Ruins, Part Portion 71

Castiereagh Road

Upper Castiereagh NSW

Nicole Secomb

Master Of Letters

Semester 2,1997

Lecturer: Prof Brian Fletcher

SITE OF RUINS, PART PORTION 71

CASTLEREAGH ROAD, CASTLEREAGH

Introduction

The aim of this report is to investigate the ruins currently known as the ruins of Lees

House and provide a historical heritage report. Being an unaccompanied report there has

also been an attempt to provide some interpretation of significance beyond historical and

social significance, description and location information as well as some conclusions and

recommendations. Thus, the information in this report is considered particularly open to

reinvestigation and interpretation.

Several problems were encountered during the research of this report. The most

significant being that interest in Portion 71 is limited to the church and cemetery site.

Hence there is little mention in secondary sources except in passing. Thus far primary

sources, particularly maps have also been very limited. The most information has been

yielded by the Valuation Lists and Ratebooks.

NB. Wesleyan Chapel & Methodist Church are both used in reference to the church site

and are called by the name used in the source.

AONSW

CMA

CSP

JRAHS

LTO

ML

2

ABBREVIA TIONS

- Archives Office of NSW

- Central Mapping Authority

- Colonial Secretary's Papers

- Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society

- Land Titles Office

- Mitchell Library

3

Location and Description of Portion 71 and Ruins

Located in the Penrith Local Government Area in Sydney's West at the foot of the Blue

Mountains, Upper Castlereagh is part of over 1000 acres of land subject to mining and

the eventual creation of a large lake system known as the Penrith Lakes Scheme. The first

stage of the scheme has already been completed. This is the Rowing Course to be used

for the Olympics in Sydney in the year 2000.

The town of Upper Castlereagh is located on Castlereagh Road which runs from Penrith

to Richmond. Today it is barely recognisable as you drive along the road. It is marked by

a church, hall and cemetery, a school and a few other buildings. It is surrounded by farm

lands and with the exception of the church, no significant regular a~ takes pl~ct,tr.in

the rest of the buildings. This small rural town is not only the site of early convict and

soldier settler grants (1795-1799) which were all subject to official confirmation in 1803-

04 during Governor King's period of office, but also the first Wesleyan Chapel in

Australia and its successors.

This report relates to portion 71, Castlereagh (previously and hereafter referred to as

Upper Castlereagh), granted to John Lees in 1804. This portion of land is located on the ~

eastern side of Castlereagh Roatontains the site of the Wesleyan Church as well as the

ruins which this report was initially instigated to investigate.

Original Historical Description of Grant

All that land bounded on the south side by Fieldhouse, on the east by a north line, on the

North by Frederick and on the west by Field, including a road on the west and north sides

on the river Nepean. Ninety acres in total. l

:J~ ..:. ~, .. -CL.....-.:·tr .... ··( ~ ~1't, .. {i", .~"-'" ... v .... .I" .• "~r- t ,ft.. 1-" .~., . .ft. f',"

to,Pt., tt> ~ V ~ "'-f..

'1'-- ft· I f" tl -

~.('. I" •• ';'j <4 ... :.. .. '(:;, .,1'

'. J 1_ itA..,;", ...... .., ... "" •. .r~''''".. '>" ~.L LU,,' S/:;.. \...1\Ah. k:n f· , ~~ --, A . ,-' .. 1. ..(~ t\..~.;>_ik..A' .I ... . /,~. O'~. v~, 'ee

:: f.,,~,

1 LTO Grant Index 1792-1826. Serial No3 p.132.

4

Ruins Site

The ruins are located on 2 acres and 1 rood referred to with other land in the title search. 2

The house site is close to the road and overgrown. Brick footings and concrete flooring

are among the remains. There are also remains of a circular brick well. The site is

overgrown with weeds and grasses but appears to have been disturbed at some stage. It is

located just north of the Methodist church.

