The Penrose homestead is one of the few buildings remaining from the early days of the Lower Hutt settlement. It is also important for its long association with the Knight family. Penrose was built in 1872 by James Knight, the oldest son of William and Mary Knight (nee Penrose) who arrived on the Duke of Roxburgh in February 1840. The house was constructed near the first family dwelling built in the 1840s. The new house was named Penrose after Knight's mother's family estate in Cornwall England. James Knight was a Lower Hutt borough councillor from 1891-1895 and when he died in 1905, the house passed to his son Stannard Knight. Stannard's widow sold the house in 1943. The Knight family name is remembered in the Lower Hutt streets, Knights Road and Penrose Street.

Penrose is rectangular in form, with timber framing and weatherboarding. It has a hipped corrugated iron roof and double-hung sash windows. There have been several alterations, including the addition of French doors, window shutters and conservatory.



This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Proposal for Classification report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration.

Penrose was built in 1872 for James Knight (Lower Hutt Borough Councillor 1891-95). It is a house built in the early New Zealand "functional tradition" featuring the characteristic rectangular form, timber frame, weatherboarding and hipped roof, with the recognisable Georgian/Regency style.

It has had some alterations (non-original French doors, windows shutters and Conservatory), however the main style and appearance has not changed significantly. The house is a rare survivor from the early days of Lower Hutt settlement in the 1860-80 period.