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RICHARD OWENS INVESTMENTS

ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

ARGYLE PLACE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT,NEWCASTLE

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July 1997

Anne Bickford MAACAIHeritage Consultants

135 Catherine St Leichhardt NSW 2040Phone 02 - 95699672 Fax 02 - 95500261

Email [email protected]

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ARGYLE PLACE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT, NEWCASTLE. JULY 1997

Anne Bickford Heritage Consultants 135 Catherine St. Leichhardt NSW 2040 02/95699672

2.0 THE NEWCASTLE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

5.0 SYNTHESIS OF PHYSICAL AND DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE 25

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7.0 THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY AREA7.1 Research Themes

7.1.1 The AA Company7.2 Summary Statement of Significance

6.0 ASSESSMENT OF CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE6.1 The Concept of Cultural Significance6.2 General Assessment Processes and Criteria

6.2.1 Nature of Significance Criteria6.2.2 Degree of Significance Criteria6.2.3 Levels of Significance

4.0 SITE SURVEY 114.1 Description of the Site4.2 Condition of the Site4.3 Photographs of the Site taken 17 June 1997 124.5 Historic illustrations4.6 Historic Maps

3.0 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND3.1 Historical Background to The AA Company's Land3.2 Brown's House 93.3 Chronology of Brown's House 103.4 The Brick Drain

CONTENTS PAGE

1.0 INTRODUCTION 31.1 Background1.2 The Study Area - The Argyle Place Hotel Development1.3 Purpose 41.4 Authorship 71.5 Liaison1.6 Scope of the Project1.7 Methodology

1.7.1 Cultural Significance1.7.2 Archaeological Assessment 81.7.3 Fieldwork

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LIST OF FIGURES

1.1 Location Map1.2 Site Plan4.1 Photographs 17 June 19974.2 Photographs 17 June 19974.3 Photographs 17 June 19974.4 Photographs 17 June 19974.5 1874 View of Newcastle4.6 1889 Newcastle NSW4.7 1853 Plan4.8 1857 Plan4.9 1858 Plan4.10 1874 Plan4.11 1880 Plan4.12 1884 Plan4.13 1897 Plan4.14 1897 Detail4.15 1907-1909 Plan4.16 1907-1909 Detail4.17 March 1976 Orthophotomap4.18 c.1950 Plan Showing Brick Drain4.19 Detail


8.0 CONSERVATION POLICY GUIDELINES ANDRECOMMENDATIONS 288.1 Heritage

8.1.1 The NSW Heritage Act 19778.1.1.1 The "relics' Provisions

8.1.2 Condition of the Archaeological Remains 298.2 The Development Proposal8.3 Obligations Arising from the Site's Significance - ConservationRequirements

8.3.1 Brown's House 308.3.2 The Brick Barrel Drain

8.4 Recommendations8.4.1 Excavation Permit8.4.2 Monitoring of Footings near Brown's House site8.4.3 Monitoring of Footings near the Brick Drain site

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

This is an archaeological assessment report concerning and cov.eringthe Argyle Place Hotel Development. At the time of writing the site isoccupied by shops, a carpark, and part of Centenary Road. ArgyleHouse, on the corner of Wharf Road and Argyle Street, is to remain,and is not included in this assessment.

An archaeological assessment is concerned with assessing whetherarchaeological resources might exist on a site, and whether and howthese might be impacted. If they are to be impacted (disturbed) thenmitigation and/or recording measures are assessed and recommended.

1.2 The Study Area - The Argyle Place Hotel Development

In this proposal by Richard Owens Investments (ROI) a new hotel is tobe constructed on the site. In this program the ground is to remainundisturbed, except for the building's footings. Carparking and'otherfacilities such as a swimming pool will be erected above ground.Therefore there is to be none, or minimal impact on any below-groundarchaeological resources which may lie in the development site.

