MERRA has received additional information from Auckland Council Heritage researcher Marguerite Hill about Scott House and also a fascinating videography by Claire Cowan – 2011 Artist in Residence at Scott House.
The Heritage information and videography are shared below for your enjoyment.
Scott Homestead is one of the oldest buildings in the Mahurangi Harbour and helps us understand the timber, saw milling and boat building industries which flourished there in the nineteenth century. Thomas Scott, a ship builder, purchased the land in 1852, establishing his business there and opening an inn. The inn, known as the Richmond Arms, burnt down in the early 1870s.
Scott Homestead was built in 1877 by his son, also called Thomas. By 1881, the family was running it as an accommodation house, used by summer visitors drawn to the Waiwera hot springs and Mahurangi regatta. The Scott family used the homestead as a holiday house until 1971, when it was purchased by Auckland Regional Authority, who were establishing Mahurangi Regional Park. The homestead was in a dilapidated state and it was at risk of demolition.
Instead, the homestead was leased to the Auckland Civic Trust from 1972-1991, whose volunteers spent many hours restoring the exterior of the house.
As well as the homestead, which is scheduled as historic heritage under the Auckland Unitary Plan, there are also notable trees on site, particularly Macrocarpa.
In 2011 Claire Cowan, Auckland Council Artist in Residence, lived in the homestead and recorded an album there. You can watch a video about this below.
JUst to correct some facts.I worked on the homestead some 30 years ago and met some of the descendants of the original family who gave me a very comprehensive history and genealogy of the home.The original home which ws extended in thee 1870’s was built not long after the land was purchased in the 1850’s.It was never an inn but was used as accomodation for people heading to Warkworth who need to stop overnigjht to get the tide.As for the inn myth it was nothing more than a small lean-too which was burnt down.Scott was a ship-builder and transported all his kaurui from West Mahurangi as there was none on the east side and never had been in any quantity.The native trees which grow wwell at the back of the homestead give a good idea oof the trees whoch were common in the mid 19thc. Incidenatlly the huge grape vine out the back is original and belive it or not there is close to the homestead a buried soldier one of the very last people to be killed by Maori,grave unknown I have searched extensively but think the open ground on the south side of the Home should be gone over with a metal detector buttons etc would show up.
Dear Oliver
Thank you for your insight to the Scott’s Landing residence. My partner & I have had a wonderful time in this beautiful part of the world and your knowledge made it that much more interesting. Thank you for sharing
Warmest regards
Sarah