Why is this place significant?

Andrew Buchanan was issued with the title for the land in North East Valley in 1863, though newspaper reports indicated he was living there by 1861. By 1863, Dr Buchanan, a medical professional trained in Scotland, had established a comfortable town estate, which he called ‘Chingford’ after his home in England. Buchanan spent much of his time at his pastoral property at Patearoa in Central Otago. He was a key figure in the treatment of those with ‘mental affliction’ and the development of lunatic asylums. Chingford was advertised for sale or lease in December 1863. The advertisement noted ‘[t]he house is nearly new, and contains ten rooms, There are also a dairy, detached kitchen, stable, coach-house, fowl-house, piggery, orchard, and garden.’ Andrew Buchanan left New Zealand in 1873. For a time, his daughter Janet and her husband William Baldwin lived in the house. Chingford was advertised for sale again in 1876. This time the house (nine rooms), with ‘semi-detached kitchen, dairy, &c. all substantially built and finished, and supplied with every convenience. The offices comprise 4-stall stable, coach-house, harness room, cow shed, fowl-house, &c.’ Dunedin merchant Percival Clay Neill (1842-1936) bought Chingford in 1877; the estate was to be his home for six decades. Neill made substantial additions to the house and set about establishing the grounds and outbuildings. Dunedin architectural partnership Mason and Wales advertised for tenders to ‘erect stables and coachhouse, of Stone or Brick’ in November 1880. Of the outbuildings, the coachhouse and stables were the most substantial. Chingford Stables are built of Leith Valley andesite with facings of pale Port Chalmers breccia. The roof is slate with mixed bands of fish-tailed and square slates. The basement has smaller blocks of andesite under a heavy band of Port Chalmers breccia. The interior was lined with tongue and groove panelling, and the floors were plaster with a cobble pattern. The stalls were divided by cast iron columns supporting a cast iron frieze. Originally the windows were lead-lighted; however, the leadlight windows have been replaced with painted timber. In February 1883, Chingford was advertised as available to let ‘for a term of years’ – as Neill was planning to travel to England. Neill’s additions to the property had resulted in a ‘SUBSTANTIAL DWELLING-HOUSE of 11 ROOMS, exclusive of Kitchen, Scullery, Laundry, and Pantries, all fitted throughout with the latest and most improved conveniences. Gas, hot and cold water, electric bells, &c. throughout the house. The Outbuildings comprise STABLE of bluestone, containing two stalls, two large loose boxes, coachhouse, harness-room, and groom’s room, fitted in the most expensive and complete manner. Also, LODGE, containing three rooms; CONSERVATORY and VINERY, with seven vines in full bearing’ COWHOUSE paved with concrete.’ The extensive grounds were planted and laid out with flowers and specimen trees. ‘The whole property is in splendid order, and forms without exception the finest suburban residence in or around Dunedin.’ In May 1890, the Otago Daily Times reported that ‘a stable and coachhouse’ at Chingford was ‘destroyed by fire’ the previous evening. The horses, harness and buggies were saved, but by the time the brigade arrived ‘it was then almost hopeless to attempt to combat the flames, which had obtained a very strong hold.’ The building was ‘completely gutted.’ The stone stable ‘was quite a recent structure’ and was insured for £1000. Soon afterwards, Neill & Co. advertised for tenders for ‘Carpenters, Plumbing, Painting, and Slating Work’ on the stable at Chingford. Plans and specifications were available at the offices of Neill & Co. From this notice it is assumed that the interior of the stables was reinstated. Neill died in 1936. Soon afterwards, the Dunedin City Council purchased Chingford with its 24-acre grounds, ‘with all the appearance and beauty of a fine old English park.’ A 1937 subdivision plan shows the layout of the estate and the location of the buildings – the house sits at the end of a tree-lined circular drive, small outbuildings cluster around the house, with the stables to the southwest. A second driveway runs to the stables. Two structures sit close to the circular drive by Ohaiho Creek (Lindsay’s Creek), and another two sit on the North Road side of the creek close to the stable access road. The estate was seen as one of the best in the city. The Otago Daily Times proclaimed the estate ‘the most admirably situated and most beautifully adorned parks in a city noted for its reserves and gardens.’ The city planned to develop the area as picnic and recreation grounds. It was hoped that some of the outbuildings could be converted into dressing rooms and shelters for sports grounds, and that the homestead might make a good cabaret. War intervened, putting the area to a more practical use. During World War Two, part of the land was used to grow vegetables by the Women’s War Service Auxiliary. Later the council developed the area into playing fields and a public park. In 1968, the homestead was demolished, considered too costly to restore. Meanwhile, the stables were used as storage for council equipment. The lodge was also demolished. In the 1970s, the stables were used by community arts groups. In 2014, Chingford Stables stand in the park planted by P. C. Neill, the remnant of his grand estate, and are used as a venue for weddings and community events.

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION (Style): The stables are built in a neo-Gothic style that matched that of the original wooden homestead. MODIFICATIONS: The building has been greatly modified inside and an external wooden stairway built on the back wall to the loft. The main façade is unaltered except that the leadlights have been replaced with painted wood.

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Other Information

A fully referenced upgrade report is available on request from the Otago/Southland Area Office of Heritage New Zealand. This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. This report includes the text from the original Building Classification Committee report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rarangi Korero identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions.