Ashton, Elizabeth Bay

About

Ashton is a heritage-listed mansion located at 102 Elizabeth Bay Road in the inner eastern Sydney suburb of Elizabeth Bay, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Thomas Rowe and built from 1874 to 1875. It is also known as Ashton and its grounds and Caprera (c.1875–c.1910); Brema or Braemar (c.1910–c.1920); The German Consulate.a The property is privately owned. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 19 November 2003.

Elizabeth Bay had been the site of a fishing village established by Governor Macquarie in c. 1815 for a composite group of Cadigal people under the leadership of Bungaree (d.1830). Elizabeth Bay had been named in honour of Elizabeth Macquarie. Sir Thomas Brisbane, Governor 1821–25, designated Elizabeth Bay as the site of an asylum for the insane. Governor Darling granted Colonial Secretary Alexander Macleay 22 hectares (54 acres) at Elizabeth Bay in 1826. From 1826–1926 the subject land was part of Macleay's estate, in which he built his mansion in the 1830s to the west. Built well before the house, the estate was widely considered at the time (1820s on) as "the finest house and garden in the colony". Its wood walks bordered the estate on its eastern side (and later the site of Ashton ).

Ashton comprises a two-storey, late Victorian Italianate harbour side villa in its original grounds. The property addresses Elizabeth Bay, Elizabeth Bay Road and The Esplanade. It features a prominent tower visible from both Elizabeth Bay Road and Beare Park and is known as a local landmark. The house has been extended and renovated a number of times but still retains many of its original Victorian features and details. Many of these additions are significant in themselves due to their association with particular historic occupants of the place. The original section of the house is of rendered brick with struck courses built on a basement podium of sandstone ashlar. Later additions are of rendered brick with struck courses well matched to the original building. Roofs are generally slate. Basement floor is a recent concrete slab with upper floors of timber. The masonry tower features a distinctive, steep pitched roof with cast iron cresting. Joinery throughout appears to be cedar with very recent modifications of undetermined timber.

An associated 1920s building on the site, Esplanade Cottage, was demolished without authorisation some time after 1999. Its footings and remnant walls and landscape remain in situ. This building addressed The Esplanade. The grounds contain nineteenth-century sandstone walling and garden terracing, with views across Beare Park to Sydney Harbour. The front garden and carriage loop facing Elizabeth Bay has been modified but retains some original plantings, including curly palm ( Howea belmoreana ), Lord Howe Island palm ( H. fosteriana ).

As at 17 December 2003, the house is currently in poor condition due to extensive roof damage in the 1999 hail storms and subsequent neglect. The upper floor ceilings are generally lost but representative ground floor ceilings remain. Most joinery is intact in situ or labelled and stored on site. Most chimney pieces remain in situ. The fabric retains evidence of earlier uses, services and finishes. Recent unauthorised works and demolitions do not preclude a high quality conservation of the place.

An associated building on the site, Esplanade Cottage, was demolished without authorisation some time after 1999. Its footings and remnant walls and landscape remain in situ.

Many of the early twentieth century additions to the Rowe's original build of the house are generally related to significant occupants and so contribute to the overall significance of the item. A lack of maintenance in the second half of the twentieth century and unauthorised works post 1999 have left the fabric in poor condition but structurally sound. Sufficient original fabric, site and documentary evidence survives to facilitate conservation and interpretation of the place.

The following periods correspond to the different names given to the house by its different owners as revealed by documentary research.

This represents the original house built and lived in by Thomas Rowe after he moved from Tresco before 1875. A photograph dated 1885 shows that no additions had been built to the northern or southern sides of the house, apart from a narrow awning at basement level on the south and a small gabled porch at ground floor level on the north. The outline of the house including these minor structures is shown on the 1908 survey along with stables on the western boundary. This plan indicates that immediately to the north of the front door there may have been a verandah or porch. Caprera was described in 1891 as "three storey" indicating that the current basement level was inhabited. It seems likely that the basement level housed the kitchen and servants quarters.