Not particularly obvious, the site contributes to the historical landscape of buildings of

varying ages in an isolated area surrounded by farm lands. The relatively undisturbed

landscape on the western side is representative of that which would have existed when

the house was still standing and occupied with the exception of ~rchard th~tp'"

appears to have been on the property and others that may have been in the vicinity. The

Penrith Rate & Valuation books indicate that there were other cottages nearby but only at

the density of a rural settlement,3

2 Conveyance, LTO Bk 2575 No741 3 Ratebooks and Valuation Lists Municipality ofPenrith 1873-1956. Penrith City Archives

Photographs of site."

Top: End of site closed to Castlereagh Road

Bottom: Eastern end of site.

Close (ps of Well and surrounds

7

Footings on sitt'

8

Historical Development of the Castlereagh District

Unless specified the text in the following comes from:

F Bently & J Binningham. 'History of European Settlement', Penrith

Lakes Scheme Regional Environmental Study. Unpublished Report. Dept of

Environment & Planning, 1983. pp9-23

Original settlement of the Castlereagh district dates prior to 1800. The first settlers were

emancipated convicts and soldiers from the NSW Corps. The first grants were given

between 1795 and 1799 but not subject to official confirmation until 1803/04 during

Governor King's office. According to J.F.Campbell the large ~ons gra.nteA at

Castlereagh were in excess of the minimum allowed to individual emancipists. He

concluded that this meant that the population had to be largely composed of married

. emancipists, disbanded soldiers and free settlers, including a few naval and other

officers.5 The area was forested, needing clearing with an axe before burning out the

stumps. The main land use in the mid 1790s was timber getting. A progression to farming

was a natural step.

By 1803/04 only about a dozen each of the soldier settlers and the convicts remained on

their grants. Land was subdivided, mortgaged or leased to tenants or sold outright to

incoming settlers. Some estates expanded and acquired their neighbours property. Some

of the land was bought by outside settlers but eventually repurchased by successful

Castlereagh settlers. I ' , .J. l 6--"'<,. .-,,, t.... kw-<,,--,< : ~, .... ,,~A,~ !Jy,., ''''''''''''1. ~ ... """,." .. " ~ ...... c'" ..... /"",,-"'oC II.... .. ,,,{

•• -t." I t.. ,.". :4", 4,. 1 f ... "e.",-

Until 1814115 grain was produced on many of the farms. From this period onwards

Castlereagh became a mixed grazing area, cows and corn being the most common

farming activity. However, some still used their farm predominately for agriculture.

Farming was the primary occupation. Only in times of economic hardship did the people

5 IF.Campbell. 'Early Settlement on the Lower Nepean River, New South Wales. Penrith to the Hawkesbury River.' In Journal of the Royal Australian Historical SOCiety. Vo118, 1932, p.S2.

9

turn to other activities. Some of these, such as the tallow works on McCarthy's farm did

continue. The land was also good pasture for horses and successful families often

maintained bloodstock racing horses.

The plains were prone to flooding. Floods in 1799, 1806, 1809 and 1811 may explain the

eagerness of some of the settlers to sell their grants. In total there were ten floods

between 1799 and 1819. Those worst affected were given preference for grants in the

township of Castlereagh on higher ground.

In 1812 surveyor James Meehan marked out the township of Castlereagh, one of

Macquarie's Five Towns. Some of the original grants changed hands buUhe town di9~t k :r. .e.",""""~,,(~,, ~h .. Jv"r~-U.,.

develop after the 1820s. (known as Old Castlereagh) ~ .. ~t . I ,~., .,q.t; ~ 1"1 t;.., J> ~. -1";1" , _''' __ ' __ """"'\ _. -.. I

Local families became part of larger local groups that intermarried, socialised and sold

land to each other. Two of these groups were the Anglicans (the Fultons, Frasers, Singles

and McHenrys) and the Wesleyans (the Lees', Gormans, Wrights and Stantons).

rv t'tv F-~ From the 1860s land was divided into smaller holdings and allotments and new settlers

started to enter the district. These small holdings relied on orcharding, market gardening

and from the 1880s and the introduction of refrigeration, dairying. Dairying became the

most significant land use from this period.

