Hampton Villa

Hampton Villa was built between 1847 and 1849 by the prominent Sydney cabinet maker, Edward Hunt. Hunt had arrived in Sydney with his brother Charles in 1814 and quickly rose to prominence within the community. In 1820 he was a member of the committee of the Sydney Bible Association, a subscriber to the Benevolent Society from 1821, contributed to the building of the Scots Church in Sydney and in 1827 was appointed to the Wesleyan Auxiliary Missionary Society. In 1842 he was elected as one of the first aldermen of the City of Sydney. In 1858 was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council. == Description ==

Villa Hampton Villa is an early Victorian house, two storied, surrounded on three sides by a wide sandstone verandah. The main entrance door is a double six panelled door flanked by two pairs of shuttered French doors with panelling and margin bars. There are a further two pairs of French doors on each side verandah. The verandah ceiling is lined with painted timber boards and supported by regularly placed concrete columns. Modifications and dates • 1840+: Hampton Cottage was on this site • 1847-9: villa is built. • 1851-56: Hunt purchased a number of the surrounding lots accumulating approximately 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) occupying all the land between Adolphus Street and Camerons Cove. • 1878: the extension of Ewenton Street to Grafton Street effectively split the property in two lots, leaving the house on the eastern portion of land. This represented the first of a number of future subdivisions of the property and produced the current site boundary by 1957. • 1915: stables demolished and replaced by factory building. Factory removed following a fire in 1925. • 1947: Hampton Villa converted to two flats, with new bathroom created downstairs. Verandah roof replaced . • 1960: roof replaced with terracotta tiles. • 1973/74: Hampton Villa restored to a single family home by then owner David Ashton. Work at this time included the removal of fibro infill on the verandah, removal of the roof tiles and replacement with corrugated iron, removal of paint from external sandstone walls and internal cedar woodwork. North and south dormer windows were added at this stage. • 1988: two new wings added extending the bathroom and kitchen/family areas. Extensive work carried out in the garden as well. The verandah was re-laid with sandstone, replacing the original flag stones. Timber posts were replaced by concrete columns, the ceiling was lined and a triangular pediment was created over the entrance. Internally a new doorway was created between the lounge room and bedroom 1. Chimneys were replaced, rear staircase was rebuilt and an underground garage and storage area built beneath the front lawn. == Heritage listing ==

Constructed in 1847, Hampton Villa is a fine and rare surviving example of an early Victorian marine villa designed in the Georgian style situated on the waterfront of Sydney Harbour. Hampton Villa is associated with a number of prominent colonial personalities, most notably Sir Henry Parkes, who lived at Hampton Villa between 1888 and 1892 during his term as Premier of NSW; Edward Hunt, who built the house and was a councillor on the first Sydney Council and member of the Legislative Assembly; and Eliezer Montefiori a founder of the Art Gallery of NSW. Through its connection to Sir Henry Parkes, Hampton Villa is associated with the move towards Australian Federation, as it was the venue for at least one NSW Cabinet meeting and various government business during the 1890 constitutional debates. The house retains its visual relationship with the harbour and Sydney City and is a prominent landmark feature on the Balmain peninsula. The grandeur, quality and situation of the house provide evidence of the standing of the house's occupants and demonstrate the careful positioning of the villa in its original setting. The subdivision of the Hampton Villa estate is still visible in the surrounding street pattern and provides a good example of the 19th century encroachment of suburban development on early Sydney estates. Hampton Villa was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 27 May 2005 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales. Hampton Villa has historical significance as one of the few remaining gentlemen's marine villas, from the early Victorian Period, on the Balmain peninsula. It displays the late nineteenth century subdivision pattern of Balmains' waterfront and demonstrates the encroachment of suburbia on colonial landscapes in Sydney. '''The place has a strong or special association with a person, or group of persons, of importance of cultural or natural history of New South Wales's history.''' Hampton Villa has strong historical associative significance as the home of Sir Henry Parkes, NSW Premier, and his family from 1888 to 1892. During this period Parkes was confined to Hampton Villa through injury and administered his office as Premier from the house. Parkes was a leading political figure in both NSW and national politics, being a prominent personality in the Federation movement. Parkes formulated parts of his Federation debate from the house and held at least one Cabinet meeting at Hampton Villa, during the time of the Constitutional debates in 1890. Hampton Villa was built by Edward Hunt, a councillor on Sydney's first city council and member of the Legislative Council. After Hunt, Elezier Montefiori, a founder of the National Art Gallery of NSW, also lived in Hampton Villa. The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales. Hampton Villa has aesthetic significance as a well detailed gentlemen's marine villa of the early Victorian period in the Georgian mode. The building is of high quality construction and presents a strong visual and waterscape element. The building gives an insight into the construction and layout of an early Victorian house, while the surrounds and yard retain elements of its former setting. The house retains views from Sydney city and the Anzac Bridge, recalling its prominent setting overlooking the harbour. The place has strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. Hampton Villa has social significance for its role in the lead up to the Federation of Australia as the home and office of Sir Henry Parkes. The subdivision of the estate in 1893 set the pattern of streets and waterfront allotments which are characteristic for this area of the Balmain peninsula. The site is also significant for the operation of the Knitting Co, which employed 52 local women in the early years of the twentieth century, making it one of the main employers of women in the Balmain area at this time. The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. Hampton Villa has technical and research potential as a relatively intact example of an early Victorian marine villa. Archaeological evidence of its stables, detached kitchen and associated outbuildings may also exist within the allotment. The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. Hampton Villa remains as a rare surviving example of an early Victorian marine villa on the Balmain peninsula. Throughout Sydney villas of this type are becoming increasingly rare. Its prominent position, and maintained views to the water are equally rare as modern harbourside development overshadows earlier surviving colonial structures. The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales. Hampton Villa is a good representative example of an early Victorian gentleman's marine villa. == See also ==