Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value Corstorphine House was the home of the Sidey family from the early 1860s until 1957. John Sidey is said to have built a small cottage on the property after his marriage in 1858 and began work on the present house in 1863. This does not tally with the Land Registry records which show that David Calder, settler, was given the grant on the land in 1862, received the freehold by application in 1872 and sold to John Sidey in 1874. However, in the land records for the section owned by John Sidey on which the Southern Cross Hotel stands, Sidey is described in 1860 as settler of Corstorphine near Dunedin. He also raised a mortgage of 300 pounds in 1857 and gave up his store on the High Street land at the same time. It is likely that the land ownership of Corstorphine was delayed in being transferred because of difficulties with the Crown grant system. The northern wing of the house was built first and had its front door where a hall ends at the big stained glassed window. In 1909 the land was transferred to the names of John and his two sons, Thomas and Arthur. About 1910 when John Sidey was in his eighties, the house was extended to about triple its size, presumably for the sake of T K Sidey, by then joint owner of the property. The latter had been Mayor of Caversham (1894-1899, 1901) and held the Caversham seat and after 1908 the Dunedin South seat in Parliament. He introduced the Dentists' Bill in 1904 which led to the establishment of the Dental School in Dunedin. He was also Chancellor of the University (1925-1933). The family presented the University with a clock for the clock tower in 1927 to commemorate Sir Thomas's success in introducing a Daylight Saving bill which he had promoted since 1909. His son, T K S Sidey, has been Councillor and Mayor of Dunedin.

Physical Significance

Architectural Significance: This is a large but simply designed version of the Dunedin villa without the usual double storied bay windows. It is one of the few Dunedin villas showing Palladian influence. Townscape/landmark Significance: The gardens form a significant green space in the suburban slope above Caversham.