Cottages with landscaped grounds began to appear. The increasing population of the

district can also be seen in the expansion of community facilities. The coming of the

railway to Penrith ended in the coming of the railway to Penrith in 1862.

The most noticeable development in recent years has been the acquisition of the land by

gravel companies.

10

Problems Associated with Researching Families and Land Ownership in

the Area

Researching the families and their ownership of property in Upper Castlereagh and

Castlereagh generally is made extremely difficult by intermarriage. It was not uncommon

for generation after generation of neighbours to marry. As such, it is not unusual for the

same piece of property to be purchased, sold and bequeathed in and out of the same

family several times along the direct line of descent. Portions of land also tend to be

divided amongst heirs and be recombined through death and purchase, creating further

problems in tracing ownership.6 The ownership of portion 71, in particular the site which

is apparently the ruins of a house owned by the descendants of John ""ares, has been 1hade

more difficult to trace due to seemingly incomplete land title and municipal records. For

these reasons no attempt has been made to trace all parts of portion 71. Those not

relevant to the ruins site are no longer traced once separated permanently.

6pers. comm., M Jones & C Liston September/OctoberlNovember 1997

11

Figure 1 Map Showing Land Grants on the Lower Nepean River, NSW.7

*59 - John Lees, 90 acres

*58 - C Frederick 100acres

*60 - G Fieldhouse, 90 acres

*36 - W.N Chapman, 1300 acres

*Cranebrook Creek runs between

56and59 -

*Road runs along western side of

Lees portion

7 IF.Campbell. Early Settlement on the Lower Nepean River, New 5,'outh Wales. Penrith to the Hawkesbury River. JRAHS. Vel 18, 1932. between pp 254 & 255

12

History of Ownership of Portion 71 (as relates to ruins site)

On 4 June 1804 John Lees was granted 90 acres for himself and child in the district of

Evan.8 He came to Australia and served with the NSW Corps until 1803 before settling as

a farmer at Birds Eye Corner, now known as Upper Castlereagh, with his family.

The child was his daughter Maria born in September 1802 to Lees and Mary Stevens, a

convict who had arrived in the colony in 1801. Although they had four more children

they did not marry until 20 November1809. John and Mary became the eleventh couple

to marry in the new St Phillips church in Sydney. 9

Most accounts refer to John Lees as being like many of the other soldiers of the NSW

Corp, which included having a propensity to drunkeness. This supposedly continued in

. the first years of his life as farmer. The actual extent of his drunkeness is unknown, there

being different accounts. Accounts also differ as to his conversion to the Christian faith.

Most notable are the following.

In the first Lees was contemplating the sale of his last pig to payoff a debt which he had

contracted for spirituous liquors. While sleeping he dreamed that he was in the act of

grasping a spirit bottle to fill another glass when a snake rose out of the bottle striking in

all directions. 'Its deadly eye flashing fire was fixed upon him and occasioned a

convulsive horror which awoke him.' He awoke and thanked God it was a dream.

However, he could not get the incident out of his mind and decided it was an indication

of the connections between intemperance, suffering and death. Reflection on this

convinced him of his guilt and danger and he resolved to go twelve miles to Windsor to

consult the Colonial Chaplain, Reverend Cartwright. The Reverend recommended the

8 LTO Grant Index 1792-1826. Serial No 3 p.132. 9 M.Kavanagh. John Lees The Chapel Builder. Sutherland, 1987. pp.6 & 13

reading of scriptures, prayer and spoke of the mercy god. From this time Lees changed

his ways. 10

13

The second account sees Lees stepping out of his hut one night for a log of wood for his

fire. When picking up the wood he accidentally grasped a deadly snake which instantly

bit him on the wrist. Fearing for his life he hurried to Windsor to seek relief where he

fainted on the threshold of the house of Reverend Cartwright. He was given medical ai¥

and was saved from dying in his sins. 11 .

