Denbigh
WHAT
House and property
WHERE
Cobbitty
WHEN
Colonial
Denbigh is a five hundred acre grazing property situated in Cobbitty on the south-western edge of Greater Sydney. Granted to Charles Hook in 1812 it is one of the oldest working farms in the country and has been described as ‘one of the finest early colonial farmhouses in Australia, with important historical associations and an evocative atmosphere”.
The main house remains much as it was in the 1830s. Surrounding the house is a charming, informal garden filled with plants representing the passing fashions in Australian gardening. The original stables, coach house and dairy have been restored and adapted as artist and pottery studios in which clay from the farm is now used in the making of ceramics. Stone is still quarried on Denbigh and used in conservation work, for new projects around the buildings and garden, and more recently for sculptural works.
Denbigh is still approached and located within a rural landscape - the enclosed valley retaining its serene pastoral character and evocative atmosphere. Much of Denbigh’s serenity and charm is enhanced by the encircling hills protecting it from any signs of modern living.
Many people have come to work on the farm, perform in the hayshed, potter, paint, draw, make furniture and films, or learn about our state’s early agriculture and cultural history. Some people come simply to sit in the garden and enjoy the sound of bellbirds carried in the clear air across the valley. No one leaves Denbigh without gleaning a sense of what has come before.
Denbigh was first and foremost a working farm, and herein lies its uniqueness. Its buildings were constructed over time, evolving as the farm’s practices and ownership changed.
The property has only ever been owned three families – the Hook (1812-1826), Hassall (1827-1868) and McIntosh (1868-present day) families. For over 150 years five generations of the McIntosh family have continued farming Denbigh.
The stables, hand milking bails, calf shed, storage silos, feed bins and hay sheds were established from 1868 to 1900, and Denbigh remained at the forefront of the dairy industry throughout the 20th century.
These intact outbuildings with their tools and machinery provide a rare glimpse into the evolution of farming practices and technologies.
Prior to European occupation the land held strong spiritual significance for the Aboriginal people. It was at the intersection of three language groups: the Dharug, Tharawal and Gundungarra and was referred to as “the Valley of Peace”.
As a state and a nation surely we need to keep such places as Denbigh and its landscape fully
conserved. It is impossible to recreate, it is impossible to only half-keep such a place. Once lost, it can never be replaced.