The development site is bounded by Wharf Road to the north, ArgyleStreet to the east, and the railway line to the south, and includes theclosure of the east end of Centenary Road. The site surrounds h~storic

Argyle House, but does not actually include any works to the House orits site which is legally a separate entity.l

The site of the hotel development includes lots adjacent to ArgyleHouse including parts of Lots 181, 182 and 189 DP. 770006, Lots 185 and186 DP. 164170, and Lot 184 DP.164168, as well as the eastern end ofCentenary Road itself.2

Besides Argyle House the other existing buildings on the site all datefrom the second half of this century and are considered to have onlylimited heritage significance which would not preclude theirdemolition.3

1 Suters Architects 1997, Argyle Place Hotel Development Heritage Impact Assessment p. 12 As above, p.53 As above p.5




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1.3 Purpose

The aim of this report is to provide an archaeological assessment forthe Argyle Place Hotel Development The report from the NewcastleCity Council's Heritage Advisor states:

ARCHAEOLOGYAn archaeological report has not been submitted for the site. Consideration ofthe outcome of the potential archaeology of the site should be examined.Engineering reports that a brick sewer or main had been identified withinthe subject site. An excavation permit will be necessary for this site.

This report is that archaeological assessment required by RichardOwens Investments to submit with their Development Application.


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ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ARGYLE PLACE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT, NEWCASTLE, JULY 1997

Figure 1.1 Location Map The Argyle Place Hotel Development Site

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Figure 1.2 Site Plan Plan of Site Showing Development Site in heavy black line. Portion190, the site of Argyle House, which is excluded from this Study, is shaded.

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1.3 Authorship

This report was prepared and written by Anne Bickford.

The client's heritage architects, Suters Architects, supplied a copy of therecently completed Argyle Place Hotel Development : Heritage ImpactAssessment Preliminary Report, January 1997. This comprehensivereport contains a history of the site and its surroundings and manyhistoric plans of the area, and was used to provide the backgroundhistory of the area for this report. I was also provided with ArgyleHouse : A Short Report by J.W. Turner, which also containedimportant historical information.

1.4 Liaison

The client for this project is Richard Owens Investments.. TheAssessment was coordinated by Mr. Ran Boydell of Suters Architects,who served as the liaison officer for the project.

1.5 Scope of the Project

In response to the brief the study team has:1) Consulted the Heritage Impact Assessment for Argyle .Place

and Volume 1: The Study Report, of the Newcastle ArchaeologicalManagement Plan, both by Suters Architects

2) Searched for some of the historic plans in the Archives Officeof NSW and the Newcastle Local History Collection

3) Collated plans and documentation to describe the site4) Inspected the site and documented it using photographs5)Assessed the archaeological potential of the site6) Assessed the cultural significance of the site7) Prepared a conservation management policy including

recommendations for the management of the site's potentialarchaeological resources.

1.6 Methodology

1.6.1 Cultural SignificanceThis project has been carried out in accordance with the principles setout in the Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter 1988 including Guidelinesto the Burra Charter: Cultural Significance, and the NSW HeritageManual produced by the Heritage Office and the Department of UrbanAffairs and Planning, 1996.




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1.6.2 Archaeological Assessment

The Heritage Office and the Department of Urban Affairs and Planningof NSW have produced a volume of Archaeological AssessmentGuidelines 1996. This document has been used in the preparat~on ofthis study. In formulating the assessment of the significance of this sitethe Heritage Office and Department of Urban Affairs and Plan...ll.ing'sHeritage Assessments 1996, document which forms part of the NSWHeritage Manual has been used.

1.6.3 FieldworkThe site was inspected and photographed by Anne Bickford on 17 June1997.

2.0 THE NEWCASTLE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Newcastle Archaeological Management Plan in its Final DraftReport form was prepared by Suters Architects for the Newcastle CityCouncil in February 1997.

The Study Area is placed in precinct Number 4, the AA Companyprecinct.

