles Bell to Col. Sec.). The asylum was not successful and when the house burnt down in the early hours of 22 May 1969 it was being used as an hotel (SMH 27/5/1869 p3; SMH 29/5/1869 p5; S.Mail 29/5/1869). The account of the iriquest into the fire in SMH 27/5/1869 is the most detailed. Only the main block was gutted, -all.the outbuildings remained undamaged. When the land was sold in 1879 the stone and the remains of the house were excepted from-the sale (Real Property Application 5021, conditions & terms of sale etc 17/10/1879).

The buildings were demolis~ed and the stone re-used in a number of buildings in and around Penrith.

For a house that_was so renowned and so much visited, it- is surprising that so little is known of its interior--and the details of its appearance.-Most comments about the interior of the house are very general and it is described as richly or expensively furnished, in the manner of the English nobility. Only a few de~ails of the interior are known. Bougainville (5.4) refers to native cedar woodwork _and fireplaces of local marble.

Most descriptions of the exterior are similarly vague. It is described as 'Grecian' and 'modern'. More than one description gives detailed dimensions of-the house (see 5.3 and 5.6).

The pictorial representations differ a-great deal in quality and reliability. The Conrad Martens drawings (6.1 to_ 6.4) provide the greatest amount of information, both in terms of general aspect and detail. The two etchings (6.5 and 6.6) and the watercolour (6.7) are clearly related - whether one is derived from another, or whether they have a common source, is not .- ..... '1":-.~'" • '-: • • ".

known. They vary in detail to a considerable degree. Thomas Weore's sketch (6.8) gives only a very distant prospect of the house, in what is a very rough sketch, judging by his other works.

The question of the house's architect has not been resolved. The only contemporary comment is that of Bougainville, who observes that Sir John was the architect; this is supported by the account he gives of a decision to change some details, made on the spot (see extract 5.4). Bougainville's comment, however; might only indicate that_Jamison was supervising the building operations; he may not necessarily have been the original. architect. Modern opinion favours two candidates:'Greenway and Kitchen. 'Ellis, Greenway's biographer, suggests .that.Greenway might have been responsible for the design (pI86). Morton Herman, whilst not commenting directly, appears to suggest that Kitchen-was not competent enough to have produced such a design. More recently,'Lucas & Cox, following Helen Proudfoot, assign the design to Kitchen (pI44). The fact that Kitchen' died before the foundation.stone·was laid does not .necessarily exclude him - and it might explain why Jamison·.was (to quote Bougainville) "his own architect". Greenway was in private practice at. this time and is not_known to have:been doing anything else at the time; he had worked for Jamison before. There is general agreement that there is a-close relationship between the house and' the rectory at Windsor. The speculative reconstruction sketch (7.8) is based upon st Matthews rectory at Windsor whose dimensions, when expanded, conform closely to those of the main Qlock of Regentville. In a forth-coming study, James Broadbent.will attribute both buildings- to Greenway, largely on stYlistic- grounds. (pers comm '.1982) •

The 1847 sale notice (see extract· 5.17)- provides the' basic information on the interior layout of the·house. -It lists _15 rooms and the entrance hall in

the main block. Cunning~am's anecdote concerning the tam~ Kangaroo, if

nothing else, mak~s it clear that the dining r~om was on the ground floor and accessible through the French windows. On the basis of the visible walls (see plan 7.3) it is possible to postulate two large .rooms (drawing and dining) one on either side of the entrance. hall, and another large room, most probably the second drawing room, in the south'east corner of' the house. This leaves·three rather small· rooms in the south west corner; with a passage running through the house, the presence of which is suggested by the archway over the French window in the eastern wall in·Conrad Martens' sketch (6.1). The circular stone staircase could have been either within the main block or projected behind it-- the latter seems more likely in the light of the small fragment of wall still visible and the projecting walls see~ in the photograph 6.9. There were nine bedrooms upstairs. One of these occupied the whole north east corner of the house (SMH 27/5/1869 p3).

The sale notice description also provides the basis for the reconstruction of the features located behind the main block in the plan 7.3. The walls and wings are clear from all of the drawings of the house (6.1 to 6.8). The break 'between the two 'stables shown on the plan is based on a sudden change in height '- this can be seen in the roof lines of the stables in Martens' drawing (6.1).

The'visible remains of the mansion 'are shown on plan 7.3: standing walls are shown in a heavy line; visible, though buried, walls are indicated by a lighter line; and conjectured features .are indicated by a broken line. The plan includes those architectural features uncovered in the 1977 excavation. The exposed cellar walls are recorded in detail in drawings 7.4 to,7.7 (see also photograph 6.12);,they are constructed of uncoursed

rubble, 'with the exception of the arched entry~ Some parts of the walls, especially those now projecting above ground,level, have been re-built in very recent times. Elevations consisting entirely of re-built walls have not been drawn. All walls have 'been photographed (see 6.13 to 6.15) with the exception of the north face of the north wall which is completely covered by dense shrubbery. In addition to the cellar walls, all the walls standing above ground.were photographed (6.16).

There is clear evidence of extensive below-ground remains, including walls visible in the turf and robber trenches' like those 'along the'line of the ,western yard 'wall ,and the north west corner of the kitchens. Towards the north east corner of the yard there is an abrupt depression, the cause of which is unknown. The drain which runs south west from the centre of the yard continues beyond the area of the mansion. The carriage-way shown on the plan 7.3"is reconstructed on the basis of'194.7 aerial photographs.

In the Penrith District Historical Society museum at Emu Plains there are two fluted column fragments. One is from a whole column; its overall length is 395 mm, its maximum circumference 'is 577 mm, and its minimum citcumference is 541 mm (see photograph 6.,17); it is made from fine-grained sandstone and is finely carved' (see photograph 6.19 for detail). The other' fragment is from an engaged column;, its overall length is 414 mmi' there is no indication in any of the drawings of the place an engaged column might have occupied - the most likely position would have been as part of the architrave. The fineness of the stonework evident in these column fragments is typical of the mansion remains, which are all of high quality - the cellar, for example, is still perfectly square. 3.2 THE VINEYARD AND WINERY

The vineyard and winery are located in a gully south west of the mansion site; the gully is the easternmost of the two that lead down to the dam. The positions of both are indicated on maps 7.1 and 7.2. They do not appear on any contemporary maps.

Sir John Jamison first began cultivating grapes at Regentville in 1817 (Jamison 1829· p33; arid also extract 5.16). But he did not have great success. He reported to·the Agricultural Society in 1826 and 1828 that.he was following the.advice of a nativ.e.of Madeira and'planting vines in deep trenches in alluvial soil. By 1829 he .had changed his practice and was favouring the sides of rocky hills as .the most desirable place for vineyards. In 1830 he repor.ted to the Society that he was employing a German immigrant well-versed in the cultivation of the vine who was at that time laying out a vineyard at Regentville (p24 ).•. Jamison explained·. that vineyards should ideally be sited on a stoney slope with terraces seven feet wide fronted by a dry-stone wall. Such is the vineyard at Regentville (see photograph 6.20 and the'profile 7.10)·.

The following yea~'Laplace (extract 5.8) says that Sir John distills his wine ·to make brandy. In the light of this it seems reasonable to assume that the vineyard. and winery (where the still' was' housed - see Norton Smith 35 lease 1 January 1844, and sale notice in extract 5.17) were·built together along with the .dam (for the dam see discussion below in section 3.3). In December 1833 Elizabeth Matthews described the vineyard ·from Mulgoa Road, and it is mentioned in the Post Office Directory for 1835.

Judging by his cor.respondence, newspaper.reports, and Parkes' description (in extract 5.15) ,Jamison continued to produce wine and brandy until he leased the vineyard to.Hutchinson Bell in 1844 (Norton Smith Item 35 lease 1 January .18.44). It .is probably w~rth . noting ,here that Fletcher (1979 .p24.note 45.) ·misreads . 'brandy , for"burgundy' in Sir·John's letter to Alexander Macleay of 4 February 1835.

