Faversham House

Faversham House is a substantial heritage-listed residence overlooking Avon Terrace in York, Western Australia. It is associated with the Monger family, one of the early European settler families in the Avon Valley, and takes its name from Faversham in Kent, England, the birthplace of John Henry Monger Snr. Rather than originating as a modern consumer brand, Faversham House is a historic property whose identity has developed through successive roles as a private residence, social venue, wartime recuperation facility, conference centre, and hospitality destination. John Henry Monger Snr arrived in the Swan River Colony in 1829 as a sponsored immigrant. After operating a sawmill near Perth, he moved to York in 1836, where he established the town's first hotel and later opened a general store. His commercial activities included trading goods for wool and sandalwood, and he became an important participant in York's nineteenth-century sandalwood economy. He acquired the land associated with Faversham House in 1838. The property stood above Monger's commercial yards and the crossing later associated with his name, giving the residence a prominent position in the town. The building developed in several stages. The earliest section, probably constructed between 1836 and 1844, was a single-storey stone structure combining a residence with a store or cellar. Its heavy construction, limited access and barred windows gave it the appearance of a defensive storehouse as well as a domestic building. Between 1849 and 1851, two storeys were added above the original section, with convict labour contributing to the work. After the death of Monger Snr, his son John Henry Monger Jnr expanded the house in 1868 with substantial north and south wings, verandahs, balconies and gabled turrets. The additions included a billiards room, a large dining room and accommodation for children and domestic staff. A further building phase took place in 1907 after Alexander J Monger returned from London, married Florence McCracken and decided to restore the property rather than sell it. Servants' quarters and a southern east-west wing containing a kitchen and staff dining room were added, using locally made bricks. During the residence of Alexander and Florence Monger, Faversham House became a setting for social gatherings and business meetings and functioned as an important private centre of York's community life. The property's role changed during the Second World War. Florence Monger presented Faversham House to the Australian Government and the Red Cross, after which it was used as a hospital and convalescent home for servicemen. In 1944, personnel returning from operations in the Middle East and New Guinea were sent there to recuperate. In 1945, the Dutch government leased the property to house refugees displaced by the war, and the Returned and Services League of Australia also used the premises. Following the war, the Federal Government no longer required the property and offered it for tender. The Methodist Department of Christian Education acquired Faversham House in 1961. It reopened in 1963 as a Methodist conference centre, holiday home and educational facility, extending the property's public and institutional life beyond its original residential purpose. Glenn and Judith Darlington purchased Faversham House in February 1994. They undertook conservation work and later opened the residence as bed-and-breakfast accommodation. Richard and Nola Bliss acquired the property in 2003 and further restored it. Under their ownership, Faversham House has operated as a heritage hospitality venue offering accommodation and hosting weddings and related private events. Its heritage recognition includes classification by the National Trust of Australia, inclusion on the former Register of the National Estate, listing on the Shire of York municipal inventory and entry on the State Register of Heritage Places. The property's value lies in its architectural evolution, association with the Monger family and representation of York's colonial, wartime and postwar history. Its present positioning combines conservation of a landmark residence with boutique accommodation and event services.

Faversham House developed from the commercial and residential base of John Henry Monger Snr, who moved to York in 1836 after arriving in the Swan River Colony in 1829. Monger established York's first hotel and a general store, trading in commodities including wool and sandalwood. He purchased the relevant land in 1838, and the first section of the house was probably built between 1836 and 1844. The earliest structure was a single-storey stone building incorporating a residence and store. It had five rooms, a large storeroom and a single entrance, while barred windows and its partly cellar-like form gave it a defensive appearance. From 1849 to 1851, two storeys were added, leaving the original structure as a cellar. The enlarged house appeared in a representation of York published in the Illustrated London News in 1857. After Monger Snr died in 1867, his son John Henry Monger Jnr commissioned a major extension in 1868. North and south wings, verandahs, balconies and high gabled turrets transformed the building into one of York's largest colonial residences. The north wing included a billiards room and bedrooms, while the south wing contained a dining room, nurseries and a nanny's room. Alexander J Monger inherited the property after his father's death in 1892. Although he initially considered selling it after returning from business in London, he and Florence McCracken restored and enlarged the house after their marriage. The 1907 works added servants' accommodation and a southern service wing with a kitchen and staff dining room. The Monger family continued to use the property as a residence and as a location for social and business gatherings. During the Second World War, the property was given to the Australian Government and the Red Cross by Mrs Alexander Monger. It became a hospital and convalescent home for servicemen. In 1944, recovering personnel from the Middle East and New Guinea were accommodated there. The property was leased to the Dutch government in 1945 for refugees displaced by the war, and it was also used by the Returned and Services League. The postwar property was offered for tender when the Federal Government no longer needed it. The Methodist Department of Christian Education bought it in 1961, and the building was formally opened in 1963 as a conference centre, holiday home and educational facility. Glenn and Judith Darlington purchased Faversham House in February 1994 and undertook conservation work before operating it as a bed-and-breakfast property. Richard and Nola Bliss acquired it in 2003 and continued restoration. The property is now used for accommodation and weddings and remains a prominent heritage site in York. Faversham House has received several forms of heritage recognition. It was classified by the National Trust of Australia in 1976, entered on the Register of the National Estate in 1978, included on the Shire of York municipal inventory in 1995 and placed on the State Register of Heritage Places in 1997.

