Retreat to
Leconfield House

A testament to the building prowess of the Victorian era, built in 1872, Leconfield House stands proud and tall, overlooking the banks of the Hunter River on a piece of land formerly part of Wyndham Estate. The foundations of the house were built from sandstone quarried nearby, while the bricks were handmade and fired onsite. Built to last, the triple brick walls are an impressive 15 inches thick!

The two-story u-shaped homestead features high ceilings, 12ft downstairs and 10 ft upstairs. The joinery timber used throughout is local Australian red cedar. The U shape is built around an internal courtyard also benefitting from a well which catches rainwater and can store up to 6,000 gallons.

Although the homestead has previously been through both periods of grandeur and neglect, it has been lovingly restored and upgraded with modern amenities while the best efforts have been made to preserve the style of the time with as many authentic fittings and fixtures as possible. The home is furnished with lavish Victorian style furniture, silverware, and glassware. The land surrounding Leconfield house is still being used for the same purpose as it was back in the 1800s, running cattle for a working dairy farm.

Today, Leconfield is a small district situated between Branxton, Dalwood and Greta, with Leconfield House remaining one of the area’s most prominent properties. ‘Leconfield’ hailed from a distant relative of the Wyndham family in England, the Earl of Egremont, who became Baron Leconfield in 1859.

Following landowner, George Wyndham’s death in 1870, a large portion of Dalwood was left to his son, Reginald Horton Wyndham. Reginald chose to build his home on the ridge behind Dalwood House and laid the foundation stone of Leconfield House on 11 December 1871.

Farming was not Reginald’s only interest. Coal had already been collected and mined in Newcastle when the Greta seam was discovered. With coal outcrops visible near Leconfield, Reginald began drilling at various locations on and around the property. His diary records the tension surrounding each day’s discoveries as the seams were measured and assessed to determine whether they formed part of the Greta seam.

In 1888, the Great Greta Coal and Shale Company was formed and mining commenced “at the head of the gully running past the stables”. This marked the beginning of the Leconfield Colliery. Reginald subdivided a corner of the property to establish the village of Leconfield, where blocks were auctioned and miners built their homes. Mining continued for approximately 20 years. Long after the colliery had closed and the subdivision was abandoned, Singleton Council incorporated the former village blocks into the surrounding farms.

Reginald was also actively involved with the newly formed Hereford Society. As a foundation member, he prepared much of the first Hereford Herd Book and arranged for its publication.

Reginald and his first wife, Julia, had one son and four daughters. Following Julia’s death in 1888, he married Kathleen Osborne in 1890. Reginald and Kathleen went on to have five daughters together, and Kathleen lived until 1932.

Following a severe drought and economic depression, Reginald lost Leconfield in 1892 when the bank foreclosed and took possession of the property.

The Kennedy Era

William Kennedy purchased Leconfield at the age of 59, moving from Bomaderry on the South Coast with his wife, Maria, and several of their children. William and Maria, who had operated a dairy farm in Bomaderry, had 12 children and became the second owners of Leconfield House.

At Leconfield, William continued dairying with the help of his family. Shortly after purchasing the property, he was involved in an accident with a bull that seriously affected his health. He later died and was buried in Branxton Cemetery.

Under Maria’s guidance, the family continued to operate the dairy, milking 100 cows by hand each day. Maria eventually retired and lived with one of her daughters, first in Toronto and later in Nowra. She died at the age of 84 and was buried in Branxton Cemetery.

The Redman Era: 1916–1962

Thomas and Mary Elizabeth Redman became the third owners of Leconfield House in 1916. The couple operated the property as a dairy farm and raised 11 children, born between 1895 and 1917. As their children reached working age and married, they occupied the five houses located across the property, including Leconfield House.

The property continued to operate as a dairy farm throughout the Redman era. Leconfield House was vacated by the family in 1959 and remained unoccupied until 1962. During this time, the homestead fell into such a state of disrepair that cattle could wander freely through its rooms.

It has been suggested that the house was vacated following the death of Thomas Redman in the parlour.

The Power Era: 1962–1980

Leconfield House’s fourth owner, Leo Power, purchased the dairy farm with his family in 1962. By this time, the homestead was facing possible demolition as an alternative to restoration. Fortunately, the Power family chose to renovate and reoccupy the historic house.

During the Power era, Leconfield House was subdivided from the surrounding dairy farm and established on its own 13-acre parcel. A right-of-way through the farm provided access to the homestead. The block was carefully surveyed to allow Leo Power to continue training his greyhounds on a track running along the ridge to the south of the house.

The Power family later sold Leconfield House and its surrounding land to Cyril and Milcie Staples, while continuing to share-farm the dairy with the Wenham family. The Wenhams subsequently purchased the dairy farm, which remains in the family and is now owned by Mark and Deanne Wenham.

From 1980 to the Present

Cyril and Milcie Staples became the fifth owners of Leconfield House when they purchased the property on 16 July 1980. They retained ownership until 1993.

The sixth owners, Margaret and Graeme Charlton, relocated from Sydney and became the first to operate Leconfield House as a guesthouse, offering accommodation to visitors exploring the Singleton, Pokolbin and Cessnock regions. They sold the property in 2000.

Luby and Richard Ridley became the seventh owners, holding the property from 2000 until January 2015. During their ownership, they continued to develop Leconfield House as a guesthouse and added private ensuite bathrooms to each bedroom.

Mark Dunford and Richard Holding became the eighth owners of Leconfield House when they purchased the property in January 2015. Since then, they have continued to enhance its gardens and carefully select furnishings and fittings that complement the character of the homestead. They have also constructed a three-bay garage to the south of the house, designed in keeping with the architectural style of Leconfield House.

Today, the historic homestead stands on a peaceful and private 13-acre parcel of land that was once part of the Wyndham Estate. Offering gracious country living and some of the finest views in the Hunter Valley, Leconfield House overlooks the surrounding vineyards and lush farmland, carrying its remarkable history into a new era.