None of the accounts say when this took place. Whatever the truth, all accounts agree

that he lived a Christian life from this point onwards. However, it did take.place prior~~

1815 and the arrival of the Wesleyan missionary Reverend Samual Leigh. (tt4<o ':-t~"''' !Lw. ~""""'\. ~';f.".,tt~ •. ~ ~ ,.:~ r:.. .•. a ... ·'-~ .. _t.t. .. .... k"i_((,A'<_~ ~.....:..:~ ~~ ev..... .. ,t 1"' ....... .(·. t.~ ~c~c L1''''''''''.~ a .. M .'.# ... ". ( ...... ..,( "". t (. 'S )

The arrival ofLeigh was an important moment. Having been unwelcome at the house he

first arrived at, he was sent on to the Lees residence where he was greeted by a family

sitting around a table about to partake in their family worship. He was immediately

welcomed and asked to lead the worship. This was the first of many trips to Castlereagh

by Samuel Leigh. 12

This first encounter with Reverend Leigh spurred John Lees to set up the first chapel.

This was a small room at Lees' house. Again there is a differing in accounts as to

whether this was a separate room built specially for the purpose or a room already in the

house. The house itselfwas located on the ~.~!~ side of Crane brook creek., James . rr- .. ,II ............ .! ... " c. ........ __ ~ •. J ,.~ -tt .•• :.. ~ tw... ... Wv(( I't",-,,~, ::""' ...

? .. -I' 4' t,.t,.;.... ~ iJo~ 7t...,...·.·~.,~ ..... ·!l .... ~n.t.~ M<o t :4-la . .-x...t/' .1,'7' "'.~ .~r', . I.' \ offi f ~

Ibld, p18 O-,J"..... 1- +-·.,"'-,L"'A ..... ".~ ........ ,"'- ,;._.1 '1',,1.. _....-<. • .A...··.ll. llIbid, p19

Kavanagh's accounts come from the writings of the Rev. Alexander Strachan and the missionary Benjamin Carvosso. (referred to in above publication) Accounts can also be found elsewhere. They have probably come from the same sources. These accounts can be found in S.C.Roberts. John Lees, The Story of a Remarkable Life. Pioneer, Soldier and Settler. Penrith: Nepean Times, 1921. pp4-5 12Kavanagh op.cit., pp.20-22.

This part of the story is also told with slight variations. See also IE.Carruthers. Ch 15. 'Castlereagh - First Wesleyan Chapel'. In Lights in the Southern Sky. Sydney:

Methodist Book Depot, 1924. pp 118-119. Roberts, op. cif.

14

Rutledge, a school teacher who came to Castlereagh in 1840 claims that it stood close to

Lees' house. This was the first Wesleyan Chapel in Australia. 13 In 1894 it was in the

hands of a different proprietor. 14

In 1817 a second chapel was built due to an increase in the congregation. Built on part of

portion 71, it was opened by Samuel Leigh' Like the first chapel it was given to the

mission free of expense. The first was turned into a room for the preacher to sleep in

should he feel the need to stay. IS At the opening of the church Lees also devoted 1 acre of

cultivable land from portion 71 to the church. All proceeds made from this one acre

would be given to the church. 16

The 1820s were prosperous for the Lees and the good work of John Lees continued. He is

on the list of persons who received grants in 1825, had the means to allow him to request

two government servants with four already in employ, was on a list of jurors in Windsor

and petitioned with other settlers for the common given to Captain King given on a ticket

of occupation be returned to its former purpose and the different public roads to be

surveyed. 17

In 1827 he advertised a farm of 59 acres with a good house, barn and cattle sheds to let

and the family moved to Sydney. It is likely that this did not include the property on the

13Kavanagh op.cit., p.26. 14/bid IS/bid, p.27. 16/bid, p.31. J7'List of persons who received orders for grants of land, 14 April 1825.' eSP.Fiche 3266; 9/2652. p.94.