After Thomas Rowe's death in 1899 the property was rented to various tenants including G. H. Boner. Later it was purchased by Boner, who applied to carry out building works in 1908. It is possible this work included the single storey extension to the south west corner of the house and the two storey extension to the north of the front door and tower. F. A. Lohmann purchased the property in 1909 and it became known as Braemar during this period of German influence.

After being confiscated from German ownership at the end of World War I the house was purchased and occupied by Charles Henry Hoskins, proprietor of the Hoskins Iron and Steel Company. Hoskins introduced the name Ashton for the place. He added to the northern end of the house, built two motor garages and a separate cottage to replace the stables and probably built the bay window addition to the library and balcony over. The cast iron detailing of the rear first floor balcony was replaced in timber probably at this time. The ground floor room behind the garage may have been the chauffeur quarters or might have accommodated the kitchen relocated from the basement to a more convenient location.

Following the death of Charles Hoskins, Ashton was sold to Leslie Scandrett who added the first floor bathroom to the main bedroom at the south west corner of the house. The Water Board survey from 1934 shows that the large arcaded verandah on the garden front had been added by this time.

Very little was added to the house in this period, although the cottage on the western boundary had been extended by 1954 and the land was subdivided into two lots, although retained under a single ownership. The cottage was demolished and the house has suffered storm damage and deterioration due to lack of maintenance. The surrounding development changed considerably in the last period. The enclave of six similar sized villas designed by Thomas Rowe were reduced to three ( Ashton, Tresco and Kincoppa l) and multi-story flat buildings have been constructed on either side of Ashton.

As at 17 December 2003, the house is currently in poor condition due to extensive roof damage in the 1999 hail storms and subsequent neglect. The upper floor ceilings are generally lost but representative ground floor ceilings remain. Most joinery is intact in situ or labelled and stored on site. Most chimney pieces remain in situ. The fabric retains evidence of earlier uses, services and finishes. Recent unauthorised works and demolitions do not preclude a high quality conservation of the place.

An associated building on the site, Esplanade Cottage, was demolished without authorisation some time after 1999. Its footings and remnant walls and landscape remain in situ.

Many of the early twentieth century additions to the Rowe's original build of the house are generally related to significant occupants and so contribute to the overall significance of the item. A lack of maintenance in the second half of the twentieth century and unauthorised works post 1999 have left the fabric in poor condition but structurally sound. Sufficient original fabric, site and documentary evidence survives to facilitate conservation and interpretation of the place.

The following periods correspond to the different names given to the house by its different owners as revealed by documentary research.

This represents the original house built and lived in by Thomas Rowe after he moved from Tresco before 1875. A photograph dated 1885 shows that no additions had been built to the northern or southern sides of the house, apart from a narrow awning at basement level on the south and a small gabled porch at ground floor level on the north. The outline of the house including these minor structures is shown on the 1908 survey along with stables on the western boundary. This plan indicates that immediately to the north of the front door there may have been a verandah or porch. Caprera was described in 1891 as "three storey" indicating that the current basement level was inhabited. It seems likely that the basement level housed the kitchen and servants quarters.

After Thomas Rowe's death in 1899 the property was rented to various tenants including G. H. Boner. Later it was purchased by Boner, who applied to carry out building works in 1908. It is possible this work included the single storey extension to the south west corner of the house and the two storey extension to the north of the front door and tower. F. A. Lohmann purchased the property in 1909 and it became known as Braemar during this period of German influence.

After being confiscated from German ownership at the end of World War I the house was purchased and occupied by Charles Henry Hoskins, proprietor of the Hoskins Iron and Steel Company. Hoskins introduced the name Ashton for the place. He added to the northern end of the house, built two motor garages and a separate cottage to replace the stables and probably built the bay window addition to the library and balcony over. The cast iron detailing of the rear first floor balcony was replaced in timber probably at this time. The ground floor room behind the garage may have been the chauffeur quarters or might have accommodated the kitchen relocated from the basement to a more convenient location.