3.0 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

3.1 Historical Background to The AA Company's Land

In 1828 the Australian Agricultural Company (AA Company) wasgranted 2,000 acres for coal mining, including the right to a lilTIitedamount of waterfrontage to allow the shipment of coal. In 1830 theCompany occupied 24 acres east of the future Merewether Street withthe harbour on one side and Maitland Road on the other.

When the AA Company chose to locate its grant adjacent to the townof Newcastle, the Government was careful not to allow it tomonopolise the waterfront. Hence its 2,000 acre grant included onlyenough harbour land for its coal loading plant and associated officesand workshops. Thus a plan of the Company's Newcastle Estate in1853 shows the waterfront site occupied by coal staithes, a saltworks,




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and the residences of two colliery officers, Alexander Brown andWilliam Charlton4•

3.2 Brown's House

Alexander Brown was the coal manager from 1837-1853, and it is thesite of his house, outbuildings and yards which is the significantarchaeological site on ROI's development area. This site is known inthis report as Brown's House. The term Brown's House includes theyards and outbuildings. The house, or part of the house, was also attimes used as an office. The term Brown's House includes its uses asan office as well. The Newcastle Archaeological Management Plan listsit as having been demolished with the other AA Company buildings,except Argyle House, about 1923.5

The 1853 plan mentioned above is the earliest plan showing Brown'sHouse. This plan, which Turner references to the AA Companyarchives, is not an original, and has been redrawn by someone. for apublication at a later date.

The management of the company's coal mines was carried on from itswaterfront property because it was the centre of its transport system. Itis likely that the business of the Company in Newcastle was originallyconducted from Brown's House. In 1855 the Company's GeneralSuperintendent, M.G. Brownrigg, decided to make Newcastle thecentre of his administration. To facilitate this he modified thebasement storey of the house and added two rooms, thus creating anoffice which served the Company until 1883, when a new officebuilding, Argyle House, was constructed alongside it.6

Brown's House probably continued in use as an office and/or residenceuntil 1916, when the government acquired it, at the close of the AACompany's last colliery. In about 1923 Brown's House was demolished.It may have been demolished when Centenary Road was established inthe 1920s7.

4 J.W. Turner (c 1997) Argyle House A Short Report. p. 15Inventory Data Sheet Number 1025.6 Turner Argyle House... pp. 1-27Suters Architects, Argyle Place Hotel Development Heritage Impact Assessment p. 3




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3.3 Chronology of Brown's House

1828 AA Company granted 2,000 acres at Newcastle1830 AA Company occupies 24 acres east of the future Merewetner Street1837 Alexander Brown commences as the coal manager1853 Alexander Brown ceases work as the coal manager1853 First appearance of the house on a map1855 M.G. Brownrigg, AA Company's General Superintendent,modifies the basement and adds two rooms, creating an office1883 Argyle House, the new office, was constructed to the east ofBrown's House1883 Brown's House continues in use as an office and/or dwelling1907-9 Plan labels Brown's House as "Dwelling House"1916 Government acquires the site of Brown's Housec 1923 Brown's House demolished

3.4 The Brick Drain

A conspicuous drain first appears on a site map in 1874. It also appearson the 1880 Plan. As it looks like a creek or stream, it is assumed that atthat time it was an open narrow watercourse. It does not appear on anylater plans. It is possible that this drain was later enclosed by a brickbarrel drain. A brick barrel drain appears on an undated Newcastle CityCouncil Engineering Department plan. It is described as:

Existing 5' wide x4'6" high arch brick drainFive feet is equivalent to 1500 mm, while 4 foot 6 inches is 1370 mm.When scaled and overlaid on a site plan the drain runs north-southalong the western boundary of the Argyle House allotment. Thecreek/drain in the 1874/1880 plans runs down the middle of theallotment. Nevertheless, this could be the same structure, having beenslightly diverted. As it does not appear on any later plans the evidencesuggests that this is the case. Several brick barrel drains have beenexcavated in Sydney in pre 1880 contexts8, and it is likely that a brickdrain of this size was needed to take the water from the large ·drainseen in the plans.