Much of the terracing of the vineyard remains, although it is heavily overgrown (the ~rea in photograph 6.20 had to be cleared before the photo and the profile could be taken). The area of extant terraces is shown on "- plan 7.9. The terraces are generally higher on the steeper northern slope of the gully •.The drain at the bottom of the gully was originally lined with stones. The heap of river stones shown on the plan may be the remains of a dump use9 during construction or for repair of the terraces. A profile of the slope photographed in 6.20 is given at' 7.10. The site of the winery (shown on plan 7.9) is a large, slowly weathering, rectangular hole - out of which most of the sandstone walls have been robbed. This is probably the winery cellar. Original walls are recorded in photographs 6.21 and 6.22; the freestanding wall (photograph 6.23 and elevation 7.11) is bonded with cement and is clearly a reconstruction. When compared with the elevation of the exposed parts of the east winery wall (also on 7.11) .and with the mansion walls (they are all drawn to the same scale) the difference in construction technique is striking. 3.3 THE DAM

The earth-walled dam is on a small eastern arm of Mulgoa Creek, about 150 m south, and slightly to the east, of where it crosses Mulgoa Road. Its location is shown on 7.1 and 7.2; it does not appear on any of the contemporary maps.

There is only one clear historical reference to the dam. This is the description in the sale notice of 1847 (5.17). The dam is said to be large; about 300 ft in circumferance and 10 feet deep. The description says that the dam is fed by two gullies and has never been known to be dry. There are only two other possible references to the dam. The earliest, 1827, is Cunningham's description of a spring near the mansion - however, I do not think this refers to the dam. The second is Jamison'S recommendation of the building of dams, using suitable" clay soil, as a hedge against drought; in his address to the Agricultural & Horticultural Society for 1829 (p36), he does not refer ~o the dam directly but the reference "to dam construction ties in well with his development of the vineyard, winery, and dam - something that he hints at in the 1829 report and describes in detail the following year.

The dam still exists and still operates effectivelYe The plan (7e9) clearly shows its position, receiving water from two gullies, and 'immediately in front of the wine cellar' (5.17). The topographical survey clearly shows the spillway to the west of the dam wall, and the scar left by "excavation in the hillside immediately to the south. The smaller, less effective, and more modern dam in"the eastern gully exhibits a similar scar which is still actively weathering and is probably therefore qui.te recent. The disturbed topography of the slope north of the dam wall indicates that this hill was also the source of much of the fill; the resulting relationship between the winery and dam support the view that they and the vineyard were part of the same development scheme, c.1830. The profile of the dam wall (7.11) "shows some weathering, and the possibility that the dam has been rebuilt since its initial construction must not be discounted. 3.4 THE COTTAGES

The cottages stand on the western corner of Factory Road and Bundarra Road. , Their location is shown on 7.1 and 7.2; and on Reuss 1863 a (7.14), where they are immediately east of the factory. They are visible in the pictures ,6.33 and 6.35.

On 20 May ,1844, one month before the partnership between the Rayner brothers and Sir John Jamison was terminated, John Dobie, Jamison's agent, proposed a settlement between the two parties in the form of a lease. One of the provisions of this lease was that 'Messrs Rayner will be allowed to finish the stone cottages, attending to the specifications and they will then have

the use of them for the term of the ~ease~ or,Sir .John will finish them and

retain ,them' (Norton Smith Gibbes Trust Item 116 pp51~4). Presumably the cottages were finished later that year. Early this century the cottages were derelict, like the factory and nearby buildings, and had been used as a

dairy (E B Addicott pers .comm 1982)~ See photographs 6.25, 6.26, 6.27.

In about 1930 the cottages ,were refurbished by the grandfather of the current owner, E B Addicott. See phot<,)gr.aph 6.28.

A plan, elevation, and section of the cottages'as originally built is given in 7.12; the southern; western, and.eastern walls are all faced with draughted'ashlar sandstone blocks; the north wall is faced with random rubble; the chimneys ar.e of stone with some brick; the shingled roof is still in place, under the later corrugated iron.

A number of alterations :have been made to:the .original, structure: the western pair of fireplaces has been removed; a door has been inserted in the north .wall (see photograph 6.27); the inte,rnal walls in the western end of the building have 'been removed; doorways have been.inserted into the remaining party walls; the remaining chimney has been extended above the ridge line, using brick; all the joinery has been replaced; a verandah has been added on all sides (see phGtograph 6.29). For details of the external walls see the photographs in 6.30 3.5 THE FACTORY AND ATTENDANT BUILDINGS

The factory was located on the north side of Factory Road, mid-way between Bellevue Road and Bundarra Road, parallel with Factory Road. Its location is indicated on 7.1 and 7.2 as well as on both Reuss maps (7.13 and 7.14).

On 4 June 1839 Sir John Jamison wrote to the Colonial Secretary, saying "a

Steam ~ngine Manufactury recently erected by me on the right bank of the Nepean River is now r09fed in, the underground tunnel completed for the supply of water and all the buildings and .works in a state of considerable forwardness·for commencing work".

In 1835 .Jamison:had taken delivery·of a speciaily modified·steam engine which he intended to.use for irrigation (S.Monitor 3 Jan 1835,3). This may well be the engine .used in the factory, the construction of which took a considerable time and was not without .its problems. Two tenders for the building of the .mili, one for 3070 pounds and one for 2700 pounds, .. are known; both promised completion dates, .the former 12 months and the latter 11 months. They also included provisions relating to building materials already prepared on the site. This suggests that a prior arrangement had fallen through (Norton .Smith, Gibbes Trus.t, Item III ppl15 ,131-2). Jamison's ·purpose in writing to the Colonial. Secretary in 1839 was to acquire 450 feet of piping whioh.was needed to·complete .the work; it arrived the following month. It.was more. than a year later that the factory commenced operations. The memorandum of the agreement between the Rayner brothers and Jamison for the use of the factory to manufacture .cloth is dated 14 October 1840 and work must obviously have started some time after this date. The agreement states that the steam engine and .factory are ready for use, and that the Rayners must install, at .their. own cost: "I 34" carding·machine complete 1 48" ditto 1 Jack Billy with 70 spindles 1 Fourteen.quarter loom with gear ready to work 1 Stock.for milling cloth 13ft square.boiler to colour in 170. Spindles with tin rollers, also .ironwork for spinning machines 3 Shuttles 6 pairs of drivers A quantity of splits to make reeds with 1 New reed and harness to weave with 1 Warping machine 1 Metal tur·ning lathe of 8" centre and Tenter hooks for a fifty yard tenter ". The object of the partnership was that 'cloth of such description as shall be manufactured.to the greatest profit and advantage". Jamison was to keep two thirds of the nett profits and he was to be paid 50 pounds a year for the supply of fuel (Norton Smith Gibbes Trust. Item 116 ppl-4). The amount of fuel must have been considerable because the steam engine was kept running for 12 hours a day, apart from Sundays (Item 116, pp71-2). According to Jamison "the erection of the engine is for a threefold purpose; ·viz:firstly.a mill for grinding grain into flour; secondly for manufacturing wool into cloth of the different qualities most required; and thirdly and not the least important for irrigating the extensive wide alluvial flats. I hope to be able to force· the growth of grain and artificial food for man and beast during seasons of drought and by example hope that many agriculturalists •••• will be induced to follow my example by the erection of irrigating steam engines" (Jamison to Col.Sec. 4 June 1839). The engine was used for all three. purposes. (See Jamison to Col. Sec. 18 Feb 1842; Norton Smith Gibbes Trust Items 116 pp47-50, 51-4 and 113 pp141-6). Governor Gipps, in a despatch dated 17 December 1842, mentions that Sir John has established the cloth mill, and this has often been taken as indicating the year in which the factory was built. Relations between the Rayners and Jamison eventually broke down and their . partnership was terminated on 21 June 1844 (Norton Smith Gibbes Trust Item 63). The Rayners removed their equipment and set up their own mill at Emu Plains. In 1846 Mundy describes the factory·as derelict. However, if this was the case, it did not remain so for long as it wap operating in August. (Norton Smith Gibbes Trust Item 113 p71). It was still manufacturin.g cloth in the 1870s (Council Ed Application for public school 26/8/1874). The factory was derelict in 1917 (Watson 1917 p174). It was used as a piggery . for some time before being:deroolished in.1932. The demolisher was Percy William Farrell, and he salvaged. the bricks for re-use (J Blaikie pers comm 1982). The site is now/occupied by houses. There are no remains above ground but, as Jamison's description indicates, there are probably considerable subsurface remains~ The building was of four storeys; a.brick construction, having a shingle roof with a cupola on top;.there were sandstone sills (6.31). Attached to. the western end· was the engine house which was three storeys high. Judging from the evidence in photograph 6.32, the boiler would seem to have been quite large. The floo~s were supported on ironbark girders and pillars.

