CAPTURING HEARTS FOR OVER A CENTURY

'Bartons' (circa 1905) is a stunning inner city sanctuary set in tranquil established grounds full of birdsong that both complement and befit the home's Queen Anne Architecture. This stately residence has undergone a substantial and sympathetic upgrade over the years to successfully meld the charm of the era with the executive features and fittings preferred by today's discerning buyer.

The ground floor plan incorporates an ornate reception area, generous living, entertainer's kitchen and reading room. Up the crafted staircase you'll discover four bedrooms each serviced by their own sumptuous ensuite. Attached to the rear of the property is a well appointed self-contained flat and ample garaging.

Bartons hosts an array of features including an inviting in-ground heated salt water pool and entertaining areas complete with outdoor fireplace which serves as the ideal spot to enjoy after match refreshments once the battles have concluded on the Astroturf tennis court. New Plymouth's CBD and city beaches are nearby; while even closer at hand is a selection of highly regarded schools.

Bartons is a property offering the ultimate in family lifestyle, however alternate options such as boutique hideaway B&B accommodation may feature in the new owner's business plan.

A BRIEF HISTORY

Bartons does have a colourful history. Originally constructed for Eustatius William Griffith, a Shipmaster, and his wife, the property was formerly 5.6 acres running a small Jersey bull stud with stock imported from Canada. The remainder of Bartons had extensive orchards on north eastern side of the property as well as a grass tennis court and croquet pitch on the front lawn. The land was eventually scaled down to 1 acre surrounding the house and used as a family residence rather than a business. Bartons was named after the Griffiths family home in Blenheim in the South Island.

In 1940 Mr. Griffith sold the house to a local builder, who according to legend built hidden rooms and passageways to hide his son, an army defaulter. 11 years later the property was again sold, this time to Mr. Sandys Wunsch, who while redecorating found several rooms built into the walls of the house. Discovering an extra room built under the stairs with a passageway leading from it to a group of bushes in the garden. There were other passages found leading up to a linen closet on the second storey and to the attic - this found while removing one wall in the house to uncover yet another hidden room without a door. Found in the hidden rooms were mattresses and candle ends and without visible doors gave the feeling somebody was trying to hide something.

When Mr. Sandys Wunsch was digging the garden he unearthed a tunnel which passed under the garage and came up next to an empty lot next door to the house. The tunnels were well constructed and were boarded up to prevent cave-ins. While the builder and his family resided at Bartons neighbours often reported sightings of the son who had defaulted from the army, but despite several visits to the house from police they were never able to find anything. It is believed that the defaulter was later caught after the family had relocated to Auckland. The newly found tunnels drew hundreds of spectators from all over Taranaki and it was a common occurrence to look out the window and find people wandering over the grounds. All the tunnels were later destroyed.

Although the property isn't listed with the historic homes trust, it is listed with the council as category B, which notes its historical significance.

THE STYLE

Bartons Queen Anne architecture is a design of English origin. Of all the Victorian house styles, Queen Anne is the most elaborate and the most eccentric, often called romantic and feminine yet it is the product of a most unromantic era -- the machine age. Queen Anne became an architectural fashion in the 1880s and 1890s, when the industrial revolution was building up steam.

Although easy to spot, the Queen Anne style is difficult to define. Many are lavished with gingerbread woodwork, while others are made of brick or stone. A large number have turrets, but this crowning touch is not necessary to make a house a queen. Fanciful and flamboyant, Queen Anne architecture takes on many shapes and sizes. Some Queen Anne houses are lavishly decorated and others are restrained in their embellishments.

Bartons is an excellent example of this style and the only one in the New Plymouth area of significance.

RENOVATIONS

The kitchen was completely renovated in 2004 creating classic clean lines with a high quality finish. The gentle flow from the kitchen to the outdoor entertainment area was well planned to merge both areas. Through the reconstruction of the kitchen, all galvanized water pipes were removed from the entire house and replaced. At the same time three Infinity gas hot water units were installed.

The upstairs and bedrooms of the house were extensively renovated in 2007 creating four bedrooms each with their own sumptuous ensuite. Throughout the renovation, the native Kauri and Rimu skirting boards and architrave were carefully either reused or new profiles were cut to the exact dimensions and wood type of the original profiles. The house is heated by three gas fireplaces as well as central heating. Several areas of the house also boast under floor tile heating.

The exterior of the house was fully painted in 2002. This involved stripping back to the wood and then spray painting with three coats of paint. This project was undertaken by professional painters. The roof of the house is primarily clad with Marseilles clay tiles. The remainder of the roof above the double garage was replaced with colour steel in 2003. The house was re-piled in 1999

In 2008 the vendors undertook another substantial renovation completing a separate well appointed, self-contained studio with kitchenette and bathroom which may serve a variety of purposes.

THE GROUNDS

The property is total is 4840 m², a little over one acre. There are two titles to the property however the hope would be that the property would remain as one to preserve its magnificence and splendor.

Designed to bring interest all year round the garden has extensive roses, hydrangeas, magnolias and box hedging giving the gardens a very English feel, in keeping with the style of the house. There are two protected trees on the property which are the large Puriris located next to the driveway. A sprinkler system installed in 2003 covers 75% of the garden, so irrigating the garden means simply turning a tap.

With the extensive gardens comes the bird life. Often spotted are Wood Pigeons and Tui feeding on the native Puriri or Pohutukawa trees. The Dovetailed Pigeons are always entertaining, usually congregating in their houses to be fed along with a Morepork that often resides in the mature trees on the property.

The inviting in-ground salt-water pool was added to the property in1991. Extensive use of Melbourne bluestone around the pool makes this area a great summer spot. The peaked octagonal house in the pool area was originally part of a church that was demolished in the late 1970's and then moved onto the site. Its roof was replaced in 2004 and turned into an area where pool users could get changed.

The Astroturf tennis court was installed on the property in 1998. The extensive use of bluestone paving around these areas and the outdoor fire make them wonderful places to gather with friends and family in the summer.