Located 14 kilometres out of Bulls at Parewanui, the grand nature of the Flock House homestead is emphasised by its entrance, a long curving driveway lined with old trees and waterways. Constructed in 1908, the homestead has been associated with prominent landowners in the Rangitikei district, and a unique movement that assisted the dependants of veterans from World War One.
The land at Parewanui was sold to the Crown by Ngati Apa as part of the Rangitikei Purchase in 1849. From the mid 1850s, farmers from the overcrowded Wellington settlement travelled up the country and began settling in the area. The land on which the Homestead was later constructed was purchased from the Government by Thomas McKenzie in 1853 and named 'Poyntzfield'. In 1907 the McKenzie family sold the land to Lyn McKelvie, who amalgamated it with his own estate 'Flock House' to create an estate of over 3000 acres. The following year, Lyn McKelvie contracted the Wanganui based firm Russell & Bignell to construct a homestead on the property. The firm had been responsible for both designing and building Pukemarama (Category I, Reg #1191), the home of Lynn McKelvie's brother, in 1901. Flock House, however, was designed by Hurst Seager & Wood of Christchurch.
Completed in 1908, Flock House is a three-storey, residential structure designed to an 'L' shaped plan which features early elements of the Arts and Crafts style that became popular in New Zealand in the 1930s. Erected on a concrete foundation, with a timber frame, the building has a tiled roof and is partially roughcast. The layout of the homestead clearly separates public and private spaces. The form of the building is complex and ornate. The L-shape plan of the house features numerous porches, entry foyers and gable windows. These are oriented to maximise access to sun and light, and to frame views across the formal gardens.
In 1918, just prior to the end of World War One, a new fund known as the 'New Zealand Sheep Owners Acknowledgement of Debt to the British Seamen Fund' was created. Established by the Farmers Union from surplus profits from wool sales, the fund was designed to assist dependants of veteran seamen from the Royal Navy and Mercantile Marine who had been disabled, or lost their lives during the war effort. Towards this end, the Fund purchased the McKelvie property, including Flock House Homestead and 34 lots of land, in 1923 for use as an agricultural training farm. Shortly after the sale Lynn McKelvie, the former owner of the estate donated a flagpole, which was erected at the front of the house, in commemoration of the event on 1 March 1924. Flock House was officially opened as a training farm for the sons of British seamen on 19 June 1924. The school provided education in all branches of farming and was also intended to build character and provide an general understanding of farming as an occupation. In 1931 the economic depression resulted in the cancellation of boys being transferred from Britain. It was then used to train sons of New Zealand servicemen, whose education was subsidised by the First Labour Government. In 1937 Flock House was sold to the Government. In 1947 the school was opened to all 'New Zealand boys of from 14.5 to 18 years of age who have passed the necessary medical examination and are of good character'. Flock House was operated under the Department of Agriculture and continued to serve as an Agricultural Training Centre until the 1980s. In 1995, Flock House was transferred into private ownership and until late 2003 was used a conference facility. The house then went into receivership and its future is currently uncertain.
Flock House Homestead is significant on both a national, and a regional level. The history of estate is intimately tied to the early settlement of the Rangitikei region and the house, one of the grandest homes in the region, has both aesthetic and architectural significance as a very early example of the Arts and Crafts style. The 1924 purchase of the Homestead and Estate drew it into the nation's story of war relief. Flock House Homestead is culturally significant as a symbol of the close links between New Zealand and Britain during the First World War and New Zealand's acknowledgement of the part played by the British Seamen in concluding the conflict. The support by New Zealanders of this 'living war memorial', also gives it social significance. The purchase of the building by the newly appointed Labour Government in 1937 also reflects the growing historical trend towards the development of New Zealand's agricultural training facilities.
The land at Parewanui was sold to the Crown by Ngati Apa as part of the Rangitikei Purchase in 1849. From the mid 1850s, farmers from the overcrowded Wellington settlement travelled up the country and began settling in the area. The land on which the Homestead was later constructed was purchased from the Government by Thomas McKenzie in 1853 and named 'Poyntzfield'. In 1907 the McKenzie family sold the land to Lyn McKelvie, who amalgamated it with his own estate 'Flock House' to create an estate of over 3000 acres. The following year, Lyn McKelvie contracted the Wanganui based firm Russell & Bignell to construct a homestead on the property. The firm had been responsible for both designing and building Pukemarama (Category I, Reg #1191), the home of Lynn McKelvie's brother, in 1901. Flock House, however, was designed by Hurst Seager & Wood of Christchurch.
Completed in 1908, Flock House is a three-storey, residential structure designed to an 'L' shaped plan which features early elements of the Arts and Crafts style that became popular in New Zealand in the 1930s. Erected on a concrete foundation, with a timber frame, the building has a tiled roof and is partially roughcast. The layout of the homestead clearly separates public and private spaces. The form of the building is complex and ornate. The L-shape plan of the house features numerous porches, entry foyers and gable windows. These are oriented to maximise access to sun and light, and to frame views across the formal gardens.
In 1918, just prior to the end of World War One, a new fund known as the 'New Zealand Sheep Owners Acknowledgement of Debt to the British Seamen Fund' was created. Established by the Farmers Union from surplus profits from wool sales, the fund was designed to assist dependants of veteran seamen from the Royal Navy and Mercantile Marine who had been disabled, or lost their lives during the war effort. Towards this end, the Fund purchased the McKelvie property, including Flock House Homestead and 34 lots of land, in 1923 for use as an agricultural training farm. Shortly after the sale Lynn McKelvie, the former owner of the estate donated a flagpole, which was erected at the front of the house, in commemoration of the event on 1 March 1924. Flock House was officially opened as a training farm for the sons of British seamen on 19 June 1924. The school provided education in all branches of farming and was also intended to build character and provide an general understanding of farming as an occupation. In 1931 the economic depression resulted in the cancellation of boys being transferred from Britain. It was then used to train sons of New Zealand servicemen, whose education was subsidised by the First Labour Government. In 1937 Flock House was sold to the Government. In 1947 the school was opened to all 'New Zealand boys of from 14.5 to 18 years of age who have passed the necessary medical examination and are of good character'. Flock House was operated under the Department of Agriculture and continued to serve as an Agricultural Training Centre until the 1980s. In 1995, Flock House was transferred into private ownership and until late 2003 was used a conference facility. The house then went into receivership and its future is currently uncertain.
Flock House Homestead is significant on both a national, and a regional level. The history of estate is intimately tied to the early settlement of the Rangitikei region and the house, one of the grandest homes in the region, has both aesthetic and architectural significance as a very early example of the Arts and Crafts style. The 1924 purchase of the Homestead and Estate drew it into the nation's story of war relief. Flock House Homestead is culturally significant as a symbol of the close links between New Zealand and Britain during the First World War and New Zealand's acknowledgement of the part played by the British Seamen in concluding the conflict. The support by New Zealanders of this 'living war memorial', also gives it social significance. The purchase of the building by the newly appointed Labour Government in 1937 also reflects the growing historical trend towards the development of New Zealand's agricultural training facilities.