The factory was surrounded by .·a .cluster of other buildings, most of which were accommodation for the workers. The .most complete record is to be found on ·Reuss 7.14. The single building ·on .the south side of Factory Road may have pre-dated the factory. It could well have been the building to be seen in Conrad Martens 20 October 1835 (6 .• 2). The .buildings further south, outside the fenced area associated with the factory, are identified as farm buildings (Jackson 1873). The Rayner ·br.others were accommodated in brick cottages

from the ti~e they began operating the factory (Norton Smith Gibbes Trust Item 116 p40). It is possible that these cottages may. have been the building on the south side of the road (refered to already); or they may have been the brick cottages immediately to the west of the factory, which are clearly visible in the postcard (6.34.) and in the photograph 6.35. They were demolished along with the factory in 19.32. Further to the west along Factory Road there are four buildings indicated on the Reuss map. These are probably the buildings refered to by John Dobie· (NortO):1 Smith Gibbes Trust Item 116 pp35-8). He calls them both 'huts'· and 'cottages'. They are l~ter· refered to by Lady Jamison as 'the weatherboarded cottages' (Item 113 p71). These were built early in 1844 to replace bark sheds in which some workers were living (Item 116 pp19-22, 35-8). Nothing further is known about these dwellings. The weatherboard building to the north of the factory which is visible in 6.33 and in 6.34 is a much later 'manager's house' - it is located on Proust 1930. The building immediately east of the factory is the cottages which section 3.4 deals with.

In 1847 a well was dug (Jamison Papers Vol 1 pl04). A blocked-up well was exposed just south east of .the .factory site in about 1955 and was filled in by Penrith Council. The site is still visible in the footpath approximately 20 metres west of the corner of Factory Road and Bundarra Road (J Blaikie pers comm 1982). See also 6.36. 3.6 THE WINDMILL

The windmill stood on. the ridge which extends northwards into the Cartwright grant; maps 7.1 and 7.2 give the location. Reuss (1863 a) shows the windmill and an attendant building to the east (7.14). On his other map (7.13) the mill is indicated by a later notation. *

The date of construction is unknown. Itls position suggests an early date - being sited less than half way up the ridge, which extends north from the Nepean Gorge. It is on the highest point of Thomas Jamisonls grant - whereas later land acquisitions by Sir John had much more.advantageous sites. Thus its position suggests strongly that it was built before Sir John acquired Cartwrightls grant in February 1816 •. There' is 'no other direct evidence to support an earlY'date, but the economic situation, and especially the cost of transport, would seem to have encouraged the building of a windmill. (For the

economic background se~ Steven 30-6; Linge 79~84, and Fletcher 1976 ch. 9; neither Steven nor Linge are aware of the mill, although Steven records an increase in the number of wind and water mills in the districts around Sydney, p32). In his address to the Agricultural Society of 1826, Jamison advocated the building of mills outside the metropolitan area (6). In the 1828 census one of Sir Johnls assigned convicts, William Mead, is described as a millwright - presumably in charge of the windmill.

The first direct reference to the windmill is Laplacels description of August 1831 (5.8). He notes that it is built on a hillside and describes it as light in colour and elaborately constructed with large ,sails. He says that the mill provided flour sufficiently clean to withstand long voyages. He also notes that the sheds clustered around the base of the mill are used for salting meat.

The pictorial evidence for the windmill confirms Laplacels description. Two sketches by Conrad Martens include the windmill. The earlier (dated May 1835) shows a distant view of the mill from the north; the cluster of attendant buildings refered to by Laplace are clearly visible (6.3). The later sketch (dated October 1835) shows the mill from almost the opposite direction, seen . from within the Mulgoa Valley; its conical roof is clearly visible (6.37). The windmill also appears in a less closely dated sketch from Thomas Woorels sketchbook, which cannot be before 1830 (6.8). It shows the mill in more detail, although the drawing is certainly less fine. Windows are visible; there are buildings at the base of the mill and nearby to the west - this seems to tie in with LapIacels reference to a landing stage on the river bank

below the windmill. Mundy, describing the est~te in 1846, comments on the bad siting of the mill, and records that it has lost its sails (5.16). This statement provides the terminal date for the Woore sketch and is the last description of the mill. The factory had been milling since 1840, so the fact that the mill was inoperative is not surprising. It continued to appear on maps of the area into the 1870s, although this may be the result of tracing. Its presence ~as clearly remembered for some time; an auction poster for October 1879 refers to the ridge as 'the celebrated Mill hill' (Reuss 1879 a).

There is no clear evidence to show when the windmill was demolished; it was probably late las,t century. A late Victorian house ,with heavy sandstone foundations stands on the hill, as well as a large shed, also with stone foundations, built in the 1940s - ther.e are no clear indica.tions that the stone'in these buildings was re-used from an 'earlier building. There is no above-ground evidence to indicate the exact site of the mill and its sheds, and their positions may correspond exactly to the existing buildings.

* The position of the ~indmill, and its prominence as a landmark, are indicated by its inclusion as the only feature east of, the Nepean River on four maps: Davidson 1833; and Rusden 1831 a, 1831 b, and 1832. The'two Rusden plans of 1831 predate Laplace's description by a fortnight and are therefore the earliest direct evidence for the windmill. 3.7 THOMAS JAMISON'S HOUSE

Thomas Jamison's house was located in the north western corner of his grant, immediately south of what is now Jamison Road. See map 7.1 for the site. It was used by Evans in January 1814 as a sighting point for his survey of the route over the Blue Mountains, and therefore appears on his map, labelled Dr Jamison's. A house is marked in the same position on both Reuss maps (7.13 and 7.14), with the occupant shown as Upton, and there seems no reason to think that this was not the same building. The location of the house is also shown on maps in Richards, '1979, Weatherburn, 1966, and in Campbell 1935.

Thomas Jamison was granted the land on 18 .December 1805, and left NSW in June 1809,_ so presumably the house was built during this period. Macquarie stayed overnight at 'Doctor Jamison's farm' on 28 November 1810, on his first tour of inspection of the colony. The governor's party stayed in tents and the next day borrowed a boat to explore the Nepean (1956, 19-20). After Sir John's return to the colony in 1814 Macquarie visited the farm, now called Regentville, on at least four more occasions. On 26 April 1815, before beginning the journey over the Blue Mountains; on 11 October of the same year; and twice in December 1821. On each of these occasions his party crossed the Nepean by boat at this point (like many other visitors), as the government station was on the opposite bank, just to the north of· the house. The house was ixeally situated, at this river crossing and on the then route from Penrith to Mulgoa. This road is indicated on the Reuss maps (7.13 and 7.14) and it remained in use even after the more easterly course of Mulgoa Road was gazetted'in 1863 (Jackson). The direct east-west route of Jamison Road 'was not Bazetted until 1899 (Scrivener).

