SHERWOOD HOMESTEAD COMPLEX
10635 PRINCES HIGHWAY WARRNAMBOOL, WARRNAMBOOL CITY
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Statement of Significance
This record has minimal details. Please look to the right-hand-side bar for any further details about this record.
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SHERWOOD HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - History
The land was purchased by Mr Robert Hood on 24 September 1872 for £491 9d from the deceased estate of Mr Edmund Rowan. Reputedly Hood purchased the land in order to build a sea-side residence for him and his family who resided at Merrang Homestead , Hexham. Within two to three years of purchasing the land, Hood commenced construction of a homestead, which he named 'Sherwood'. The house, constructed from sandstone, was a sizeable 14 rooms with associated out buildings (including stables), sandstone water tank stand, and an extensive garden. At the front of the house a formal garden extended down to the river where a boat house and jetty once stood, whilst the rear contained a sandstone wall enclosed vegetable garden and underground tank stand (Warrnambool and District Historical Society n.d.).
In 1883 the property was sold to Mr Michael Dawson, and remained in the Dawson family until the building and grounds were purchased by the Warrnamboollnstitute of Advanced Education (WIAE) in 1969. Dawson and his descendants resided at, the now named, Sherwood Park until 1960, when they moved into the township of Warrnambool (Warrnambool and District Historical Society n.d.).
Having been vacated and left to the elements for almost 10 years, the house/estate complex had come into disrepair, seeing the house eventually demolished by the WIAE in the early 1970s. In 1973 a student residence , named Sherwood House, was constructed in the vicinity of the original house, and by the 1980s all buildings associated with Sherwood Park had been demolished and replaced by university buildings. The only visible remnants of Sherwood Park estate that remain today are the water tank stand pillars.
SHERWOOD HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - Interpretation of Site
The homestead complex dates to c.1875 and at the time of sale to WIAE in 1969, the following description of the house was given (Varley 1990):
"The dwelling house has been erected over 90 years, is of sandstone construction, roof of iron, and contains 14 rooms, pantry and bathroom and spacious hall, front, side and back verandahs. Walls of the main building are plastered, ceiling of lather and plaster, wunderlich and timber. Front and side verandah have cemented floors with bluestone edges."
Used primarily as a residence, it is unknown what other functions and activities took place within the larger homestead complex.
SHERWOOD HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - Archaeological Significance
The site potentially has moderate to high archaeological significance, because although demolished, the site could contain domestic occupational deposits from c.1870s-1960s. In terms of archaeology, such deposits associated with rural properties of this stature are relatively uncommon, not just in the Warrnambool region, but across the State.
SHERWOOD HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - Historical Significance
The site contributes to the Victorian Historical Theme : 6.7 Making homes for Victorians. The site dates to the late 19th century (c.1870s) and was in continued use as a residence until the 1960s. The late 19th century was a thriving time for Warrnambool and the construction and use of Sherwood is an important aspect of Warrnambool's history.
Although demolished, the site still has potential to add historical value to Warrnambool and Deakin University should subsurface archaeological deposits be identified.
Heritage Inventory Description
SHERWOOD HOMESTEAD COMPLEX - Heritage Inventory Description
Possible c.1870s house and/or associated outbuilding(s) foundations and in situ sandstone water tank stand on the upper slope of the Hopkins River.
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SHERWOOD HOMESTEAD COMPLEXVictorian Heritage Inventory
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