Carclew, North Adelaide

Carclew is a Federation style mansion built in 1897, located in the Adelaide suburb of North Adelaide, overlooking the Adelaide city centre city from Montefiore Hill.[1]

Building

The two-story building is constructed of sandstone, brick and cement with timber balconies and verandas and an iron roof. It features ornate woodwork and a three-story "Widow's Watch" tower with a slate roof.[1] The house was designed by J.Q. Bruce, a prominent Adelaide architect, who also designed Electra House and the Adelaide Grand Lodge of Freemasons hall.[2] Consistent with other stately homes, there was a decorated archway main entrance leading to an entrance hall with main staircase. The ground floor included a ballroom, mourning room, parlor, servants quarters, kitchen scullery, conservatory and library. The family quarters were situated on the next level.

History

The site was originally sold in the first Adelaide land sale of 1837, purchased by George Curtis for 12 shillings. In 1861 the site contained a simple two story brick dwelling, a wall surrounding the house and a stable. It was purchased by a stockbroker James Chambers in 1861 who in the same year sponsored the expedition of John McDouall Stuart which was launched from the site. (A plaque on the property's surrounding wall commemorates the event.)[3] The expedition was the first successful European crossing of the continent, but James Chambers died at the property before Stuart's return.[4]

In 1896 the site was purchased by Hugh Robert Dixon, a tobacco merchant and member of parliament, who demolished the existing home, leaving only the wall surrounding the property and the stable. Dixon erected the current grander building and called it 'Stalheim'.

In 1908, the building was sold to Sir John Langdon Bonython, editor of The Advertiser, and member of the first Parliament of Australia. Bonython renamed the building "Carclew" after the area in Cornwall where his ancestors had lived.

The property remained in the Bonython family until 1965 when it was purchased by the Adelaide City Council who eventually turned it into a performing arts centre for young people.

References

  1. 1 2 Carclew, 11-20 Montefiore Hill, North Adelaide, SA, Australia, Australian Heritage Database
  2. ↑ John Quinton Bruce, Architects of South Australia Database]
  3. ↑ Explorations in Australia The Journals of John McDouall Stuart During the Years 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, and 1862, When He Fixed the Centre of the Continent and Successfully Crossed It from Sea to Sea
  4. ↑ James Chambers, Australian Dictionary of Biography

Coordinates: 34°54′44″S 138°35′34″E / 34.912352°S 138.592759°E / -34.912352; 138.592759

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