AONSW 'John Lees - Memorial & list of 4 convicts in his employ, 17 January 1925.' esp Fiche 3141; 4/1843A No 459 pp35-40. AONSW 'John Lees - Requesting 2 government servants, 24 April 1825.' esp Fiche 6063; 411786, p.49. AONSW. 'John Lees - On list of persons liable to serve as jurors in the district of Windsor, August 1825.' CSP Reels 6060 & 6062; 4/1775 p.188 & 411782 p.806. AONSW 'Memorial by magistrates, settlers & stockholders of the district ... common near Castlereagh .... be returned to its former purpose, 26 April 1825.' esp Reel 6017; 4/5782, pp299-301. AONSW. 'Memorial from the magistrates, land proprietors and settlers of the district ofEvan .... public roads to be surveyed, 27 September 1825.' Fiche 3142; 4/1843A, No 500A, p.270. AONSW

IS

eastern side of the creek. This was a portion 30 acres in size. Minus this and the one acre

for the church a total of 59 acres is left. However, it is also claimed that a creek runs

through it. 18 This would be Cranebrook Creek. This indicates that there is some sort of

anomaly here. A1} account ofMrs Gorman, John Lees youngest daughter living in a house J.( t.e ~....t"-~ ..... ,, ,~? t1v.~.A. ,~ 1\_1 1Ci. w-~""

next to the chapel 'currently in use' (1848/49) suggests that this may have been the house /i(,'.(fp, ~"f,f" ~ .. --,--,-----",-."., ''''--

on the 59 acres, Alternatively it may have been built in the ten years since the Lees' "'------------

returned to Castlereagh. Evidence of Lees' continued prosperity in 1829 can be found in

a report in which the Commissariat Office, the internal Revenue Office and the Audit

Office all report that there are no claims against John Lees. 19

John Lees and his family returned to Castlereagh in 1830/31. He died~ugust 18~6,..

his wife three years later.

Although there was some decline in worship at the chapel around the time of John Lees

death, it had begun to pick up again by 1840. In 1845 a new chapel was proposed because

the old was too small and dilapidated. The new church was in use by 1847 and the

official opening took place in February 1848. In 1921, the 104th anniversary of the first

chapel, the bodies of John and Mary Lees were removed from the church of England

cemetery and reinterred at the Methodist (Wesleyan) Church cemetery.20

The following is a table of what happened to portion 71 apart from the one acre donated

to the church. There are many gaps in the ownership. Where it is not known what

happened between transactions this is indicated. The site of the ruins is determined by a

process of elimination by matchin the aerlyacres with the Part Lot descriptors in the

1950s.

18 Kavanagh op.cit., pp49-50, 62. 19 Letter from Commissariat, Internal revenue & Audit Offices, 8 August 1829, CSP Reel 1152. AONSW 20 Nepean Times 22 October 1921, p.2.

DATE OWNER 4 June 180421 John Lees

PartC 8 August 183622 Edward Field Srn

184623 Frances Stanton, daughter of Edward Field, wife of John Stanton

184624 James Field

~

20 January 11625 , Edward Stanton to John Colless

1846-1886 Unknown 1886-193026 This land owned by a

succession of Collesses 28 April 193027 George Edwin Colless to

Ernest GeorKe Field 1930-50 Land transactions unknown 1950 - 5628 Gianalti Fulvio Weslyan Church Acre (Part B) c184029 Wesleyan Church

No transactions since this period Part A & Ri~ht of Way According to CMA sheet is definitely out of the ruins area. 30

21 LTO Grant Index 1792-1836 Serial 3 p132 22 LTO Reg K No 282 23 LTO Book 875 No 96 24 Ibid 25 Ibid 26 LTO Book 1599 No 589 27 Ibid

16

DESCRIPTION Grant of 90 acres, district of Evan Portion 71

Memorial 28 acres of Portion 71 (Part C) sold by John Lees 10acres willed to her by her father Edward Field

Acres willed to him by his father Edward Field The 10 acres bequeathed to him by Frances. This does not appear to include the ruirtS..Site !'-

9acres 3 roods 26 v.. ~erches

Indenture of Release for 1 acre takes place declared & witnessed 10 November 1864

10 acres 2 % perches but part of the land mentioned as owned by W.T.Amold in

28 Valuation List Penrith Ward 4 Castlereagh Road to Blaxland Ave. 1950, 1953, 1956. No 561 29 LTO Book 90 No 553 30 C.MA Sheets U6467-8

17

Valuation Lists and Land Title Register

Part Portions 70 & 71 Known to be out of ruins area as per L TO Book 2549 No 77531

Part Portion 71 1836 - c1892 Unknown c1890sj:l Possibly already in the

ownership of the Wrights 1908 - 16

jj William Wright Part Portion 71, 2 acres &

10 acres. Both with cottages.