In November 1819 Jamison entertained some members of the Freycinet expedition here, and they were impressed with his. hospitality (5.1) as was Elizabeth Hawkins (5.2) who lists hot only what was. served at the meal but also the contents of the garden. A brief impression. of-the house is recorded by Bougainville (5.4) who visited the estate in Augus.t 1825. He describes small but comfortable quarters, servants' buildings ·and outbuildings, a carefully cultivated garden, and a well-run farm. When Bougainville stayed at the house the mansion was almost complete, and the next description, that of Cunningham (5.5) makes it clear that Jamison no longer occupied the 'veranda'd cottage' and farm buildings near the ·river.

The house is not mentioned again a~ter Cunningham's description of 1827. However, there is no reason to think that the house did not stand for a considerable time after this date. It was ideally situated to be the house of a manager or overseer, especially when much of this N W corner of the estate was developed. as tenant farms. Presumably it is the structure which appears on the Reuss maps, but there is no clear indication of when it was demolished.

There are no identifiable above-ground remains on the site, althou~h the lie of the ground and the presence of brick fragments m8ke some archa~ological deposit a definite possibility. At least part of the house site falls within the gazetted width of Jamison Rcad; and straightening and widening of the road will certainly threaten what deposit there is. 3.8 THE SCHOOL & CHURCH BUILDING

The site of the Regentville Wesleyan school and church is on the south side of Factory Road, just beyond Schoolhouse Creek, which derives its name from this school and not from the later public school to the south east." For location see 7.1 and 7.2. The site is indicated on the Reuss maps (7.13 and 7.14).

The earliest evidence for this school is a conveyance from Sir John Jamison to the trustees of the Wes,leyan-Methodist Church, dated 9 May 1842. The conveyance records that in exchange for ,10 shillings Sir John granted 'that piece or parcel of land together with a slab hut erected thereon, containing 2 acres 3 roods - commencing at a certain stump of a tree near the road leading from the Factory to Regentville House' (quoted in Regentville Public School, 3).

Sir John Jamison's interest in education appears to have been long-standing. His own education was extensive and he was an active member of a number of learned societies. He ,was president of the council of Sydney College at the time of his death. The issue of denominational schools was a matter of lively debate at this time. In 1840, as a member of the Legislative Council, he supported the continuation of small denominational schools. (Clark1973, 183-4)

The slab hut mentioned in .the conveyance may well have· been serving as Methodist school and church prior to the transfer. The local Methodist community may well have begun with the arrival of the Rayner brothers and ·their workers. According to Ross (5) Abraham Rayner was responsible for holding the first Methodist service at Regentville.in the factory, and he contributed to the erection of the firs.t church, which was probably the slab hut on Jamison's land. The minutes of the 1846 annual meeting of the Methodist-Wesleyan Church make it clear that. the day.school had been dis-continued. From this time on most of the evidence for the building relates to its·use as a school. It is next mentioned in July 1868 when twenty-four local residents applied for the establishment of a Provisional School at Regentville (Council of' Ed Letters 1867-75). Correspondence associated with this application makes it clear that a school had been in operation for most of 1868, on t.he land that Sir John had given 'expressly for a school'. The report of the inspector consequent upon the application, says "the building in which the school is kept at present is in very bad condition. It is a wooden erection; the schoolroom is about 12 ft by 12 ft. It is in contemplation to erect a more suitable" (Council of Ed Item 447). The Provisional School was established and when a new teacher was appointed in February 1871, the Wesleyan authorities were asked to add an extra room to the building as the teacher's accommodation was a single room (Jackson to Council of Ed 9 Feb 1871). The Wesleyan Sabbath School resumed at Regentville in 1872 or 1873 (CAWR 1 May 1874,,31). In 1874, when the residents applied for a Public School, the existing building was described as a slab building with a shingle roof and lined with pine boards. The school room was 28 ft by 14 ft and was 10 ft high (Council of,Ed Letters 1867-75, 26 Aug 1874).

The arrangements for the establishment of the Public School included a proposal that the building should be leased by the Council of Education from the local Wesleyan Church and John Rayner, the last surviving trustee, accepted this proposal in a letter dated 25 September 1874.

In 1880" William Hill, the Methodist minister, wrote to the Minister of Education asking that rent for the use of the 'Wesleyan-Methodist Church at Regentville' be paid. Soon after this the new Public School was built on two acres granted 'by TC Jamison in the N E corner of the Cartwright grant (indicated on 7.1, parcel 2) - this was in line ,with the Department's policy of owning all public school properties outright. The new school opened in March 1882. The Wesleyan Church sold the land originally given to it for a school by Jamison on 2 August 1906.

It is reasonable to presume that the slab building mentioned in the conveyance continued, with additions, to, be the school and church building until the new public school was built. There are no visible remains of the original building. The exact site is difficult to determine, due to the lack of topographical detail on the Reuss maps. The Regentville Public School Centenary History (3) suggests that the site 'is now occupied by a house. The house in question is on top of a hill set back from the creek, whereas Reuss' map indicates that the building was quite close to the creek. ------,

3.9 MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Stone Gates:

The stone gates (location shown on plan 7.2) were originally from Penrith Court House and were designed by James Barnett in 1881. Their dimensions conform· precisely to those shown on Barnett's plan (AO plan No 844) except that they have been altered at the top and base, and their corners have been chamfered. They in no way relate to the Regentville estate.

Cemetery:

It has not been possible to determine the date of the origin of the Roman Catholic cemetery on the estate. There is no record of a transfer of ownership in the Registrar General's Department. The cemetery was consecrated in 1839 by Archbishop Polding, but burials had taken place there before the consecration, and earlier burials were moved there afterwards •. The oldest known headstone was dated 1805, but it no longer exists. (Elizabeth Basedow pers comm 1982).

unidentified buildings:

·The location of the remains of the building visible in Conrad Martens' pencil sketch of·20 October 1835 (6.2) are shown on plan 7.1 and plan 7.2; nothing more is known about the building. The remains consist of a number of in situ foundation blocks and a scatter 0.£ bricks with diamond shaped frogs which are consistent with a mid 1830s date (Varman 1978). There is a well nearby, ·which may b.e associated with the building.

Reuss' plan of Mill Hill (1879a) shows two huts on the northern slopes of the hill. One is labe lIed .' hu t' and another 'old hut' - nothing else is known about them. 5.1

CHARLES GAUDICHAUD-BEAUPRE et al November 1819

MM Gaudichaud-Beaupre, Quoy and Pellion were three members of the French exploratory expedition led by Louis Descaules de Freycinet in the Uranie, which arrived in Sydney at the end of 1819. They visited Bathurst, and stayed with Jamison on the way. This extract from their joint account begins on 28 November 1819.

From Penrith we went to spend the night at Regent-Ville, the country seat of Sir John Jamison, surgeon in His Majesty's Navy, etc., who owns considerable and.very fertile property on the eastern side of the Nepean. The river, below his delightful residence, is 80 to 100 feet broad and 15 to 18 feet deep; its course is placid; its pure, fresh waters are well stocked with excellent fish.

Up till then we had met but poorly watered soil, only a portion of which seemed capable of cultivation; but on either side of the Nepean we saw unfold level country, where the trees were gigantic, and, although numerous, growing far enough apart to leave spaces where many grasses grew forming a magnificent natural meadow. The Nepean, in flood, increases the fertility of the plains it waters by depositing its silt, a favour for which it too often claims payment by rather extensive destruction.

After dinner, served with a wealth of silver which we little expected to meet in these lately wild regions, Sir John Jamison proposed a boating excursion, which M. Gaudichaud accepted. They visited the mouth of the Warragamba River which flows into the Nepean some distance south of Regent-Ville, and they enjoyed there the most picturesque view.

