Monastery Homestead

Statement of Significance

• The place has historic value for its association with James and Jessie Perren one of the early settlers in the district and Father Foley-Whaling. • Although altered the place has social value as a demonstration of early homesteads in regional areas.

Physical Description

A house built in two main development phases, each phase being demarcated by the change in window style and a projecting column on the east elevation. The house presents as a simple rectangular shape with hipped roof and verandah around the full extent of the house. The two sections of the house have now been rendered and scored to create the appearance of blockwork and together with the low pitched hipped roof over both sections, the house has a semi-unified appearance. The original section of the house is the southern portion with a symmetrical façade consisting of a centrally placed timber panelled door with fanlight, flanked by a single timber framed sash window to either side. The sills and reveals to the windows are painted concrete with chamfered edges to the reveals and a slope to the sill. The chimneys are rendered with corbelled flues. The northern section was originally a timber framed and weatherboard addition which has subsequently been bricked and rendered. In the 1990’s, the door was placed in the centre of the elevation with a set of french doors to the east and two timber framed casement windows to the west. Immediately to the west is a small square window. To the west an addition has been constructed, following the main design of the house with the roof to the addition continuing around the house as the skillion verandah canopy. Chimneys project from three sides of the roof; face brickwork stacks to the north section and decorative rendered stacks to the original southern section. The two forms of chimneys are clearly demonstrated on the east elevation. The east elevation also demonstrates the junction of the two sections of the house, the original section of the elevation being punctured with timber framed sashes and the north section accommodating timber casements, with small panes, reminiscent of Georgian styled openings.

History

'The Monastery' was built in 1880 by a builder named Banting for the owner of the landholding, James Perren (1814-1893). The bricks for the house were manufactured on the property. Ground was dug south east of the house forming a dam and the clay was used for the bricks. The bricks were then rendered, lines drawn on them and then whitewashed so as to look like limestone blocks. The original homestead was four rooms, each with its own fire place with a passage running down the middle of the house. The Perren family lived at the nearby property 'Bridgemore' however as there were 9 children in the family it is likely that some family members lived at this property to manage the landholding. It is not known if the farm later known as 'the Monastery' had a name. In 1929, the property was leased to John Foley-Whaling, the Rector of South Bunbury for the purpose of establishing a Benedictine Monastery. The lease of the property by Father Foley-Whaling is related in 'The Little Grey Sparrows' by Merle Bignell. Early in 1929 the South Bunbury Sisters, and in fact the whole Diocese, had been surprised to learn that St. David’s Rector, Father Foley-Whaling had resigned from the diocese. At the end of January, 1929, he left South Bunbury with the unusual hope of establishing an Anglican Order of St. Benedict on a Brunswick farm. However, despite the generosity of a few the undertaking failed and in March 1930 in all humility he wrote to the Church News apologising for the failure of his idea, and to thank all kind benefactors. Soon after he departed for England where he ministered in several parishes before he died in 1970. The name 'The Monastery' was applied to the property at this time and has remained despite the relatively brief occupancy by Father Foley-Whaling and his supporters. In 1931, the property was acquired by Lt Colonel John Frederick Paige Burt (1911 – 1992). His mother, Clare Margaret Ursula Burt (1882-1971) whom made a significant contribution to the community, not least for Clare Burt's establishment of a branch of the CWA in Brunswick. In 1935 the house was extended with a dining room, lounge and kitchen that joined the original building, with the old kitchen presumably being demolished. The new building had stud walls with plasterboard on the inside and flat jarrah weatherboard on the outside. There was a well very close to the house by the bathroom. In 1940, the property was offered for sale and the homestead was described as a 'modern up to date homestead comprising lounge, dining room, (6) bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom with water laid on.' In 1945, the property was transferred to Daisy and George Reading who originally ran the property as a dairy farm before changing to a beef farm in the 1950s. Electricity was connected to the property in 1964 and during the Reading's occupancy the toilet and laundry were not located in the house and the bathroom was on the verandah. In 1994, the property was transferred to the current owners who undertaken significant improvements to the property and the homestead. The timber walls of the newer section of the homestead have been replaced with brick and modern conveniences have been installed within the homestead. The majority of the original doors, windows and floorboards have remained in situ.

Integrity/Authenticity

High/ High

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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