Gwalla Cemetery

Author

Shire of Northampton

Place Number

17786

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Location

Gwalla St Gwalla

Location Details

Local Government

Northampton

Region

Midwest

Construction Date

Constructed from 1863

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type	Status	Date	Documents	More information
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type	Status	Date	Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type	Status	Date	Grading/Management		More information
Type	Status	Date	Category	Description	More information
Municipal Inventory	Adopted	19 Apr 1996	Category 1A	Category 1A HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT AT STATE LEVEL. Highest level of protection appropriate. Provide maximum incentives under the Town Planning Scheme with encouragement to the owner to conserve the significance of the place. Prepare a floor plan and photographically record the place prior to any redevelopment.
Municipal Inventory	Adopted	19 Apr 1996	Category 1A	Category 1A HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT AT STATE LEVEL. Highest level of protection appropriate. Provide maximum incentives under the Town Planning Scheme with encouragement to the owner to conserve the significance of the place. Prepare a floor plan and photographically record the place prior to any redevelopment.

Statement of Significance

The Gwalla Cemetery is significant socially and historically as the first interdenominational cemetery in
Northampton as well as for its associations with prominent people buried there. It is an integral part of
the Gwalla Precinct, which includes the adjacent Gwalla Church, the mine site, ruins of Horrocks' stone
walls, the site of the first railway station, stone cottage ruins, as well as stone and CGI miners' cottages.

Physical Description

The walled cemetery has 1.2m (4ft) high stone perimeter walls that sweep up high to pillars either side of timber
entry gates. The walls have been built in Horrocks' style [See Site No. 137], but with smooth rendered capping.
Attempts have been made to stabilise walls by renovating capping, unfortunately using grey cement which is
unsympathetic to the natural stone and capping. There are an interesting variety of headstones and fencing styles
to graves. One of the most significant marked graves is Horrocks', with a brick tomb above the ground.. A stone
obelisk just inside the entry gates commemorates the early pioneers and was unveiled by the Honourable David
Brand in 1964.

History

The Gwalla Cemetery, the oldest of the three cemeteries in Northampton was opened for burial in 1861. Like the
Gwalla Church, the cemetery was non-sectarian and contains the graves of many early pioneers, including 'Dr'
Joseph Horrocks, Captain Samuel Mitchell, his wife and son. Mitchell was a manager at the Geraldine Mine [Site
No. 7], before living at Chiverton House [Site No. 107] Martin Hosken is also buried in the cemetery. He was the
owner of the Mining Arms [Site No. 60] and the Railway Hotel [Site No. 104].

Chronology Entries
07/10/1865 Death of Joseph. Horrocks at the age of 55.
07/1912 Death of Captain Samuel Mitchell.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Low

Condition

Fair

References

Ref ID No	Ref Name	Ref Source	Ref Date
BL Acc 4396 B/18	Photograph: "Memorial at Gwalla Cemetery,".	Battye Library	1969
GHS3925	Photograph; "memorial".	Northampton Historical Society,	1964
BL Acc 994.12	Bain, M.A; "Ancient Landmarks: A Social and Economic History of the Victoria District of Western Australia, 1839-1894".	UWA Press	1975
	Drew, J.M., "Early Northampton: An Undenominational Church", Early Days, Vol.2, No. 2.		1932
	Considine and Griffiths Architects Pty Ltd; "Gwalla Precinct, Northampton Conservation Plan".	Shire of Northampton	200
	Palassis; "Northampton Character Study".
	Considine & Griffiths Architects Pty Ltd; "Gwalla Cemetery Preliminary Conservation Report"	Shire of Northampton	1998
	Feilman & Associates, "A Survey of Places of Historic and Landscape Significance in Northampton, Dongara, Geraldton, WA",		1977

Place Type

Landscape

Uses

Epoch	General	Specific
Original Use	MONUMENT\CEMETERY	Cemetery

Creation Date

27 Mar 2007

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

01 Jan 2017

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.