1920-25H Ann Wright Part Portion 71, 2 acres & 10 acres. Both with co~. '1' t'~

1926 - 1942 Transactions unknown 5 June 194235 Arthur Clifford Evans Sale (with ten acres on

Wright to Ernest George same title) Field

10 July 195036 Ernest George Field to Sale (as below William Tom Amold

1950-1956'; I WT Amold Valuation lists name "Karooka Orchard" with a cottage standing being part Portion 71, 12A lR38

23 June 1961j~ Amold to River Sand & 2 acres, 1 rood - Sale along Gravel Company with 20 acres 1 rood and

36.25 perches At some time the land passed into the hans of the Penrith Lakes Development Corporation and continues to be.

31 LTO Book 2549 No 775 and CMA Sheets U6467-8 32 Assessment Books. Municipality ofPenrith 1892, p39; 1893, pl09; 1897/98, p270. 33 Valuation List Municipality of Penrith 1908, entries 586-88; 1910, entries 611-12 34 ibid, 1920-25. 35 LTO Bk 1915 No 505 36 LTO Bk 2135 No 587 37 Valuation Lists Municipality ofPenrith, 1950,53 & 56, No 564 38 Valuation List Municipality ofPenrith, 1950-56, Penrith Ward 4. Castlereagh to B1axland Road. Vols Nos 7l3-1058. Given that the other parts of portion 71 can be identified as parts A, B - the church grant, C and a part adjoining Lot 70 it is reasonable to conclude that the remaining 12 acres, 1 rood are that containing the ruins. See Figure 2 39 LTO Bk 2575 No 741

18

Although there is a choice as to whether the land owned by Mary Colless or that of William Wright, in the absence of further land title information it was concluded that it was the land owned by the Wrights which contained the portion with the ruins. This was due to three factors. The first two are the ownership of the land by Arthur Clifford Evans Wright in 1942 and reference to the old cottage next to the Castlereagh Methodist Church occupied by Mrs Annie Wright in 1924 in the Journal and Froceedings ojfi1e Allsfrulasian Methodist Historical ,"'nc/etyJli The third is the naming of Ann Wright in the Ml/mcipality ojPenrith Valuation Ust, 1923-25 as the owner of a ten acre and a two acre part of Portion 71 as opposed to an eight and a two acre portion by Mar)' Colless4

! It is reasonable to conclude that the two acres is representative of the two acres, one rood in the later Land Titles information. The house was burnt down in 1969.+2

Photograph of Church and HaiL Ruins site is located on the far left.

---~.- - .. _. __ . _ .. _ .. _ ... _---

-\0 Referred to in Kavanagh Op.Cil., p57 -\1/ 'all/alion U\I Municipality of' Penrith, 1920 and 1923-25. Nos 568-571 -\2 Lavelle. Seta] J)A-I Afallogemelll SI/ul\' Heritage Assessment Penrilh rakes ,'lcheme Area Casllereagh

;VSW. Draft Final Report. August 1997 Unpublished Report Item 34.

Figure 2 Map Showing Parts of Portion 71 43

Pl7l

3

I

301

43 CMA Sheet

k I

;' I I

/' /

1/

/ !

/ , I

/ /

/

/ i72 I !

I / / !

\)b4bl-~

19

o

PENRI

89

:~'AP :i ~N 19~

/' b<ObEs

/ 175056(<:.)

(SZ)

rr

305

Significance and State Themes

Historical Significance

20

In its entirety Portion 71 is significant as the site of the first WesleyanlMethodist church

in Australia and its association with the Lees family and their descendants. In particular

as the farm of John Lees Senior, the builder of the first chapel. It has connections with

Governor Macquarie for its relationship with Castlereagh, one of the five Macquarie

towns.