Brown's House and outbuildings and the brick drain are the onlyhistoric structures shown in the development area.

8 I have excavated four brick barrel drains at the First Government House Site inBridge St Sydney.

Anne Bickford Heritage Consultants 135 Catherine St. Leichhardt NSW 2040 02/9569967~


ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ARGYLE PLACE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT, NEWCASTLE, JULY 1997'

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4.0 SITE SURVEY

4.1 Description of the Site

There are only two drawings found which show the site in the 19thcentury. They show Brown's House as a two-storey building with adouble gable roof, some outbuildings, a conspicuous fence, and thickplantings inside the front fence on the northern side. The 1897 Planshows a verandah on the north side, with central steps up to it. Thereare circular water tanks around the building and square andrectangular outbuildings to the west. All is surrounded by a fence'. The1907-1909 Plan shows Brown's House labelled as "Dwelling House".

The March 1976 orthophotomap shows various warehouses and smallbuildings on the development site, with Centenary Road cutting eastwest between them.

4.2 Condition of the Site

The site is open and virtually flat, and used as either well-kept parkingareas, road, or warehouses and other buildings. There are no problemsof access or contamination known.



ARCHAEOLCX:;ICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ARGYLE PLACE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT, NEWCASTLE, JULY 1997

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4.3 Photographs of the Site taken 17 June 1997

Figure 4.1 Argyle House on the corner, Looking west down Wharf Road

Figure 4.2 The carpark next to Argyle House, the area of the site of Brown's House



ARCHAEOLCX:;ICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ARGYLE PLACE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT, NEWCASTLE, JULY 1997

Figure 4.3 20th century building on Wharf Road, west of the carpark

Figure 4.4 Centenary Road from Argyle Street, with another carpark to the south


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ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ARGYLE PLACE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT. NEWCASTLE. JULY 1997

4.4 Historic Illustrations

Figure 4.5 1874 View of Newcastle Shows Brown's House to right of engraving.From: John Turner 1997, A Pictorial History of Newcastle. Kingsclear Books.

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ARCHAEOLCx;rCAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ARGYLE PLACE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT, NEWCASTLE, JULY 1997

Figure 4.6 1889 Newcastle, NSW.Geo. Murray & Co, Litho?

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Figure 4.7 1853 Plan Showing Brown's House locationThis :plan is taken from a book, and redrawn from other evidence.This IS the earliest dated plan showing Brown's house.It is listed by John Turner in Argyle House: A Short Report (1997) as being from the AA Company archives.

Figure 4.8 1857 Plan Showing Brown's House &cRough cOEY from original, by Anne Bickford.Arcliives Office of NSW, AO PLAN No. 1313.

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IFigure 4.9 1858 Plan Showing Brown's HouseFrom: Suters Architects Argyle Place Hotel Development Heritage Impact Assessment

INOTE This Plan and subsequent plans have been scaled to the samescale as Figure 1.2, the Site Plan, to show the relationship of historicplans of Brown's House to the present day site.

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Figure 4.12 1884 Plan Showing Brown's HouseFrom: Suters Architects Argyle Place Hotel Development Heritage Impact Assessment

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Figure 4.151907-1909 Plan Showing Brown's HouseNoel Butlin Archives Ref:H158, Australian National University Canberra

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5.0 SYNTHESIS OF PHYSICAL AND DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE

There is no above ground physical evidence of either Brown's Houseand outbuildings, or of the brick barrel drain. The pictorial and planevidence make their locations clear as being on the northern side ofthe development area.

Brown's House is in allotments 1189 and 182, with the rear of thehouse in Centenary Road.

The Brick Drain veers slightly to the west of the borderline betweenallotments 189 and 190 and continues across Centenary Road.

