... -"'-. "~ • Great Western Highway, " , Woodfor.d, N.S.W. ~ . .... ... .. : .. Australia ___ •• __ .w ._ .. --'-- . -. CONSERVATION ANALYSIS -" ~:. ::.:~:..:: .: . ,~: and DRAFT GUIDELINES ' ... ~:': •.:,-:,: :, -"': . ~- .-..... ,........ .- " 'arising out of the statement .. ' of cultural significance .... :: .:: :...... :-.-.: .... t ~:.:.. Prepared for' The National' 'Trust of Australia (NSW , Observa'tory Hill, ,'." Sydney, N. S • W'. 2000 • .. ." by Clive Lucas & Partners pty. Ltd. Architects 49 Clarence Street, SYDNEY, N.S.W. 2000. , ., Telephone: (02) 297281 .. :- July, 1984 .... ",:- - .:: . " J •• ::.; "-;.: ....::. :-. WOODFORD ACADEMY Great Western Highway, Woodford, N.S.W. Australia CONSERVATION ANALYSIS and DRAFT GUIDELINES arising out of the statement of cultural significance Prepared for The National Trust of Australia (NSW), Observatory Hill, Sydney, N.S.W. 2000. by Clive Lucas & Partners Pty. Ltd. Architects 49 Clarence Street, SYDNEY, N.S.W. 2000. Telephone: (02) 297281 July, 1984 SUMMARY The Wood ford Academy is by far the oldest building group on the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. Since 1978 it has been owned by the National Trust of Australia (NSW) which has carried out some essential maintenance and adaptation work. This report analyses the documentary and physical evidence of the place and formulates a statement of significance. From this and other considerations a conservation policy is proposed. This, in brief, suggests how development and uses of the property should be guided and what immediate work should be carried out irrespective of considerations of future use. The main points of this report can be understood by reading the following sections. Page No. 2.7 Summary of History of Site 9 5.0 Statement of Significance 37 7.2 Draft Conservation policy Statement 46 8.0 Draft Policy Implementation 51 Fig. 1: Location Plan CONTENTS Page No. 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Brief 1 1.2 Limitations 1 1.3 Consultants 1 1.4 Boundaries of Study 1 1.5 Terms 1 1.6 Structure of Report 2 1.7 Acknowledgements· 2 1.8 Author Identification 2 2.0 DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE 2.1 Main Existing Sources 3 2.2 Main Sources Produced for this Report 3 2.3 Photographs and Illustrations 3 2.4 Maps and Plans 7 2.5 Background References 7 2.6 Historical Notes about Woodford Academy 7 2.7 Summary of History of Site 9 2.8 Summary of History of Building 11 3.0 PHYSICAL EVIDENCE 3.1 16 3.2 16 3.3 16 3.4 16 3.5 Curtilage, Visual Catchments, Views, etc. 16 3.6 Condition of Site and Buildings 16 4.0 ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE 4.1 Site Features 19 4.2 Landscape Features 19 4.3 Buildings 19 4.4 Discussion of Cultural Significance 24 5.0 STATEMENT OF CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE 37 6.0 CONSTRAINTS 6.1 Physical Constraints Arising from the Statement of Significance 39 6.2 Procedural Constraints Arising from Statement of Significance 40 6.3 Graded Zones of Significance of Interior Spaces of the House 40 6.4 External Constraints Arising out of the Significance of the place 42 6.5 Other External Constraints 43 6.6 Constraints Arising out of the Physical Condition of the Buildings 44 6.7 Constraints Arising out of the Documentary Evidence 44 6.8 Constraints Arising out of the OWnership of the Place ( ii) Page No. 7.0 DL·~T CONSERVATION POLICY ARISING OUT OF STb ~MENT Of SIGNIFICANCE AND PHYSICAL CONL :~I~O~N~ ______________________________ 7.1 Discu_ :. ion 46 7.2 Draft l ~servation Policy Statement 46 " 7.3 Consequ~ ·~es of Policy Statement 47 8.0 DRAFT POL_=Y IMPLEMENTATION 8.1 Generally 51 8.2 Exterior of c.1840 Wing 51 8.3 Interior of c .1840 Wing 51 8.4 Exterior of c.l855 Wing 51 8.5 Interior of c.1255 Wing 51 8.6 Exterior of c.18S5 Dairy Building 52 8.7 Interior of c.185.: Dairy Building 52 8.8 Exterior of Spaces 27,28,29 - Kitchen Building 52 8.9 Interior Spaces 27,~8,29 - Kitchen Building 52 8.10 Exterior c.1880s Sec=ion of Kitchen Building 53 8.11 Interior of c.1880s s .. ction of Kitchen Building 53 8.12 Site Works 53 APPENDIX 1 - Title Search by M. Reymond 54 APPENDIX 2 - Survey of Finishes 57 APPENDIX 3 - Notes Made from Files of National Trust 63 APPENDIX 4 - Record of Work by Clive Lucas pty. Ltd. 67 APPENDIX 5 - Reference 2.1.12 74 APPEN~IX 6 - Reference 2.4.3 77 APPENDIX 7 - Old BOys' Reunion, February 1983 81 APPENDIX 8 - SMH Advertisements for Woodford 82 APPENDIX 9 - Search of SMH for Woodford Advertise- ments 83 APPENDIX 10 - Survey of Inns in locality 84 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Page No. Fig. 1 Location Plan Summary Page Fig. 2 Selection of photographs c.1907 4 Fig. 3 Selection of phot~graphs c.1950 5 Fig. 4 Interior photographs 6 Fig. 5 Copy of 1863 Plan 8 Fig. 6 Alienation of Land 12 Fig. 7 Early Illustrations, 1842 and 1869 14 Fig. 8 Survey of Site Features 17 Fig. 9 Survey