Morville House

BOOKINGS OPEN AT 12 PM ON THURSDAY, 8 FEBURARY 2024

Architect/s: Henry Hunter (1881)

Constructed in 1881 for David Hamilton Hughes (1853-1926), Morville stands as one of the last 19th-century country houses in the Coal River Valley. Situated at the heart of an 1,100 acre property, the eight-roomed house, along with a kitchen and servants’ room, formed the central hub of an extensive homestead complex. Unfortunately, the outbuildings, including a stable, coach house, barns, manager’s cottage, and workers’ huts, were destroyed in the 1967 bushfires.

Designed by Henry Hunter (1832-1892), a prolific architect known for his Italianate and Classical style, Morville showcases the transition of Hunter’s expertise from masonry to prominent weatherboard residential works. Hunter’s renowned projects include the Royal Society of Tasmania Museum, Hobart Town Hall, and St Mary’s Cathedral. Morville follows the earlier design of ‘Howrah’ (the namesake of the suburb), contributing to Hunter’s portfolio of timber residences for the sub-tropical climate of Brisbane after his relocation in 1888.

Hamilton Hughes sold Morville in 1888 upon his move to Ardilea in south Bridgewater. Hughes’ nephew, Samuel Osborne McCausland (1862-1887), tragically died at Morville while visiting from Belfast, Ireland, at the age of 25. His memory is honoured by a white-marble monument in St Luke’s Cemetery at Richmond, a poignant symbol of familial connection in the historic Coal River Valley.

Pre-booked Tours: Saturday 24 February 2024, 10 am, 10:30 am, 11 am, 11:30 am, 12 pm, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2 pm, 2:30 pm, 3 pm & 3:30 pm.

Duration: 20 minutes

Access: Some steps at entry