6.0 ASSESSMENT OF CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

6.1 The Concept of Cultural Significance

In Australia the process of finding out whether an item is important ornot is called assessing significance. The importance of thearchaeological resources of the study are will be evaluated by followingthe established heritage procedures. The criteria for assessment havebeen standardised in NSW by the Heritage Office and published in theNSW Heritage Manual. This procedure makes it possible to co:rp.parethe significance of like items between local government areas, withinregions, or between states.

6.2 General Assessment Processes and Criteria

In NSW the heritage system requires three steps:1) investigate significance2) assess significance3) manage significance.

For assessing heritage significance there are two types of criteria, thosewhich deal with the nature of significance (a range of values) andthose which deal with the degree of significance (comparative values).These are outlined in the Heritage Assessments section of the NSWHeritage Manual.




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The criteria are:6.2.1 Nature of significance criteria

Criterion 1 - historical significance (evolution and association).An item having this value is significant because of the importance ofits association with, or position in the evolving pattern of the culturalhistory of NSW.

Criterion 2 - aesthetic significance (scenic/architectural qualities,creative accomplishment).An item having this value is significant because it demonstratespositive visual or sensory appeal, landmark qualities and/or creativeor technical excellence.

Criterion 3 - technical/research significance (archaeological, industrial,educational, research potential and scientific significance values).Items having this value are significant because of their contribution, orpotential contribution to an understanding of our cultural history orenvironment. As this criterion includes archaeological researchpotential and scientific significance values it is of major importance inthe assessment of archaeological remains.

Criterion 4 - social significance (contemporary community esteem).Items having this value are significant through their social, spiritl;lal orcultural association with a recognisable community.

6.2.2 Degree of Significance Criteria

Under each nature of significance criterion it must be consideredwhether the item meets either or both of the comparative significancecriteria - representativeness and rarity.RepresentativenessItems having this value are significant because they are finerepresentative examples of an important class of significant items orenvironments.RarityAn item having this value is significant because it represents a rare,endangered, or unusual aspect of our history or cultural environment.




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6.2.3 Levels of Significance

LocaL regionaL or stateThese terms relate to the geographical and social context of an item'ssignificance -Local heritageComprises items significaL'1.t in a local historical or geographical contextor to an identifiable contemporary local community.Regional heritageComprises items significant in a regional historical or geographicalcontext or to an important and identifiable contemporary regionalcommunity.State heritageComprises items significant in a state-wide historical or geographicalcontext or to an important and identifiable contemporary state-widecommunity.

7.0 THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY AREA

7.1 Research Themes

7.1.1 AA Company

7.2 Summary Statement of Significance

The Brown's House site possesses high archaeological significance(technical/research significance) relating to the commencement andflourishing of the AA Company in Newcastle. Brown's House maydate from as early as about 1830 when the Company took up its land onthe town of Newcastle's western boundary. The AA Company'ssubstantial coal mining and shipping operations were crucial to thedevelopment and growth of Newcastle after the convict period, andBrown's House is significant as the dwelling and office of theCompany's first coal manager. After Brown's retirement in 1853 theHouse remained in use by the Company as an office and dwelling. TheHouse was demolished in about 1924, probably as a result of theconstruction of Centenary Road, as the rear of the house appears to becovered by the northern edge of the road.




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8.0 CONSERVATION POLICY GUIDELINES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

8.1 Heritage

8.1.1 The NSW Heritage Act 1977The Heritage Act 1977 was enacted to ensure that the environmentalheritage of NSW would be adequately identified and conserved', TheAct established the Heritage Council of NSW, an independentadvisory body which makes recommendations to the Minister forPlanning on matters affecting the environmental heritage and on theimplementation of the Heritage Act.

The Heritage Act is concerned with all aspects of conservation rangingfrom basic protection against indiscriminate demolition or damage, torestoration and education, The provisions of the heritage Act withparticular reference to the management and conservation ofarchaeological sites in NSW are those which relate to "relics".