of Building Features 18 Fig.lO c.1840 Configuration - Woodmans Inn 25 Fig.ll c.1855 Configuration & Uses - King's Arms Inn 25 Fig.12 c.1870 Configuration & Uses - Woodford (Residence) 26 Fig.13 c.1880 Configuration & Uses - Woodford House 27 Fig.14 c.1907 Configuraiton & Uses _ Woodford Academy 28 Fig.15 Summary of Evolution of Buildings 29 Fig.16 Pilgrim Inn constructed c. late 1820s 31 Fig.17 Waiting for the Transit at Woodford 36 Fig.18 Significance Gradings of Internal Spaces 41 Fig.19 Summary of Implementation of Draft Conservation Policy 48 -' 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Brief This report follows a brief by Dr. J. Kerr, undated, with the limitations listed below. The aim was to establish the property's significance, determine the constraints that followed from this and propose a policy as far as it could be taken without any specific use in mind. 1.2 Limitations 1.2.1 Uses and their consequences are not discussed. 1.2.2 Assessment of the landscape fabric has been limited to built site features. Assessment of the vegetation was limited to its- significance as a setting for the buildings~ A separate report should be made to assess the intrinsic merits of the surviving 19th and 20th century vegetation­ and arrangement. 1.2.3 A large amount of documentary material exists for the Woodford Academy period (post 1907). This has not been studied in detail. 1.3 Consultations Consultations have been held with Miss Gertrude McManam~y - occupant of place since 1907 Associate Professor K.J. Cable - historian Mr. John Low - local history Council librarian Ms. Meredith Walker - conservation planner Mrs. P. Simpson Fairfax £amily historian Mr. Clive Lucas - architect for the recent restoration work The assistance of these people is gratefully acknowledged. 1.4 Boundaries of study The physical boundaries of the study were not defined. These have been taken to include the present Trust property and other surviving features that are normally seen by the public. 1.5 Terms The terms place, preservation, reconstruction, restoration, adaptation and conservation used throughout this report have the meaning given them in the ICOMOS 'Burra Charter'* N.B. restoration has a limited meaning as follows: * International Council on Monuments & Sites, The Australia ICOMOS Charter for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Significance (The Btirra Charter) • ) .~ .... : . "returning the EXISTING fabric of a place to a known earlier state by removing accretions or by reassembling existing components without the introduction of new material." 1.6 Structure of Report This report follows the structure as set out in J.S. Kerr, The Conservation Plan, National Trust of Australia (NSW), 1982. 1.7 Acknowledgements The author acknowledges the assistance of the staff of the National Trust of Australia (NSW). 1.8 Author Identification This report was prepared and written by Ian Stapleton and Clive Lucas. Site surveys were carried out by Ian Stapleton. Documentary research was carried out by Robert Sanderson. Diagrams were prepared by Robert Sanderson and Rodney Howard. 3 2.0 DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE 2.1 Main Existing Sources 2.1.1 Clive Lucas and Partners, letter files, c.1978 to date (see Appendices for summary) 2.1.2 Clive Lucas & Partners, Record of Restoration Works, consultant report, 1984. 2.1.3 Davies, Colin L., Woodford Academy, unpublished report for National Trust of Australia (NSW), May 1982 (see Appendices) 2.1.4 Goodger,B., Report on Visit to Woodford Academy, typescript, 3 pages, 23rd December, 1980 2.1.5 Johnston, Colin, A History of Woodford Academy, unpublished research paper not dated. 2.1.6 Manuscript material in dustproof boxes at site (collected by C. Davies, April-May 1981) 2.1.7 Manuscript and pictorial material at Mitchell Library (removed from site March, 1981), see summary in Appendices. 2.1.8 National Trust of Australia (NSW), letter files, c.1972 to date (see Appendices for summary) • 2.1.9 . Russell, H.C. (ed.> Observations of the Transit of Venus •••.• Syd: Government Printer, 1892. 2.1.10 Searle, Allan E., Historic Woodford and Linden, Springwood: Springwood Historical society, 1980. 2.1.11 Simpson, Caroline, John Fairfax 1804 - 1877, Sydney, 1977, privately published booklet 2.1.12 Woodford Academy, prospectus, c.19l9 2.2 Main Sources Produced for this Report 2.2.1 Re ond M.B., Woodford Academ Great Western Hi hwa , Woodford, N.S.W., unpub 1shed report of t1tle search for clive Lucas and Partners, May 1984 (see Appendices) • 2.3 Photographs and Illustrations 2.3.1 Brierly, Oswald, Inn at Twenty Mile Hollow, pencil sketch, 1842, (Mitchell Library) 2.3.2 Hall, John Vine, On the Blue Mountains 2300 Feet Elevation, March 11, 1869 pencil and water colour sketch reproduced in speirs, Hugh, Landscape Art and The Blue Mountains, Syd: Alternative Publishing Co-operative Ltd., 1981 Fig.