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| St Andrews
Church on the Village Green
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Westbury (including Hagley)
Historic village with a decidedly English
feel.
There is an argument that if the English village
is some kind of high point of charm then
Westbury, the most English of all villages in
Australia, is certainly a place worthy of
visiting and languidly experiencing. Yes, it has
everything a cliched English village has. A
village green, lots of tree-lined streets, old
courtyards and stables, elegant old inns and so
many charming houses the visitor could easily
spend a day just wandering around the streets.
Westbury is really a feast of beautiful old
buildings. It is lovely beyond belief. There are
so many historic homes that the visitor seems to
go on an endless voyage of discovery where
around every corner there is a new and exciting
building. There are so many superb buildings in
the town that many of them haven't even made the
National Trust. This is a town with a true
excess of delights.
Located on the Bass Highway 34 km from
Launceston and 64 km from Burnie, Westbury is a
classified historic town. The town came into
existence in the early 1820s. It was surveyed in
1823 and by 1828 Governor Arthur ordered that
the townsite be laid out with a view to Westbury
becoming a major stopover point on the route
from Hobart to the northwest coast which, at the
time, was being opened up by the Van Diemen's
Land Company. The scale of the survey was such
that it is clear there were plans for Westbury
to become a city.
By 1832 Lieutenant Ball and a detachment of
troops were stationed near the Village Green.
Four years later the town's population comprised
227 free men and women and 317 convicts.
The town never did grow. Consequently this
early plan for a substantial township has been
held in aspic. It is a town where time has stood
still.
Things to see:
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| One of the
many attractive houses in Westbury
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The Village Green
Turn west off main road at Lonsdales Prom and
you will come to the Village Green. It is said
to be the only true village green in Australia.
Certainly in the 1830s, with the soldiers
stationed nearby, it was used for parades and
archery competitions. Prisoners were put in
stock on the green and it would have been alive
with fairs during the summer months.
Some interesting Historic Homes
White House
The White House is located at the western end of
Lonsdales Prom. Perhaps the most famous of all
the houses in Westbury, the White House stands
on land which was granted to Thomas White on 4
November, 1841. A few years later White
established a store and domestic residence on
the site and in 1855 it became known as White's
Token Store when he made some penny tokens which
could be used to buy goods in the store. White
left the building in 1859 and over the next
century it was variously a steam flour mill, a
bakery, a bus depot and a bicycle hire factory.
After extensive renovation, the White House was
opened to the public in 1971. It is a
fascinating combination of its past history with
a well-preserved 19th century house (it
comprises a dining room, small sitting room,
large sitting room, bedroom, attic bedroom and
kitchen) as well as a Cycle Display, a Vintage
Car Museum and bakery. The National Trust
operates the property. For opening times and
other information contact (03) 6331 9077
St Andrews Church
Directly opposite the Village Green and
dominating the landscape is St Andrews Anglican
church which was built between 1836 and 1890 -
the foundation stone was laid in 1836, the nave
was opened in 1842, the church was consecrated
in 1851, the tower was added in 1859 and the
chancel was completed in 1890. The church is
noted for its fine carvings particularly 'The
seven sisters' chancel screen. They were all
completed by Mrs Ellen Nora Payne who was born
and grew up in the village. Next door to the
church is an attractive two storey brick house
which was built in the 1840s and became the
residence for Westbury Council clerks.
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| Fitzpatrick's
Inn |
Fitzpatricks Inn
Located at the southern end of town Fitzpatricks
Inn was opened in 1833 as the Commercial Hotel.
It was the first hotel in Westbury. In the 1890s
it was acquired by the Fitzpatrick family who
renamed it Fitzpatricks Hotel. It remained in
the family for a century and gained a reputation
as a fine hotel. It is recognised as a fine
example of a Georgian Inn although it is worth
noting that the classical portico at the front
was added in the early 1900s.
Dr Wood Surgery
Dr Woods Surgery, 3 Lonsdale Street, Westbury.
This house was marked on an 1832 map as
'Surgeon'. In April 1832 The Garrison was a
detachment of the 4th Foot Regiment later the
Royal Lancashire Regiment, the King's Own.
Westbury was also garrisoned in 1832 by the 63rd
Regiment of Foot, later the 1st Battalion of the
Manchester Regiment, this is the regiment in
which Captain Lonsdale served after whom this
road is named
Pearn's Steam World
Pearn's Steam World on the Bass Highway at
Westbury (between the Village Green turnoff and
Fitzpatricks Inn) has over 100 steam engines
ranging from trains to complex pieces of
agricultural equipment. It is reputedly the
largest collection of steam engines in
Australia.
Hagley
Located 7 km east of Westbury, Hagley has some
particularly impressive buildings including
Hagley House (2km east of the town) which was
built in 1826 by Captain W.T. Lyttleton and St
Marys Anglican Church which has numerous
connections with Sir Richard Dry, the first
Tasmanian-born Premier of the state. Sir Richard
was buried in the church grounds but later
removed to a vault under the chancel. His wife
donated the church's fine eastern stained glass
window.