• 2003

  Bliss ownership begins

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  Richard and Nola Bliss purchased Faversham House and continued its restoration and hospitality use.

• 1997

  State Register listing

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  The property was entered on the State Register of Heritage Places.

• 1994

  Darlington ownership and conservation

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  Glenn and Judith Darlington purchased the property, undertook conservation work and later opened it as bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

• 1978

  Register of the National Estate listing

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  Faversham House was entered on the former Register of the National Estate.

• 1976

  National Trust classification

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  The National Trust of Australia classified the property as a heritage place.

• 1963

  Opened as a Methodist conference centre

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  Faversham House formally opened as a conference centre, holiday home and educational facility.

• 1961

  Acquired by the Methodist Department of Christian Education

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  The property was purchased for use as a conference and educational facility.

• 1945

  Leased to the Dutch government

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  The property housed Dutch refugees escaping the effects of the Second World War.

• 1944

  Used as a servicemen's convalescent facility

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  Returning personnel from the Middle East and New Guinea were sent to Faversham House to recuperate.

• 1907

  Service wing and staff facilities added

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  Alexander and Florence Monger carried out restoration and added servants' quarters, a kitchen and staff dining room.

• 1868

  Major wings added

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  North and south wings, verandahs, balconies and gabled turrets expanded the residence.

• 1851

  Two-storey addition completed

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  The second construction stage added two storeys above the original structure and was complete before January 1852.

• 1844

  Original house occupied

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  The earliest store-residence structure was occupied by at least the end of 1844.

• 1838

  Land formally purchased

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  Monger formally purchased the land from Rivett Henry Bland and Arthur Trimmer for £100.

• 1836

  Monger moves to York

  [1]Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org

  John Henry Monger Snr moved to York and began establishing the commercial base associated with the future Faversham House site.

A historic York residence positioned as a distinctive heritage accommodation and events venue, combining conservation, period architecture and hospitality.

• Accommodation

  Heritage accommodation

  Faversham House offers accommodation within a restored colonial residence. The experience is centred on the building's historic rooms, architectural details and setting in York rather than on a standardized hotel format.

• Events venue

  Weddings and private events

  The property is used for weddings and other private functions, drawing on its scale, heritage character and historic residential spaces as the principal venue proposition.

• 1994

  Conversion to bed-and-breakfast accommodationStrategy

  Background

  Following the Darlington purchase, conservation was required before the residence could be used commercially.

  Action taken

  Glenn and Judith Darlington restored the property and opened it as an elegant bed-and-breakfast.

  Aftermath

  The change established the modern hospitality direction later continued by subsequent owners.

  Source

• 1963

  Repositioning as a conference and education centreStrategy

  Background

  After the Federal Government no longer required the property for wartime purposes, ownership passed to the Methodist Department of Christian Education.

  Action taken

  The building was formally opened as a Methodist conference centre, holiday home and educational facility.

  Aftermath

  Faversham House gained a sustained institutional and public-use role before later returning to private hospitality.

  Source

• 1942

  Conversion to wartime medical and welfare useStrategy

  Background

  During the Second World War, the property was transferred for public and charitable use rather than continuing solely as a private residence.

  Action taken

  Faversham House was presented to the Australian Government and the Red Cross and used as a hospital and convalescent home for servicemen.

  Aftermath

  The property subsequently accommodated recovering service personnel and, in 1945, Dutch refugees.

  Source

1. 1Faversham Houseen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Faversham House official websitefavershamhouse.com.au