We have enjoyed a weekend of glorious winter sunshine after weeks of heavy rain, severe winds & flooding. The Hunter & Paterson Rivers which run through the lower Hunter Valley are swollen with dirty brown water, causing some low level flooding. After attending the local Farmers Market on Saturday I did a spot of flood water sightseeing!
While out and about on Saturday we came upon Closebourne House in Morpeth. Having grown up in the area I know Closebourne House well but was unaware of its history. In 1821 Lieutenant Edward Close, founder of Morpeth, built this beautiful Georgian home & chapel out of locally quarried sandstone. He named his grand home - Closebourne House. From 1848 to 1912 the residence was home to the various Anglican Bishops of Newcastle. Still standing today the house is one of the oldest in mainland Australia.
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| Closebourne House, circa 1821 |
The Morpeth area and its surrounding town & villages are rich in history. A long time home to our indigenous people, the first Europeans in the area were a party lead by Lt Col. Paterson who undertook an exploration of the Hunter River in 1801. Paterson named the area Green Hills. In 1821 the land was granted to Lt Edward Close, a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, as a reward for service as Engineer of Public Works at Newcastle. He commenced building Closebourne House and set about establishing a private town which around 1834 took the name Morpeth, originally the name of a town near Newcastle in England. I have a long association with the area as my fathers family has lived in the area since around the mid 1850's.
Thats enough of the history lesson! I'm off to the 2011 Sydney Quilt Show on Wednesday - am looking forward to the delights this annual exhibition always offers. More of the arts & crafts in the next blog! Until then - enjoy the sunshine where ever you are, K..................
The rustic life is clearly the go....Waiting patiently for the next patch!
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