8.1.1.1 The "relics" provisionsThe term "relic" is defined in the Heritage Act 1977, (as amended12987), as:

any deposit, object, or material evidence -a) which relates to the settlement of the area that comprises NSW, not beingAboriginal settlement: andb) which is 50 or more years old,

The Heritage Act provides automatic statutory protection for relics insections 139-145 which prevent the excavation or disturbance of landfor the purposes of discovering, exposing, or moving a relic not subjectto a conservation instrument, except in accordance with an excavationpermit. .

Section 139 of the heritage Act, 1977, states that:A person shall not disturb or excavate any land for the purpose of discovering,exposing, or moving a relic, not being a relic subject to a conservation instrument,except in accordance with an excavation permit.

Thus, the disturbance or excavation of land containing or likely tocontain relics may only take place after an excavation permit has' beengranted by the Heritage Council or its delegate.


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8.1.2 Condition of the Archaeological Remains

The condition of any archaeological remains at the study area is notknown. Because the warehouses and other buildings on the site· haveno basements it is assumed that the remains of earlier occupation maybe there and that only service trenches and footings for the previousstructures have disturbed the remains of Brown's House and the BrickDrain.

8.2 The Development Proposal

The proposed redevelopment of the site involves the demolition ofthe existing buildings and the construction of a new hotel. Thedeveloper, ROI, is aware of the heritage significance of Brown's Houseand the Brick Drain, and will avoid digging in the ground and placingany footings or services in the ground in these areas. Therefore therewill be minimal or no impact on the heritage remains.

The Newcastle Archaeological Management Plan contains somerelevant advice in relation to the management options for thesearchaeological remains. In Section 1.1.1 General Practice Relating toHistorical Archaeological Sites it states:

...an alternative to the excavation and removal of archaeologicalevidence is for its conservation within the redevelopment, with twoapproaches possible:-1) the excavation and display of the archaeological evidence in situ, wIth thenew development designed to incorporate, and perhaps interpret, the site; or

- 2) the design of the development to avoid impact upon the archaeologicalevidence, and thereby maintaining it intact for possible future archaeologicalinvestigation.9

The second option - to leave the remains in situ, possibly to beexcavated at some future time, has been taken by the developer (ROI).

8.3 Obligations Arising from the Site's Significance - ConservationRequirements

The only sites of archaeological significance in the development areaare Brown's House and the brick barrel drain.


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ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ARGYLE PLACE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT, NEWCASTLE. JULY 1997-

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8.3.1 Brown's House

The research significance of the Brown's House site is high, and theexistence of the site is rare. The scaling and overlay of several historicplans of the site gives a consistent indication of where the potentialremains might be. The site itself is not under threat from thedevelopment as the hotel complex will be planned to avoid disturbirtgit.

8.3.2 The Brick Barrel Drain

The brick drain, being 5 foot wide by 4 foot 6 inches high is also rare,but as it can be assumed that has been constructed uniformly along itslength, part of it may be sacrificed if it is necessary to disturb it duringthe construction of the hotet for more should lie undisturbed underthe roads and buildings.

8.4 Recommendations

8.4.1 Excavation Permit

After demolition of existing structures is completed and prior to thecommencement of any other work on the site an archaeologicalexcavation permit required under the NSW Heritage Act should beobtained. This permit should be applied for by a qualified historicalarchaeologist on behalf of the client. The cost of the permit is $10. Thepermit normally takes 3-4 weeks to be approved by the NSW HeritageOffice.

8.4.2 Monitoring of Footings near the Presumed Site of Brown's House

Once the permit has been obtained, if there is to be any digging forfooting sites or services near the presumed location of Brown's House,then the sites should be monitored by an archaeologist, to record anysignificant remains if they are revealed.

8.4.3 Monitoring of Footings near the Presumed Site of the Brick Drain

As with Brown's House, if there is to be any digging near the presumedsite of the Brick Drain then an archaeologist should be engaged tomonitor the work. If the drain is located, and a portion of it must beimpacted upon and removed, then it should be excavated and properlyrecorded by an archaeologist. END


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