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The Briars, Carcoar
***SOLD*** |
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History: This exceptional heritage listed property was designed by the prominent colonial architect Edward Gell and built by John Cody in 1877 as the Catholic Presbytery of Carcoar. Father Philip Ryan, an Irishman from Tipperary, was the first priest to come to Carcoar in 1866, when the diocese was first formed. The Catholic Church was built in 1870 and a convent, which housed approximately 20 boarders, was built in 1874. Then the presbytery followed in 1877, built on 5 acres elevated above the town. At the time the presbytery was ‘said to be the best in the diocese’ and went by the name of ‘The Marble Halls’. Priests occupied the presbytery for approximately 100 years until the parish merged with the Blayney parish, leaving both the presbytery and the convent unused. In 1973 the Catholic Church leased the property to the Tyler family who remained for 7 years. During their tenancy the Tylers restored the old presbytery, removing paint and exposing the original cedar joinery. In 1980 the church decided to sell the presbytery and since that time it has been privately owned. Subsequent owners have been very keen gardeners and have planted extensively, expanding the garden into five acres of parkland. The name of the property was changed in 1982 to ‘The Briars’, probably because of its, by then, well established rose garden. Carcoar is a National Trust listed village which was once considered as a potential site for the national capital. It retains a spectrum of heritage buildings that is rivalled by few towns. Carcoar is 3 hours drive from Sydney, close to the wine region of Cowra, the fruit and commercial centre of Orange and the historical government town of Bathurst. There is a general store, antique shops, B&Bs, churches, police station and primary school in Carcoar itself and Blayney, with a railway station, high school and commercial centre is the closest larger town, 11 km away. Transport is available from Carcaor to excellent private schools in Bathurst such as All Saints College, the Scots School, Saint Stanislaus College and in Orange such as Kinross Wolaroi and Orange Christian School. Also at Bathurst is Charles Sturt University. Building: The design of both the house and barn is classic late 19th century architecture. The house has buttressed foundations, 12 ft high ceilings, a deep verandah on three sides, 8 fireplaces and an underground cellar. This is a beautiful building with potential for future use as a B&B, guest house, or simply continuing as an elegant residence. The house consists of a lounge room, dining room, library, sitting room, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen and breakfast room. The external walls are 400mm thick and the foundations are said to extend one full floor into the ground. A courtyard next to the servants block contains a functioning well. The dwelling is in excellent condition, with solid cedar joinery throughout. The wide central hallway and lounge has been fully restored and, while an enthusiast could make a project of gradually restoring the rest, none requires work to be done if a new owner wishes simply to live in this wonderful house. Some minor extensions have been built, probably late in the period of ecclesiastic residency – a store-room at the end of the verandah and a weatherboard kitchen extension joining what was originally servant quarters to the main dwelling. Little of architectural significance has been changed and the house is in very sound condition. The large separate barn, with remnant cobblestones, horse stalls and an accessible hayloft, provides limitless opportunities – additional accommodation, space for a business of some sort, or continued use as a garden shed, garage and workshop as it has been for the last decade. A lean-to shed is large enough to keep ten tonnes of winter heating wood dry. 1100 empty whisky bottles some dating from prior to 1800, relocated from the cellar to the barn, remain as testimony to the Briars’ history of sustained clerical suffering. Garden: The 4 acres to the side of the house are a delight to the gardener with towering gums, oak trees, hedges, golden elms, laurels, claret ash, rhododendrons, camellias, roses, fruit, nut and olive trees, multitudes of bulbs and varieties of native plants such as wattle, bottlebrush and grevillea. Contact: Robert Fitzell |
 
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