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SHILLINGLAW COTTAGE
4 PANTHER PLACE ELTHAM, NILLUMBIK SHIRE

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Nillumbik Shire
Shillinghaw Cottage Main Rd Eltham Colour 3 - Shire of Eltham Heritage Study 1992
Shillinghaw Cottage Main Rd Eltham Colour 3 - Shire of Eltham Heritage Study 1992
Shillinghaw Cottage Main Rd Eltham Colour 3 - Shire of Eltham Heritage Study 1992
Shillinghaw Cottage Main Rd Eltham Colour 2 - Shire of Eltham Heritage Study 1992
Shillinghaw Cottage Main Rd Eltham Colour 1 - Shire of Eltham Heritage Study 1992
211 - Shillinghaw Cottage Main Rd Eltham - Shire of Eltham Heritage Study 1992
211 - Shillinghaw Cottage Main Rd Eltham 02 - Shillinglaw Cottage photographed on its original site - Note the local stone section, possibly the kitchen, and the size of the pencil pine trees (ELHPC No. 667/668/733-736) - Shire of Eltham Heritage Study 19
211 - Shillinghaw Cottage Main Rd Eltham 03 - Shire of Eltham Heritage Study 1992
211 - Shillinghaw Cottage Main Rd Eltham 04 - Shire of Eltham Heritage Study 1992
Shillinghaw Cottage Main Rd Eltham Black & White 1 - Shire of Eltham Heritage Study 1992
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Statement of Significance

REVISED STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE, CONTEXT, 2010

What is significant?
The c1878-80 Shillinglaw Cottage, in particular the original building fabric that predates the cottage's relocation in the 1960s, and the surrounding site to a radius of 20 metres.

How is it significant?
The cottage is historically, aesthetically and socially significant to the Shire of Nillumbik.

Why is it significant?
The cottage is historically significant because it is one of the Shire's oldest dwellings and was built within Josiah Holloway's 1850s subdivision known as Little Eltham, which later became the centre of the first Eltham township (Criteria A & B). The cottage is with the work of the well known pioneer builder George Stebbing, built for the pioneer Phillip Shillinglaw and his family (Criteria H). The cottage is aesthetically and historically significant as a fine example of the work of George Stebbing, and unusually features dark coloured brick ends arranged in a Flemish bond (Criteria H, B & E). It is of social significance as an important local landmark since the 1960s, once used as a handicraft and tourist centre, now a restaurant, and as an example of an early local community conservation project which led to the accurate reconstruction of the cottage close to its original site (Criterion G).

BUTLER STUDY, 2001
The former Shillinglaw Cottage is significant to the Metropolitan area and Nillumbik Shire, despite reconstruction in 1963:

- as part of one of the Shire's oldest dwellings;

- for its associations with well-known pioneer builder George Stebbing, Phillip Shillinglaw and the Shillinglaw family for more than 80 years;

- as a fine example of the work of George Stebbing, who built a number of Eltham's most notable structures;

- as a reflection of Josiah Holloway's important 1850s subdivision, known as Little EItham, which became the centre of the first Eltham township { 4} (both original and present site);

- for its dark coloured brick ends arranged in the Flemish Bond brickwork ofthe walls which is rare within the State;

- as an important local landmark over the last three decades, used as a handcraft and tourist centre, now a restaurant; and

- as an example of early local community conservation project which led to the accurate reconstruction of the house close to its original site which is still marked by two Italian cypress.

BASIS OF SIGNIFICANCE:

ILLUSTRATION OF THE THEMES

HISTORY

ARCHITECTURE

ORIGINAL ELTHAM TOWNSHIP

DEGREE OF SIGNIFICANCE: LOCAL SIGNIFICANCE

EXTENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: ENTIRE BUILDING AND SITE TO A RADIUS OF 20 METRES - THE ORIGINAL FABRIC OF THE BUILDING THAT PREDATES THE RELOCATION IS OF PRIMARY SIGNIFICANCE.

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    • Historical Australian Themes

      SHILLINGLAW COTTAGE - Historical Australian Themes

      THE ORIGINAL ELTHAM TOWNSHIP

      8.10.4 Designing and building fine buildings

      8.12 Living in and around Australian homes

      8.14 Living in the country and rural settlements

      Physical Description 1

      SHILLINGLAW COTTAGE - Physical Description 1

      Style Victorian.

      Design basically standard.

      Plan rectangular.

      Single storeyed.

      Walls solid face brick, duochromatic on the facade.

      Roof gabled with no eaves, and slate clad lean-to rear corrugated iron clad.

      Features are the modest scale of the building, the duochromatic facade, front door opening directly into the main room, parapeted side walls, multi-pane windows, chimneys and the rear lean-to. Little original fabric survives internally.

      Features are the modest scale of the building, the dichromatic facade, front door opening directly into the main room, parapeted side walls, multi-pane windows, chimneys and the rear lean-to.

      Little original fabric survives internally. Though completely demolished and rebuilt on its present site, the original fabric of Shilling law Cottage retains its historic significance'

      Early photographs show that the exterior reconstruction was faithful to the original.

      This accentuation of the Flemish bond, using coloured brickwork, is visually distinctive and unmatched by any other similar cottage. in Greater Melbourne. The National Trust of Australia citation is as follows:

      'Shillinglaw's Cottage, Main Road, Eltham, is a single storey dwelling, part being built probably c. 1859, for a Mr. Cochrane by William Stebbin. Th e rectangular main , body ofthe house is constructed in Flemish Bond brickwork with darker headers giving singular distinction to the facade. The roof is slate and some walls are in local stone. Windows are twelve-pane. sashes and relieving arches, sills and gable end walls characterise the facade. Shillinglaw's Cottage, Main Road, Eltham is an early surviving house in the township of Eitham, is of note for its historical associations with the early settlement in the area, is of townscape importance and is unusual architecturally for the strong patterning of the brickwork. The cottage, or rather part of it, is one of the earliest buildings in the area. The patterned brick part, which is probably later, is distinctive and uncommon and is a good example of the planning of basic, early Colonial style cottages. Shillinglaw's Cottage, main Road, Eltham, was moved about 100 metres not so long ago when new Shire Offices were built. Of State significance.'

      Usage/Former Usage

      SHILLINGLAW COTTAGE - Usage/Former Usage

      Original Use: Farmer's cottage.

      Later Use: Handcraft and tourist centre. 1993 Restaurant.

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Nillumbik - Shire of Eltham Heritage Study

      Author: David Bick
      Year: 1992
      Grading:

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