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AECOM Historical Archaeological Assessment - The Grange - North Eveleigh Affordable Housing Project, Wilson Street, Darlington, NSW 29 9.0 Conclusion The Sydney Metropolitan Development Authority intends to develop the North Eveleigh site for affordable housing. Initial works consisting of contamination remediation and the insertion of an access road and parking is subject to an REF. During public exhibition of the Concept Plan in 2008, a submission was received identifying an extant brick cistern in the embankment between Wilson Street and the Railway Yard level. The submission associated the cistern with the former house on the site, The Grange. The Heritage Council has recommended that all affected areas identified as having archaeological potential are to be subject to professional archaeological monitoring and recording during the project works. Prior to the development of a Research Design and Methodology it was necessary to determine the nature and significance of the cistern and potential associated deposits. Research undertaken for this assessment has identified that The Grange was constructed sometime prior to 1840. It was the home of a number of prominent local and Colonial figures, including William a’Beckett, Sir Saul Samuel and possibly Felix Wilson. The property included a home, situated within the northern third of the site, and two conjoined structures located on the property boundary. These structures are now likely to be under the footpath and/or road due to the widening of Wilson Street. The Grange continued to be occupied until it was purchased by the Department of Public Works in 1908 to expand the Eveleigh Railway Yards and it was probably demolished shortly thereafter. The area fronting Wilson Street appears to have been sparsely used for railway purposes, with development largely confined to the southern portion of the site, near the railway lines. A site inspection, undertaken on 13 June 2012 identified the cistern and assessed the archaeological potential of the site. It was determined that, due to the levelling of the site following the demolition of The Grange, there was no archaeological potential for features, deposits or relics of the house itself to remain. The embankment formed during the levelling of the site contained a brick cistern, which is probably associated with The Grange. It would appear that there has been minimal disturbance of the embankment and there remains high potential for archaeological features, deposits and/or relics, beyond the cistern, to remain in this area. There is also moderate potential for features, deposits and/or relics associated with the structures along Wilson Street to remain in situ beneath the road and/or footpath. These features and the cistern have been assessed as being of local significance. The proposed works include the introduction of fill to the embankment area and the construction of retaining walls and a set of stairs in the fill between Wilson Street and the Railway yard level, above the area identified has holding high archaeological potential (Figure 5). Trenches will also be cut through the fill to allow for the insertion of gas, water and telecommunications cables. These trenches will also pass through the area identified as holding moderate archaeological potential for the structures along the frontage of The Grange. These works have the potential to impact on the expected archaeological resource in this area. The cistern will be able to be retained within the embankment, underneath the fill. It is therefore recommended that the excavation works to insert services, particularly in Wilson Street and the footpath, be monitored by a suitably qualified archaeologist. It is recommended this be undertaken through an exemption under Section 60 within the SHR listed portion and an exception under Section 139 for the area adjacent to the SHR listed area, if required by the NSW Heritage Council, as the impacts to the archaeology are anticipated to be minimal. Application for an exemption and/or exception requires the preparation of a brief methodology statement regarding the monitoring. It is recommended this be prepared and submitted, together with this report, to the Heritage Council for approval. It is also recommended that the cistern be buried and retained in situ. 24 July 2012
AECOM Historical Archaeological Assessment - The Grange - North Eveleigh Affordable Housing Project, Wilson Street, Darlington, NSW 30 10.0 References AHMS. (2008). North Eveleigh Railway Carriage Workshops, Redfern, NSW: Historical Archaeological Impact Assessment, Archaeological Zoning Plan and Impact Mitigation Strategy. Annandale, Sydney. Australia ICOMOS. (1999). The Burra Charter. Burwood, Victoria: Australia ICOMOS. Retrieved from http://australia.icomos.org/wp-content/uploads/BURRA_CHARTER.pdf Bergman, G. F. J. (1976). Samuel, Sir Saul (1829-1900). Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved from http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/samuel-sir-saul- 4534 Cashman, R., & Meader, C. (1990). Marrickville, Rural outpost to inner city. Petersham: Hale and Iremonger Pty. Ltd. Chubb, W. (1912). Jubilee Souvenir of the Municipality of Newtown, 1862-1912. Sydney: Published by Authority of the Mayor and Aldermen of the Municipal Council of Newtown. Murphy, M. (2009). Newtown Ejectment Case. Newtown Project. Retrieved July 21, 2012, from http://www.sydneyarchives.info/essays-a-histories/25-newtown-ejectment-case NSW Heritage Branch. (2009). Assessing Significance for Historical Archaeological Sites and “ Relics .” Parramatta. Retrieved from http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/docs/Arch_Significance.pdf NSW Heritage Office. (2001). Assessing heritage significance. Parramatta. Retrieved from http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/docs/assessingheritagesignificance.pdf NSW Heritage Office. (2008). Levels of Heritage Significance (pp. 1-5). Parramatta: Heritage Office. Retrieved from http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/docs/levels_of_heritage_significance_2008.pdf NSW Heritage Office, & NSW Department of Urban Affairs and Planning. (1996a). NSW Heritage Manual. Parramatta: Heritage Office & Department of Urban Affairs & Planning. Retrieved from http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/03_index.htm#M-O NSW Heritage Office, & NSW Department of Urban Affairs and Planning. (1996b). Heritage Curtilages. Parramatta: Heritage Office & Department of Urban Affairs & Planning. Otto Cserhalmi & Partners. (2002). Eveleigh Carriageworks Conservation Management Plan. Ryan, M. (1979). Newtown Municipality 1862-1892: Subdivision, Land Use and Services. University of Sydney. Verge, W. G. (1962). John Verge, early Australian architect: his ledger and his clients. Sydney: Wentworth Books. Weir Phillips. (2012). Heritage Impact Statement: North Eveleigh Affordable Housing Project. Chippendale, Sydney, Australia. 24 July 2012
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