Turner Cottage

Statement of Significance

Turner Cottage has a high level of cultural heritage significance as an example of early rural residences built out of local materials and close to the Serpentine River, in its association with the old Serpentine townsite and the Turner family, and as the first postal business and staging post for the district. The cottage is a reminder of the difficult conditions underwhich early settlers lived and the need for self-sufficiency.
The reconstructed kitchen, although not original, does contribute to
the values of the cottage. Consideration to be given to its inclusion in the historic Serpentine townsite group of buildings.

Physical Description

Single-storey, four-roomed vernacular rural cottage built of bricks made locally, with a high-pitched hipped shingle roof. Kitchen (to the north side of the cottage) consists of three jarrah weatherboard walls, high-pitched hipped shingle roof and brick chimney/fireplace on north wall. The cottage/kitchen is set adjacent to the Serpentine Bridge, near the river. The original dairy (mud and straw building with shingled hipped roof) also contained a cellar. This building, originally located west of the cottage, is no longer extant.
All other buildings have been built by present owners.

History

The property was originally purchased by Fraser Armstrong in 1850 but sold to James Brown who built the first hut (not extant). Not long after purchasing the property in 1856, Edward and Elizabeth Turner built the first three rooms of the cottage. The Turners were subsistence farmers.In addition to its use as a residence,' Turner Cottage has also operated as a postal office (1860s to 1887) and a change station for the coach from (c1875-1887).
The cottage is still owned by descendants of the Turner family and once operated as a tourist facility and museum.

Integrity/Authenticity

MODIFICATIONS: Addition of a fourth room on the northern side of the cottage
(c1860s) resulted in the kitchen being cut in half and the fourth wall removed and breezeway between the two buildings formed. Extensive restoration works carried out to both the cottage and kitchen buildings.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.