The ruins not being the home of John Lees sm or John Lees jm, the builder of the 1847

chapel, do;' not hold a direct relationship with the church. This c~ibutes si~i~cantly

to a decrease of historical significance for this part of the land.

Social Significance

Portion 71 is significant to the Methodist religion in Australia as the site of the first

chapel and therefore, the early beginnings of Methodism in Australia. However this is

directed at the site of the church, hall and cemetery. The area east of Cranebrook Creek

would no longer be considered significant due to the complete destruction of the area.

Again, the ruins and immediate site do not contain high significance in this respect as it

does not have any direct relationship with the church or the main players in the story.

To the families of the descendants and the local community the ruins site may have some

personal significance.

Aesthetic Significance

The remaining undisturbed portion of the grant contributes to the historical landscape of

the upper Castlereagh settlement. The church, cemetery school and other items are

representative of a small, closed community. The ruins contribute to the sense of

community and the proximity of the ruins to the church and cemetery acknowledge the

21

'relationship of the local families to the church. Had the church been on land granted by

the colonial administration this may not have existed.

Researchffechnical Significance

The remains of portion 71 may yield archaeological evidence. The visible ruins are

unlikely to be representative of anything other than the typical residence o~the period. ' ........ .,., .... ...""

'/ or." I'l.<:

\<,. f f,....<.~, l ....

There is no evidence that any significant events took place in the house or that it had any c, ...... t,;,.., "t-. r,,·,r--A Wh

special features. ;\ ..... ,./1" Cvh1. '-_

Themes

Portion 71, including the ruins, can be related to the following themes ___

Pastoralism -The Lees property in Upper Castlereagh as a farming area

Agriculture -The Lees property in Upper Castlereagh as a farming area

Land Tenure - Changing ownership - S','~ ~-::h_ :" .... ,."., , ""~i",,·,. ..... _1

Townships - John Lees as a member of the community and his contribution

Religion

Persons

Events

Death

Education

- John Lees conversion to Christianity and the development of Method ism.

- Descendants of the Lees family participating in their faith while resident

at the cottage

-John Lees, his descendants

-Celebrations of Method ism and of Method ism at Castlereagh

-cemetery and reinterment of the Lees

-Educating the children in the Upper Castlereagh area

Ties of the ruins site alone with the themes of Religion, Death, Education and Events are

tenuous or non existent.

Overall significance rating is Local

22

Conclusion (including Recommendations)

In the past year community groups have been actively trying to prevent the destruction of

the heritage of the Castlereagh district. It is an area that has, until now, seemingly

avoided the ravages of development. Visiting the area the open fields, homesteads dotted

along the road while others are set way back towards the Nepean River and other signs of

development type still convey a rural atmosphere that has probably remained unchanged

for decades. Increasingly the historical importance of the landscape, as well as individual

sites is being recognised. Unfortunately it is only recently, the result of community

pressure, that any significant research on the area has been conducted. A history is being

prepared and oral histories recorded and worked into the wi4er historicalotpicture.

Comprehensive reports into the heritage and potential heritage sites are also being

prepared. Lack of any such research in the past has guaranteed that the development of

the Penrith Lakes Scheme will continue and these measures have become a process of

recording prior to the demolition of a large proportion of the sites and virtually the

complete destruction of the historical landscape.

The Wesleyan Church will be preserved. The intention was also to preserve the hall.

However, this was destroyed by fire in November 1997. It is currently understood that the

site of the ruins are the subject of a development application for a car park. 44 This has yet

to be confirmed. Given that thus far, neither this report nor other more generalist reports

on sites within the areas of the development applications have been able to confirm the

nature of the ruins it is unlikely that they will be preserved. As a result this report

recommends that:

• Destruction of the site not take place until the history of the Castlereagh district

has been fully researched and the opportunity given to re-evaluate the site and

information uncovered elsewhere in relation to it~

44 M Jones, pers.cotnm. 28.11.97

23

• An archaeological investigation be conducted prior to the demolition of the ruins,

including cleared land to where the curtilage of the church ends to the south of

the ruins, to the eastern fence, Castlereagh Road on the west and approximately

ten metres to the north, to determine whether there is any evidence of earlier

buildings on the site and the nature and approximate age of the ruins~

and

• Adequate recording of the site take place before its destruction.