·The next day our host was determined to accompany us as far as the foot of the Blue Mountains, and prevailed upon us to cross the river opposite his house, while our horses and impedimenta would take the highway by Emu Ford, where one usually crosses the Nepean.

o Harvard 1938 5.2 C-

ELIZABETH HAWKINS April 1822

From a letter to her sister g1v1ng an account of her family's journey from Sydney to Bathurst where her husband had been appointed Commissariat storekeeper. The letter is dated 7 May 1822. This extract begins on 11 April 1822 six days into the journey.

Hawkins and I went to dine with Sir J. Jamison, who had invited a lady and two gentlemen to meet·us; here we partook of a sumptuous repast, consisting of mock-turtle soup, boiled fowls, round of beef, delicious fish of three kinds, curried duck, goose and wild-fowl, Madiera and Burgundy, with various liquors and English ale. I mention all this to show you his hospitality, and convince you it is possible for people to live here as

well as in England. I was' delighted with his garden. The apples and~quinces were larger than I ever saw them before (it is now autumn in this country), and many early trees of the former were again in blossom. The vines had a second crop of grapes, and the fig trees a third crop. The peaches-­ and apricots here are standina trees. He has English cherries, plums, and ~; ...... ,J ~r~\It' filberts. These, with oranges, lemons, limes, and c,itrcns, medlars, ~.... _.., ~~ ~~ ~ ~OIo~JIiIIJI> almonds, rock ~te£_m~1Q~, with all the common fruits of England; ~...-roP"'P""""""" ~..,- . vegetables 9f all kinds, and grown at all seasons of the year, which shows .d ,,~_ ....~~ how fine the climate is.

The next morning, Friday, the twelfth, we re-loaded. Sir John came to see us off, and presented us with a quarter of mutton, a couple of fowls, and some butter.

Selkirk 1923 . 5.3

WILLIAM HORTON June 1824

Horton kept a journal while working for the Wesleyan Missionary Society. This entry is dated 5 June 1824, and indicates that the building had not been completed.

June 5. Sir John Jamison who resides on his estate opposite Emu Plains took me to see his new house. It stands on the top of a long gentle ascent and is certainly a noble mansion. It is 78 feet long by 45 wide, two stories high with a spacious cellar beneath. Each of the wings is 50 feet long. The outbuildings are detached and the whole premises will occupy about an acre of ground which is to be enclosed by a wall 14 feet high.

It is built of fine durable stone and cow~ands a very extensive and diversified prospect. Sir JOhn.is an intelligent scientific gentleman and has more than ODce manifested his friendly regard towards the missionary cause.

Bonwick Transcripts 5.4

BARON DE BOUGAINVILLE August 1825

Hyacinthe Yves Philippe Potentin, Baron de BougainviJle, led a French circumnavigation voyage in the Thetis and the Esperance in 1824-26. It was not the most productive of expeditions and the single voluwe journal accompanied by an atlas of 12 plates was published in 1837. This extract starts on Friday 5 August 1825, after Sir John's carriage with four horses guided by a 'child' had collected Bougainville's party at Parramatta.

We were, at that time, staying at the cottage at Regentville. Sir John dwelt there whilst awaiting the house of aristocratic proportions which he is having built in the neighbourhood. Two steps away is the Nepean; this is a very sunken river, but at present it is not very deep. It forms a natural boundary to the County of Cumber land and separates the Jamison domain from that of the government on Emu Plains. • ••• to the south east, on a small hill totally stripped of trees, is a new dwelling whose position dominates the surrounding countryside.

The Nepean at this point is hardly more than 100 metres wide. One can barely see 300 paces ahead, and the banks are stripped of trees; whilst this makes the contours clear, any scope for pleasant views and decoration of the countryside is lost. However, the rich crops of wheat, barley and maize which they produce twice a year amply compensate the owner - and will reward him for a long time, because the land here is excellent. The topsoil, well provided by inundations from the river, is not less than twelve or fifteen feet deep.

The Regentville property is 36 miles from Sydney. It consists of 9000 acres of land and supports 3000 sheep, 100 horned cattle, and 100 horses. Here, in the season, is"made daily the best part of 80-100 Ibs of a cheese which is like Chester and which keeps for a long time.

This property, although quite considerable, is far from being Sir John's only possession. He has more, wide-ranging, properties near Bathurst, at Prospect Hill near Parramatta, and at Sydney - his house there is one of the best of its kind. He possesses a great deal: according to what he told me he has 23,000 acres of good land, the greatest part of which is without doubt not yet valuable.

After a brief rest "in the small and very comfortable rooms which had been prepared for us, we visited the grounds and outbuildings of the dwelling. The servants' buildings are those of a well-run and large farm, the produce which supplies all the basic needs of its inhabitants. The garden, which is cultivated with care, contains most of the fruit trees and vegetables of Europe. One sees Norfolk pines, full of seed, and yet still small; the loquat tree, a fruit tree brought from China, whose fruit resembles a prune without a seed and of a yellow colour; peach trees above all in great number •••• (Bougainville 2)

Saturday 6th: We walked and walked for about nine hours and visited the new manor which is about l~ miles away. Sir John, who is his own architect, made us go over every nook and cranny. The house is of trimmed stone, and is solidly built, to a nice plan. The woodwork is native cedar of a beautiful red-brown colour and the chimneys are made of marble taken from a neighbouring quarry. The great drawback of this residence, placed on high ground, is that it lacks absolutely any shade; they have removed all the surrounding trees and many years will pass before one will be able to be fully shaded from the sun..... The manor was examined in every detail and the decision was taken to modify the principal entry to the house according to our suggestion. We continued on our walk in the direction of a beautiful valley where portion of the land has been cleared. The rest, stripped of trees, has nothing but stumps and is fenced off as pasture for the flocks. 5.5 ~

PETER CUNNINGHAM 1827

Cunningham was a surgeon-superintendant on convict transports, in charge of th~ well-being of the convicts. He visited New South Wales in December 1819, September 1821, July 1823 and for an extended period from January 1825 until April 1826. He made numerous journeys during these visits, especially the last one, and these formed the basis of his description of the colony first published in London in July 1827. (MacMillan(ed) 1966, xviii-xxvii).

A little above Emu Plains, the Hawkesbury -(or Warragamba, as it is here called) emerges from among the mountains, sweeping past the rich and picturesque estate of Sir John Jamison. His veranda'd cottage and farm buildings occupy a spot near to the bank of the river; but an elegant freestone mansion has lately been erected by him on a commanding site, which overlooks the rich vale spreading wider and wider down the opening vista before you, the river winding at a sluggish pace through this scene of exuberant fertility, and the abrupt woody range of the Blue mountains towering behind until it steals slowly from your view. A clear cool spring of water is seen welling in the immediate vicinity of the house, a much-prized article here, while the land around is cleared to the extent of at least one thousand acres, and produces most abundantly all the varied productions of our clime.

Sir John is president of the Agricultural Society, and his house the frequent resort of pleasure-parties from Sydney, who enjoy the unbounded hospitality for which the worthy knight is so celebrated among us.

One of the largest tame kangaroos I have seen in the country is domiciled here, and a mischievous wag he is, creeping and snuffing cautiously toward a stranger, with such an innocently expressive countenance, that roguery could never be surmised to exist under it, when, having obtained as he thinks

a sufficient introduction, he claps his fore-paws on your shou~ders (as if

to caress you), and raising himself suddenly upon h~s tail, administers such a well-put push with his hind legs, that it is two to one but he drives you heels over head! This is all done in what he considers facetious play, with

a view to giving you a hint to examine your pockets, a~d see what ban bons you have got for him, as he munches cakes and comfits with epicurean gout; and if the door is ajar, he will gravely take his station behind your chair at meal­ time, like a lackey, giving you an adminitory kick every now and then, if you fail to help him as well as yourself. 5.6

ANONYMOUS March 1827

From the first of six letters published in consecutive issues of the Australian, beginning 13 March 1827. The letters are signed "X.Y.Z." and it has been suggested that they were written by Captain William John Dumaresq, Governor Darling's brother-in-law (Mackaness 1965, 166).

