"Merchiston Hall", house including interior

A Listed - State Significance

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

'Merchiston Hall', an eight room two storey stone mansion with outbuildings was erected by James Leggatt in 1856 for James Cowie. 'Merchiston Hall', which was originally built to command views over Corio Bay and the infant Botanical Gardens, is perhaps the finest classical style mansion in Geelong and a most distinguished work of the accomplished architectural firm of Backhouse and Reynolds. The disciplined axial composition is sensitively detailed and an examplar of classical architecture of the mid-nineteenth century in Victoria. James Cowie was a significant pioneer resident and later M.L.C. for Geelong. George Frederick Belcher, a prominent Geelong businessman and mayor owned the property from 1872 til 1909.

REFERENCES

"Building Progress in Geelong', The Australian Builder and Practical Mechanic, No.26, Melbourne, 28th August 1856, p.208.

Geelong Advertiser, 25th April 1856, tender notice 1st February 1865, Advertisement, to sell or let. 1st September 1868 - tender . 2nd April 1870 - to let notice. 7th August 1876 - birth notice, son of G.F Belcher at Merchiston Hall.

National Trust of Australia (Victoria), File No. 256. Survey and Identification Data form, 1959.

Investigator, Wynd I. (Ed), Magazine of Geelong Historical Society. May 1967, Vol. 2 No. 2 pp.87-90.

Saunders, David, (ed), Historical Buildings of Victoria, jacaranda Press, Melbourne, 1966, p. 168.

Robertson, E. Graeme, Victorian Heritage, Georgian House, Melbourne, 1974, pp. 135, 138, 139.

Australian Dictionary of Biography, 6 Volumes, Pike Douglas, (Ed), Melbourne University Press, 1969, p. 473. Biography of James Cowie.

Smith, James, (Ed) The Cyclopedia of Victoria, 3 Volumes, The Cyclopedia Co., Melbourne, 1904, Volume 2, pp 435-436 - Biography of George F. Belcher.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

House