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Date: 1837 Client: Rev. James Barrow Type: Cottage Status: Extant

The cottage opposite St John's Church was built in 1837 for the Rev. James Barrow who was instrumental in the building of St John's. The church was completed on 31st of December 1837 and the first service was held on new years day 1838. The Rev. Barrow was without accommodation and the church had no money. He had been living with the Walter Currie family whose home had been struck by lightening and burnt down, hence the building of the cottage. The settler cottage was built with upright sneezewood poles, the walls of basket weave wattling covered with lime plaster (sand, lime and cement). The roofing is of thatch under 1820 iron – the original is still in use. (In August zinc was being offered in sheets of 7 x 2 ft @ 6/- per super foot, a lesser fire risk than thatch roofing). Most of the rafters were sneezewood still with the bark and a few yellow-wood. The floor was of beaten earth smeared with "mis" (kraal manure). There are two chains hanging in the chimney. The window sills were of sneezewood – there are still two of the original. The "lean to" kitchen was built of soft red brick which had disintegrated. This has been rebuilt on the original foundation. Two corners had to be re-inforced, settler lime stone being used. The cottage was in use until some time in the fifties. Before restoration it was almost a complete ruin, the chimney about to fall down and very little of the walls left. The Rev. James Barrow was priest in charge at Bathurst from 1833 to 1865. He married Emmarentia Truter in 1850. They had three children. One daughter died at the age of six and is buried at St John's cemetery. He was appointed in May, arrived in July and took office in August 1933. Information from Morse Jones Chronicles. Compiled by Joan Andrag – Bathurst.