On the right hand, and on a fine foreground, stood the palace of Regentville, the noble seat of Sir John Jamison. This splendid building is beyond all comparisons, the finest thing of the kind in New South Wales; it stanqs on the top of a gentle hill, and presents a front to the long rea.ch of the river and rich vale of Emu, of 180 feet; the centre building being 80 feet in length, and the two wings 50 each. In the wings are comprised the library, baths, bi.lliard-rooms, & c., & c •• ; while the kitchens and servants offices, are detached in the rear, out of sight. Regentville is built of a fine free stone, dug on the estate, in the chasest style of Grecian architecture, and is no less remarkable in the interior for the good taste and richness of its decorations, and the profuse and constant hospitality of the noble owner. 5.7

WILLIAM RILEY September and December 1830

Riley, the son of Alexander Riley of Burwood and 'Raby', kept a journal during journeys he made in New South Wales in 1830 and 1831. A transcript of the journal survives in the Mitchell Library (A2012). These extracts are from his record of a journey to the Yass plains late in 1830. The first made on the way there, sometime in September 1830, the latter on his return.

REGENTVILLE

~~~~ the residence of Sir John about 26 miles from Parramatta on the Bathurst road, and 3 miles from Penryth, a town watered by the Nepean. The house, a modern stone mansion on a large scale fitted up in a very expensive manner a l'anglaise, commands a fine view of these plains, and of the numerous settlers' farms interspersed throughout them, but the trees about it having been carefully removed as if to render it more conspicuous. Sir J., who is a retired Physician of the Fleet, is a knight of Gustavas Vasa, a distinction of which he is not a little proud, seems a pleasant man, of a vain ostentatious, but hospitable character, who, from all I can learn exerted himself to industry. Being, however, a radical, and having allied himself to the knot of individuals, who are far from respectable, that form that party, he has been excluded from a seat in Council to which his wealth and general respectability would otherwise entitle him and possesses, in consequence, little political influence •••• His reports to the Agricultural Society very verbose productions and making much of what in fact might have been comprised in a tenth of the compass, but proving, nevertheless, his attention to the subjects on which he treats.

Dec 3 To Sir John's, he does not farm extensively, though his lands, both grant and purchase, occupy 10,000 acres, but he rents out a large portion of the arable land, which forms a rich belt along the river, to small tenants, who pay him 1 pound an acre, where the land is cleared and stumped, and less in proportion to the labour required for its improvement. 1200 acres are thus rented to 40 tenants •••• and he proposes offering more on similar terms and reducing his own stock to a choice selection of the best breeds.

J Jervis 1946 5.8

CYRILLE LAPLACE August 1831 captain of the Favorite, Laplace led a French circumnavigation expedition which arrived in Hobart from Macao in July 1831, visited New South Wales in August and September, and returned to France via New Zealand and South America.

The need to look after my always somewhat weak health ••• The wish to see from close quarters all the details of the state of the colony, decided me to profit from kind invitations, and I accepted with eagerness that made to me by Sir John Jamison, one of the richest and most respected colonists of N.S.W., to spend ,with several officers of the Favorite some days at his residence forty miles from the main town on the banks of the Nepean.

Accompanied by de Boissieu and Serval, I left Sydney on August 12, under the guidance of Sir John Jamison, in a good coach drawn by four brisk horses ••••

At last we entered a long avenue and descended before Regentville, a superb house which deserves the title of manor, not only for its type of architecture, since it lacks nothing, neither a terrace and two wings, nor an internal courtyard surrounded by servants' quarters, but also for the noble and welcoming manner with which the owner, Sir John Jamison, does the honours. with what eagerness I hastened after dinner to breath the fresh air on the ,terrace, and to relish the peace of mind and body which cares had deprived me of for months! The calm of the fields was infinitely attractive to my spirit and every object, appearing to my eyes united to make these emotions even sweeter. Before me spread an admirable vista illuminated by the last rays of the setting sun. From the plateau where Sir John's house is built I looked down on a countryside which the most beautiful products of Southern France, some still young, others turning ripe, 'speckled with a thousand colours. Rows of flowering peach trees, like snowballs, brought out the dark green of large native trees preserved to protect the plantation from the cold south winds. Here and there were sown small farms which formed so many red spots on the green of th~ land. A windmill, built on a hillside, stood out pleasantly from the blue of the horizon; the evening breeze slowly turned its large wings. I could have wished that its walls were less white, their construction less elaborate and mannered, it would have better reminded me of the humble and rustic village windmill, old friend of our childhood, which even in ripe old age one remembers tenderly. This windmill dominated several sheds washed by the Nepean •••• (Laplace 2)

Then my host explained- his numerous experiments and the improvements he expected from his properties. That windmill, whose charming display I had noted on the day of my arrival at Regentville, gave a sufficiently pure flour to be preserved in barrels and to be useful on long voyages. In the sheds near the windmill, beef was being cured by economic and sure processes. I had occasion to taste this salted meat more than once and I found it very good, both in appearance and quality; but as the salt used comes from England, costs a lot and increases the cost of the meat a great deal, it is to be feared that it is not suitable for export: at present it is consumed in the prisons and on the ships that visit Sydney.

On this magnificent property, no sooner was my curiosity satisfied by something, it was roused by another. One day when we climbed to the top of a hillock covered by limestone, my guide smiled at the surprise I expressed on seeing at my feet long lines of green and thick vines supported by perfectly straight props in the manner followed in our northern provinces. This memory of our happy France caused me an emotion which only an exile could understand. These beautiful plants seemed to me to be compatriots ••• they had already ,born fruit under the Australian sky several times, but although drawn from our most renowned vineyards had so far given only a light wine, somewhat similar to that produced by the vineyards of the Loire The owners of vineyards, following Sir John Jamison, burn their wines to make brandy, which is hardly worth more •••• From the side which we had just climbed, we discovered large areas of wheat covering at once the depths of -the valleys and the flanks of the hills. I expressed my astonishment at seeing such different terrains being used in the same way: Sir John explained that until experience had taught them to defy the floods, no less frequent than the droughts, Australian farmers had preferred to sow grain on lower ground rather than on the crest of mountains, but than now the two kinds of cultivation are severally adopted and often succeed equally in the same year. To what other disasters are they not, however, exposed!

One morning, a little after sunrise ",we embarked, the two officers of the Favorite, myself and my host, in a light boat, rowed by four sturdy convicts. As soon as we left the small landing stage at the foot of the windmill, we began to fight against a strong current. The river, still swollen by the winter rains, ran its deep course between two steep banks ••• On the left we left. Regentville, whose plantations ran as far as the ridge of the rocks ••• 5.9

RICHARD BOURKE October 1832

From 'Hasty notes of a Journey to Bathurst' an account of a journey made with his father (Governor Richard Bourke) by Richard Bourke the younger. Also in the entourage were the governor's ADC, Captain westmacott and Anne Bourke (his sister). The account was written for his other sister, Janet. The extract begins on 19 October, the day the journey commenced.

