Denham Court (homestead)

Glenda Chalker (a Cubbitch Barta clan traditional owner) records corroborees, including local Aboriginal Australian and visiting groups, occurring at the Denham Court estate into the 1850s. Phillip made him a magistrate at Parramatta and in March 1792 appointed him registrar of the Vice-Admiralty Court; this enabled him to enhance the aura of influential prestige behind which he sheltered from existing creditors while engaging fresh credit locally on the security of his family name. It was soon commonplace knowledge that his bills were not met: Rev. Samuel Marsden considered them so doubtful that they might never be honoured. Atkins served as registrar of exports and imports, assistant inspector of public works at Parramatta and temporary superintendent of police, all to the governor's "most perfect satisfaction", and when Macarthur resigned as inspector of public works in 1796 Atkins took his place. Dr Keith Okey died in late 2012. and was sold. == Description ==

Site Now comprising . House The house consists of a two-storey central wing in the Grecian style flanked by single storey bow fronted pavilions with curved sash windows. Cool stone and white stucco are combined within the central two-storey section with its Roman Doric portico over the entrance doorway. The house contains five bedrooms with two bathrooms, living areas including ball room, large formal dining room, large formal living room and library, large rumpus overlooking the in-ground swimming pool. The nearby suburb of Denham Court is named after the property. Outbuilding/Coach House Sandstone coach house with loft. Modifications and dates • 1810: grant • 1820: Captain Brooks settled at Ingleburn, ex Sydney. • 1832–33: A two storeyed wing and two one storied wings built. Colonial architect John Verge designed the extensions, based on the design of Denham Court in England which belonged to Judge Advocate Richard Atkins,the original owner of the land grant. An additional was acquired by Brooks during the 1820s. • 1884: estate comprising subdivided for sale and reserved around the house but this lot did not sell until 1890 when it was purchased with by the Mayne family (held until 1957). • : property sold with to the Oakey family. • 2000: . The immediate curtilage is protected and the surrounding area has been developed with 1 hectare lot (minimum) subdivision, compromising views from Denham Court, once extensive. • 2012: core of property is on the real estate market. == Heritage listing ==

As at 23 January 2009, Denham Court is one of the most interesting and historically significant early country houses in NSW. The site was granted to Judge-Advocate Richard Atkins and was later acquired by Captain Richard Brooks, a trader operating in the Indicant and Pacific Oceans. He applied to become a free settler and arrived in NSW with his family in 1814. The family came to Denham Court in 1820. The rear buildings at Denham Court are thought to have been built before 1820. The main part of the house, the two-storey front section was designed by John Verge in 1832. The garden contains some remnant colonial and Victorian era plantings, including an informal avenue planting east of the house and a palo alto (Picconia excelsa) tree, which is a rare species nationally. Denham Court was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. == See also ==