. " •

Newspapers

*Nepean Times

Primary Sources

24

Bibliography

*Ratebooks and Valuation Lists Municipality of Penrith 1873-1956. Penrith City

Archives.

AONSW

*'List of persons who received orders for grants ofland, 14 April 1825. ' eSP.Fiche 3266;

9/2652. p.94. --- ~ ,!f"

*'John Lees - Memorial & list of 4 convicts in his employ, 17 January 1925.' esp Fiche

3141; 411843A No 459 pp35-40.

*'John Lees - Requesting 2 government servants, 24 April 1825.' esp Fiche 6063;

4/1786, p.49.

*'John Lees - On list of persons liable to serve as jurors in the district of Windsor, August

1825.' CSP Reels 6060 & 6062; 411775 p.188 & 411782 p.806.

*'Memorial by magistrates, settlers & stockholders of the district ... common near

Castlereagh .... be returned to its former purpose, 26 April 1825. ' CSP Reel 6017; 415782,

pp299-301.

*'Memorial from the magistrates, land proprietors and settlers of the district of

Evan .... public roads to be surveyed, 27 September 1825.' Fiche 3142; 4/1843A, No

500A, p.270.

* Letter from Commissariat, Internal revenue & Audit Offices, 8 August 1829, CSP Reel

1152.

LTO

*CMA Sheet U6467-8

*Grant Index 1792-1826. Serial N03 p.132.

*Old Systems Registers

25

-RegKNo282

-Bk 90 No 553

- Bk 1915 No 505

- Bk 2135 No 587

- Bk 2575 No741

Secondary Sources

* Austin, B. Ch2 'The River'. In Jack, R.I. (Ed.). A Colonial Scene: The Hawkesbury­

Nepean Valley. Sydney: University of Sydney, 1980. pp7-14.

*Bentley, F. & Birmingham, l Penrith Lakes Scheme RegicmaL. EnvironmpJl Study.

History of European Settlement. Dept of Environment & Planning, 1983. Unpublished

Report.

*Campbell, IF. 'Early Settlement on the Lower Nepean River, New South Wales.

Penrith to the Hawkesbury River.' JRAHS. Vol 18, 1932. pp252-270.

*Carruthers, lE. Ch 15. 'Castlereagh - First Weslyan Chapel'. In Lights in the Southern

Sky. Sydney: Methodist Book Depot, 1924. ppI16-121. (M.L.)

*Carruthers. J.E. A Half Century's Retrospect. (publisher & date unknown) (M.L.)

*Kavanagh, M. John lees The Chapel Builder. Sutherland, 1987.

*Lavelle.S, Bickford.A & Assoc. Draft DA4 Management Study. Heritage Assessment.

Penrith lakes Scheme Area. Unpublished Report. Penrith, 1987.

* Lavelle, S. et.al. DA4 Management Study Heritage Assessment Penrith Lakes Scheme

Area Castlereagh NSW. Draft Final Report, August 1997. Unpublished Report. Item 34.

*O'Neill, M. Castlereagh - Early Days. Sydney, 1966. (M.L.)

*Penrith City Council. Castlereagh Centenary 1895-1995. 100 Years of Local

Government. Penrith: Penrith City Council, 1995. (M.L.)

*Roberts, S.C. John Lees, The Story of a Remarkable Life. Pioneer, Soldier and Settler.

Penrith: Nepean Times, 1921. (M.L.)

*Stickley, C. The Old Charm of Penrith. NSW, 1978. (M.L.)

26

AUTHORS UNKNOWN

*Penrith lakes Scheme Regional Environment Study. Dept of Environment & Planning,

1984.

* The John Lees Memorial. Methodist Church loih Anniversary. Penrith: Nepean Times

Print, 1922. (M.L.)