The Road to Emu plains on which is situated the house of the gentleman with whom we intended taking up our quarters, is one of the best in the environs of Sydney. The Country through which it runs is well cultivated and naturally pretty, but I believe I was rather too much and too pleasantly occupied with mes compagnons de voyage to pay as much attention to this as it deserved. The latter part of the road however certainly struck us as being tiresome, & we were by no means sorry to arrive at Regent Ville after a drive of twenty-one miles four of wh had been through Sir J. Jamison's Park. The House is well situated as regards a view of the country in front, but it has with singular awkwardness been placed completely out of sight of the beautiful River Nepean which winds most pictures etly thro' the plains below. We were received at the door by Sir J. Jamison himself, & ushered through rows of domes tics into what may be called in this Country a very good House, & what in England could not be styled a bad one. And now for some account of the Master - Sir John Jamison began life as a Physician, from that he entered as Surgeon into the Navy in which he rOse to be Physician of the Fleet & was created by the King of Prussia a Knight of Gustavus Vasa. At this juncture Sir John visited Australia, settled and has amassed on-dit a fortune of ten thousand a year. He is very hospitable tho' a very stagy man, and his House is as uncomfortable as one would from a Sailor and a bachelor. In the course of the day our party was increased by Mr & Mrs Forbes, (he is Chief Justice) The Governor, Westmacott and Anne •••• There were a number of visitors at dinner & casual droppers in whom it will certainly not be necessary to describe.

Saturday 20. The temperature today has been intensely tropical, and our plans of amusement were formed by Sir J. certainly without the slightest attention to the weather. It was predetermined by him that we should be amused by a water party and co~d collation. We accordingly submitted with

great resignation, & were rowed up' ten miles of the Nepean under a sun that would have dissolved the hardest Indian. However we were as gay and merry as usual, and after some accidents most moving ones too, to the meats and wines, RICHARD BOURKE (continued) we returned in the cool of the Evening some by water and some by land. The scenery from the River is certainly beautiful, but it is also very unvaried. You may fancy a noble river running between two very lofty & well wooded banks, now & then broken by a rocky precipice, and at this season covered with native flowers. This you may say sounds very well - agreed - but it is very tiresome. I joined the Equestrians on our return & was much more pleased by riding through ten miles of the best cUltivated & prettiest valley I have yet seen here. We stopped at several of the cottages which are extremely pretty, in general covered with yellow jesmaine & multiflora roses. Dinner as usual, music in the evening. Memo. Un peu stupid.

Sunday 21. A New South Wales hot wind or in other words a regular sirocco, prevented our going to Church today. The Evening was however delightful, & we walked from after dinner until twelve in the verandah (you would not have liked that. old girl). The party was increased by the officers of the ship Challenger now in harbour, & the Evening was the pleasantest that Anne or I have spent since our arrival. Memo - the bugs bit so dreadfully last night that I made interest with Dolly the housemaid & was allowed to sleep on the drawing room sofa.

W L Harvard 1940 5.10

WILLIAM H. BRETON 1833

Lieutenant Breton's account of his excursions in Australia between 1830 and 1833 were published in London in 1833. The frontispiece of the book is an etching of Regentville by J. Clark.

pp 136-7: REGENTVILLE - WINDSOR At Regentville, situated very near the Nepean, which is here a beautiful piece of water, with some highly interesting scenery, the country becomes much more open, much land has been cleared, and from the house there is a very extensive view towards Windsor. On the right of the river the soil is of the most fertile description, the settlers are numerous, and there is a considerable portion of land in cultivation •••• The houses in this district are the best that are to be found in the "Bush", most of the settlers in the other parts of the country residing in their original huts, some of which have been erected eight or ten years or more; or else they have built small cottages, which although very clean and neat, are often much too small for families. However, those who reside between the Blue Mountains and Sydney can scarcely be said to be settled in the "bush". 5.11

SARAH MATTHEW December 1833

Wife of assistant surveyor Felton Matthew, she accompanied him on his surveys and kept a journal. This entry includes a description of the vineyard and mansion seen while travelling north along Mulgoa Road on 5 December 1833.

December 2nd. Drove to Mulgoa, and took up our quarters at Wimbourne, where we remained till Thursday, and then returned home. Wimbourne is the residence of Mr George Cox, and a very pretty place the garden is in excellent order; and the shrubbery very beautiful in the variety both of 'native trees and shrubs, as well as those of an English shrubbery. A short distance from the house, on the side of a rocky range, is the vineyard which is advancing rapidly: the vines are loaded with fruit, though only three years old -

In returning we passed close by Sir John Jamison's vineyard at Regentville, this is of much greater extent, and laid out with great taste, in terraces on the sides of the hills, and surrounded by hedges of the china rose, and lemon; some of the vines are on trellises, others only trained up a single pole, they all have a very beautiful appearance. Many persons expect this country will become as famous for the production of wine as Madiera, or the wine countrfes of Europe: it is very certain, that the vines of almost every description, flourish and bear most luxuriantly, on dry and rocky lands where nothing else could grow.

A nearer view of Regentville gave us a much more favourable opinion of it, than we had formed from a distance; it is a handsome stone edifice, with a fine Porticoe, and balcony above it, the latter is quite a novelty here, and with its iron railing has quite an English look; the view from it is extensive, but of course tinged with the sameness which pervades-the whole country.

o Harvard 1943 5.12

GEORGE BENNETT 1834

Bennett's journal of his travels as a naturalist between 1832 and 1834 were published in London in 1834 in two volumes. Early in the first volume he briefly describes Regentville and its setting: p 97: The view from Lapstone Hill, on gaining its summit, was very splendid: a large extent of country appeared from this elevated site: the Nepean river was seen winding its course through lands rich for pas~urage, as well as in the cUltivation of grain. During the harvest season, the prospect must be much increased both in richness and beauty. The situation of Windsor was pointed out; but a haze being over the distant village, the houses were not distinguishable. Regent Ville, the beautiful residence and farm of Sir John Jamieson, was included in the view. 5.13

JAMBS BACKHOUSE et al Dec 1835 & Oct 1836

The Life and Labours of George Washington Walker .•••• was written by James Backhouse and Charles Tylor, and published in London in 1862. The book was based on the journals the three kept while doing missionary and temperance work for the Society of Friends. The first two entries refer to 16 December and 19 December 1835, the third to 24 October 1836.

p 232: The Post Office is also the Police Office, and the Bench being then engaged in trying some prisoners, we were formally introduced to the Magistrates by Captain England, with whom we had become acquainted on a former occasion. sir John Jamieson showed us much civility, and invited us to take up our abode at Regentville, his elegant mansion.

pp 232-3: At nine o'clock we repaired to Regentville to breakfast. The house is furnished in a style much on a par, I should suppose, with the most opulent of our English gentry or nobility. The vineyard behind the house occupies fifteen acres, and contains according to the statement of the owner, between 30 and 40,QOO vines, including upwards of 200 varieties. The vine is becoming an object of serious attention with many of the most prosperous colonists, in the hope of ultimately being able to manufacture wines that may prove profitable for export.

pp 263-4: (travelling from Wimbourne to Penrith)

24th - The tract called Mulgoa, so named from a creek which joins the Nepean River near Regentville, the residence of Sir John Jamieson, is a very interesting portion of the country. The land has been cleared to a great extent by the proprietors, and patches of trees have been left at suitable intervals, with so much judgement, that it has all the appearance of an English park. The rich cultivated lands bordering on the Nepean River forcibly remind the beholder of the waving corn fields and fertile meadows of an English landscape. No portion of the colony we have visited bears stronger evidence of labour and capital jUdiciously applied, and its inhabitants include some of the most respectable as well as most opulent settlers in the country. 5.14

JAMES MACLEHOSE 1838

The Picture of Sydney ..• has a small section devoted to Regentville, which includes this descLiption,and an etching by William Wilson. It is the only private house to be given such prominence. This may be simply because of Jamison's notoriety, but the fact that the book was printed by J. spilsbury of Jamison Street, Sydney might indicate some connection.

