Blakiston, South Australia
Encyclopedia
Blakiston is a town in the Australia
n state of South Australia
. The town is located approximately 36 kilometres (22.4 mi) south east of the state capital, Adelaide
, adjacent to the Princes Highway
. Its postal code is 5250 - though it has no post office. Post is delivered to the neighbouring town of Littlehampton
which shares the post code. The town and surrounding countryside make up around 16 square kilometres. At the 2006 census
, Blakiston and the surrounding area had a population of 697..
Blakiston has been occupied since 1846. The town was founded by Francis Davison and named for his ancestral home, Blakiston Hall in County Durham
. Its main (only) landmarks include a roadside pub and stage house (currently a private house), a cheese factory converted to a private residence, St James Church (consecrated in 1846) and neighbouring rectory
, a demolished school house and the large residence of Blakiston House as well as a smaller residence. Rumour has it that the old school house was in fact demolished by rampaging cattle some time in the mid-20th century. All of these structures date from the mid to late 19th century and are constructed from a mix of pink sandstone
and red brick. The Church and Rectory are listed buildings. On the lower east wall of the Church are some small carvings of sailing ships, possibly dating back to the mid-19th century. Blakiston is surrounded by a mixture of pastureland and eucalyptus
forest and includes a few other houses dating from the mid twentieth century.
Blakiston has no signs or markers indicating that it is a separate town from the close by town of Littlehampton. In fact Blakiston is in the process of being absorbed into the suburban area of Littlehampton and as a result is losing much of its individual character.
in South Australia. The 10 acres (4 ha) of the Church, Cemetery and Rectory was bought by George Morphett and Samuel Stocks from McFarlane in 1843 and was given for the building of the church in May 1846. Sentence of consecration
was pronounced and the Church consecrated by the Lord Bishop of Adelaide on 28 April 1848. The Church is constructed of sandstone and includes the Chapel and Rector's changing room. The Church includes some pretty stained glass windows, old pews and a small organ. Adjacent to the Church is a small bell tower of later heritage. As of 2008, the Church and cemetery are still in use, while the Rectory and surrounding acreage are rented by the Church of England to private tenants.
The Rectory is a single story sandstone building dating back to the construction of the Church. It includes 6 main rooms, including: a formal dining room, Rector's study, bedroom, formal living room and two other smaller rooms of unknown use. A newer addition was added to the house in the early 20th century which today includes the kitchen/breakfast room and a bathroom. The house has an old disused cellar. The roof of the Rectory is made of corrugated iron but hides an original timber shingle roof. The shingle roof can no longer be seen but is thought to be in pristine condition. A number of past tenants of the Rectory have reported sighting a ghostly figure in the Rector's study. The alleged apparition is of an old man, sitting and quietly reading.
Behind the Rectory is the old three-sided barn, also made of sandstone, with an earth floor. One of the walls collapsed in the early 1980s and was inadequately replaced with corrugated iron cladding.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. The town is located approximately 36 kilometres (22.4 mi) south east of the state capital, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, adjacent to the Princes Highway
Princes Highway
The Princes Highway extends from Sydney to Port Augusta via the coast through the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, a distance of 1941 km or 1898 km via the former alignments of the highway ....
. Its postal code is 5250 - though it has no post office. Post is delivered to the neighbouring town of Littlehampton
Littlehampton, South Australia
Littlehampton is a small town in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia. At the 2006 census, Littlehampton had a population of 2,064.Littlehampton was laid out in 1849 by Benjamin Gray who named it after his native town in Sussex. By 1890 Littlehampton had become a busy industrial area. There were...
which shares the post code. The town and surrounding countryside make up around 16 square kilometres. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Blakiston and the surrounding area had a population of 697..
Blakiston has been occupied since 1846. The town was founded by Francis Davison and named for his ancestral home, Blakiston Hall in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
. Its main (only) landmarks include a roadside pub and stage house (currently a private house), a cheese factory converted to a private residence, St James Church (consecrated in 1846) and neighbouring rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
, a demolished school house and the large residence of Blakiston House as well as a smaller residence. Rumour has it that the old school house was in fact demolished by rampaging cattle some time in the mid-20th century. All of these structures date from the mid to late 19th century and are constructed from a mix of pink sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
and red brick. The Church and Rectory are listed buildings. On the lower east wall of the Church are some small carvings of sailing ships, possibly dating back to the mid-19th century. Blakiston is surrounded by a mixture of pastureland and eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
forest and includes a few other houses dating from the mid twentieth century.
Blakiston has no signs or markers indicating that it is a separate town from the close by town of Littlehampton. In fact Blakiston is in the process of being absorbed into the suburban area of Littlehampton and as a result is losing much of its individual character.
St James Church of England
St James Church of England, in the town of Blakiston, is the fifth oldest Anglican ChurchAnglican Church of Australia
The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. It was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania...
in South Australia. The 10 acres (4 ha) of the Church, Cemetery and Rectory was bought by George Morphett and Samuel Stocks from McFarlane in 1843 and was given for the building of the church in May 1846. Sentence of consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
was pronounced and the Church consecrated by the Lord Bishop of Adelaide on 28 April 1848. The Church is constructed of sandstone and includes the Chapel and Rector's changing room. The Church includes some pretty stained glass windows, old pews and a small organ. Adjacent to the Church is a small bell tower of later heritage. As of 2008, the Church and cemetery are still in use, while the Rectory and surrounding acreage are rented by the Church of England to private tenants.
The Rectory is a single story sandstone building dating back to the construction of the Church. It includes 6 main rooms, including: a formal dining room, Rector's study, bedroom, formal living room and two other smaller rooms of unknown use. A newer addition was added to the house in the early 20th century which today includes the kitchen/breakfast room and a bathroom. The house has an old disused cellar. The roof of the Rectory is made of corrugated iron but hides an original timber shingle roof. The shingle roof can no longer be seen but is thought to be in pristine condition. A number of past tenants of the Rectory have reported sighting a ghostly figure in the Rector's study. The alleged apparition is of an old man, sitting and quietly reading.
Behind the Rectory is the old three-sided barn, also made of sandstone, with an earth floor. One of the walls collapsed in the early 1980s and was inadequately replaced with corrugated iron cladding.