Toll Cottage, Segenhoe Flats: Two Newcastle buildings included on the NSW State Heritage Register
SEE PICS: An exciting week for local historians. One of Newcastle’s oldest buildings and an art-deco inspired block of flats have been added to the NSW State Heritage Register.
Newcastle
Don't miss out on the headlines from Newcastle. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Two of Newcastle’s most historic gems have been added to the NSW State Heritage Register.
One of the city’s oldest buildings Toll Cottage – also known as Rose Cottage – built in 1857 and art-deco inspired Segenhoe flats, an early 1930s example of modern city living.
Co-ordinator of the GLAMx lab at the University of Newcastle Dr. Ann Hardy said both buildings are an important part of the landscape.
“Most cities around the world have this lovely mix of old and new so to have these acknowledged and the stories of who the architect was, and stories of people living there is fantastic,” she said.
“That mix gives it character and people often love to live in heritage areas and they are preserved for a reason because they do have that lovely character and streetscape.
“These are symbols that showcase there has been decades beforehand of significant buildings and architecture.”
Both state heritage-listings are the culmination of community campaigns to have the sites formally protected.
“It’s been a really good community collaboration, we had a Hunter Living Histories group that has particularly spent a lot of time researching toll cottage,” Dr. Hardy said.
“It was put up as a recommendation to be listed back in the early 2000s, it’s been preserved by the owner and then the community has been supportive.
“Segenhoe hasn’t taken as long as most other items that get to the register, sometimes it can take decades. It’s been more fast tracked.”
Their heritage listings mean they are officially recognised and protected and any changes to the buildings must adhere to strict consent conditions.
The new status also means they could attract heritage funding for upkeep and maintenance.
TOLL COTTAGE (ROSE COTTAGE)
It’s a rare surviving example of Victorian Georgian-style domestic housing.
It was built by Joseph Finney in 1857 at the time of Newcastle’s transition from small town to major port and rail terminus.
The modest sandstock brick cottage demonstrated the domestic living conditions of an 1850s working class family.
“It’s quite a rare representation of Newcastle’s residences,” added Dr. Hardy.
“It is not too long after Newcastle was a convict settlement. A residential home in tact is quite rare.”
SEGENHOE FLATS
Built in 1938, Segenhoe Flats is a rare example of the architecture of Emil Sodersten’s architecture, who was widely regarded as a prominent member of the first generation of modern architects.
The mostly intact interiors and exterior are of an Inter-War Art Deco design and at the time of its construction was described as Newcastle’s most modern and convenient block of self-contained flats.
“It was designed by quite a significant architect, he was designing a lot of buildings around Sydney,” Dr. Hardy said.
“It’s a great representation of art deco style of architecture and the era when it was quite a modern way of living out of residential homes.
“It’s quite a gem on the hill in Newcastle on Wolfe street.”