pp 171-2: Regentville-·This splendid mansion, vying in magnificence of structure with the princely residences of some of the nobility of Great Britain is situated about.thirty-five miles from Sydney, and within a quarter of an hour's ride to the township of Penrith, on the road to Richmond. The wealthy founder of this beautiful edifice, is Sir John Jamison, K.G.V., a member of the Legislative Council; and one of the oldest and ·most respectable of the colonists of New South Wales. The beauty of the surrounding scenery, being situate at the foot of the Blue Mountains, cannot fail of rivetting the attention of the stranger on first beholding Regentville - heightened as it is by an extensive and well laid out park, large and well cUltivated garden·, and splendid agricultural improvements. On this valuable estate, also, there is the largest vineyard in the colony, besides well stocked orchards: and it is to the patriotic exertions of Sir John Jamison, that Australia is indebted for the first manufacture of wine, some of the samples of which have been of the very highest quality. It is .hoped that others of the wealthy class of Sir John Jamison, will follow his meritorious example in this particular, by which means the unwholesome as well as pernicious liquid imported into New South Wales as Cape Wine, will for the future cease to be brought to our shores. 5.15

HENRY PARKES August 1839

An extract from a letter to his family and friends in the UK describing the experiences of hiroself, his wife and their infant since arriving in Sydney. The letter is dated 1 May 1840; Parkes was hired by Jamison in early August 1839.

pp 88-89: At length, being completely starved out, I engaged as a cowmon labourer with Sir John Jamison, Kt., M.C., to go about thirty-six miles up the country. Sir John agreed to give me 25 pounds for the year, with a ration and half of food. This amounted to weekly:-

10~ Ibs. beef - sometimes unfit to eat. 10~ Ibs. rice - of the worst imaginable quality. 6 & 3/4 Ibs. flour - half made up of ground rice. 2 Ibs. sugar - good-tasted brown. ~ lb. tea - inferior. ~ lb. soap - not enough to wash our hands. 2 figs of tobacco - useless to me. This was what we had to live upon, and not a leaf of a vegetable or a drop of milk beyond this. For the first four months we had no other bed than a sheet of bark off a box tree, and an old door, laid on two cross pieces of wood, covered over with a few articles of clothing. The hut appointed for us to live in was a very poor one. The morning sunshine, the noontide shower, and the white moonlight of midnight, gushed in upon us alike. You will, perhaps, think had you been with us, you would have had a few vegetables at any rate, for you would have made a bit of garden, and cUltivated them for yourselves; but you would have done no such thing! The slave-masters of New South Wales require their servants to work for them from sunrise till sunset, and will not allow them to have gardens, lest they should steal a half-hour's time to work in them. I should mention that our boxes, comlng up from Sydney on Sir John's dray, were broken open, and almost everything worth carrying away was stolen. I made this at first a very grave complaint, but only got laughed at for my pains, and told that was nothing. During the time I was at Sir John's, I was employed mostly in a vineyard consisting of sixteen acres of land. I was there during the vintage season, and left just as we had done wine-making in the middle of last February, having been in his service six months. This estate of Sir John's is named'Regentville,' and is situated about three miles from the - small town of Penrith, on the bank of the Nepean River, and about the same distance from the first range of the Blue Mountains. 5.16

GODFREY CHARLES MUNDY 1846

Mundy's three volume description of the Australasian colonies was published in London in 1.852. Both his references to Regentville are in volume one, from impressions gained on a visit made to the area in 1846. p 149: There are some really fine estates in this neighbour-hood; that of th~. late Sir John Jamison is i~ sight of the inn. The name of Regentville, is, in the mind of the colonists, associated with the times and practice bf unbounded hospitality and profuse expenditure, such as never again will be seen in New South Wales. p 151: From Fernhill I rode to Regentville. There are sermons in its stones, in its gardens and wineries ruined and run to waste, its cattle-tramped pleasure grounds, its silent echoes. My foot sank through the floor where many a joyous measure had been trod. The rafters were rotting that had of times rung to the merriment of host and guest; and, if rumour lies not, there were "~ doings 11 as well as merry ones at Regentv.ille in the days of its prosperity!

Just below the park in the valley stands the huge shell of a steam-mill which cost 7,000 1. and was intended for a mill of all trades; and not far from it a windmill equally remarkable for size and solidity. The steam-mill never got up its steam to any good purpose for its enterprising .builder; and as for the windmill - putting aside its present want of sails - its position is so surrounded with high hills that it can never have raised the wind to a remunerative amount for him or anyone else. S.17

SALE NOTICE Sydney Morning Herald 16, 17, 18, 20, 21 December 1847

Tuesday, 21st December A portion of THE SPLENDID ESTATE OF REGENTVILLE consisting of 1560 acres, about 600 of which are cleared and stumped, and about 150 under cUltivation. Together with, THE ELEGANT FAMILY MANSION-HOUSE, GARDEN, GROUNDS, VINEYARD, & c.

To be sold by auction by Mr Lyons, at his Mart, on Tuesday, the 21s.t December, at 12 o'clock precisely. Mr Lyons has been favoured with instructions to dispose of this princely property which is delightfully situated on the Nepean River, and thus descr ibed in the ti tle deeds: All that pi_ece or parcel of land •••• containing by admeasurement 600 acres •••• commonly known as Hawkstone. And also, all that piece or parcel of land •••• containing by admeasurement 500 acres •••• commonly known by the name of Hayes. And also all that piece or parcel of land •••• contajning by admeasurement 460 acres •••• commonly called Regentvilleo

The following valuable improvements have been made on the Hawkstone grant: First, "Regentville House", substantially built of stone, with a tasteful Colonnade in front and on each side, surmounted with an Iron Balcony from which there is a delightful prospect of the adjacent country. It contains Entrance Hall and 15 rooms, viz.:- 2 Drawing-rooms 1 Dining ditto 1 Breakfast ditto 1 Study 1 Library and Cabinet 9 Bed-rooms The principal stair-case is also stone built and circular. A wash-house and laundry are attached, and tbere are spacious cellars under the House.

The Right Wing consists of an immense coach-house, with store above;

The Left Wing contains the Billiard-room.

The Out-offices are also stone-built, and consist of two kitchens and a bake­ house, communicating with the house by a covered way, a servants' hall and seven bed-rooms adjoining; the whole being under one roof. All of the above offices are contained within an area of 180 feet square, enclosed by a SUbstantial stone wall about 10 feet high.

In the rear of the fore-going, adjoining the wall are the handsome stone Stables, which consist of one ten-stall and one four-stall, with three large boxes and two harness-rooms. - The lofts are over the whole of the above stabling, and are about 160 feet in length by 15 feet breadth. The stable yard is enclosed by a paling, and contains also three loose boxes, slab built, with loft over them.

Adjoining the stable-yard at the back lies the Garden, covering about four ?cres, full of choice fruit trees, vegetables, & c., and containing the gardener's house.

In the rear of the garden, a shed is partitioned off, and railed in to accommodate about thirty colts; it is well secured by a substantial fence, and has a paddock attached, which contains stock-yards and draughting-yards. "" - The Vineyard is on the left of the house, and contains about seven acres of terraced vines, and about three and a half acres of field vineyard. It has also a stone-built house, containing four rooms, a large cellar for manufacturing wine, with winepress and still.

Immediately in front of the wine cellar there is a large dam, receiving the water from two gullies; is about. 300 feet in circumference, by about. 10 feet in depth, and has never been dry.

Of t.he a.bove valuable tract of land, occupying 1760 acres, the Hawkstone portion lies on the banks of the Nepean River; the grants of Hayes and

R~gentville adjoining it in the rear, and being intersected by two creeks, the Mulgoa and the

The Vineyard is let for 100 pounds a year, and a portion of the land, comprising about 150 acres under cultivation, is let for 100 pounds a year, in addition to which about 600 acres are cleared and stumped.

Regentville is considered to be one of the most valuable properties in the County of Cumberland, it having been selected by the late Sir John Jamison, K.u.V., in t.he youthful days of the colony, by v/horn the house was erected, it was his favourite residence for many years, and the numerous tasteful improvements made by him at an immense outlay prove the high estimation in which this property was held by him.

It will be seen by the minute description given above, that it is a most complete estate, and that the house possesses every convenience requisite for a family of the highest respectability, whilst the land may be pronounced equal to any in the county for agricultural purposes.

Terms at sale. Title indisputable, being direct from the Crown.