Cob House

16 Aniseed Valley Road, HOPE

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Cob House, constructed in 1863, in the Nelson settlement of Hope is a modest rural cob and timber, two storey, homestead on the junction of State Highway 6 and Aniseed Valley Road. The house is set amid a large property which contains an apple orchard, and despite its long history has only been in the ownership of two families. After the New Zealand Company established its Nelson settlement in 1841, areas close to this nucleus began to develop due to settlers being allocated large tracks of land to farm, and this in turn led to the creation of settlements such as Hope. By the late 1860s Hope was becoming a well-established community, characterised by the German descent of most of its residents, whose economy was based on agricultural and horticultural activities. It was early in the 1860s that Christina Berkertt (nee Busch) and her husband William, established their farm in Hope and subsequently built their homestead that would eventually house their nine children. This family continued to reside in Cob House until well into the twentieth century through the ownership of the Busch family. By the mid twentieth century the apple and other horticultural industries had established themselves as key contributors within the Nelson economy. As such when the property passed into Hoddy family ownership during this period it is not surprising that they established an apple orchard there, which the Hoddys have continued to develop. Despite the use of the surrounding property changing, Cob House has remained relatively the same, maintaining its function as a rural residence and predominantly keeping its original form. The cob of the lower level as well as timber of the upper storey and in other components was the subject of a repair and replacement project in the late twentieth century. Notable original features of the structure include the numerous dormer windows with decorative bargeboards which punctuate the hipped roof, the expansive verandah, and the cellar. Cob House is primarily significant because its construction in the 1860s and the use of cob mean that it is a characteristic, and now relatively rare, example of what was a prevalent form and mode of rural dwelling in the Nelson region in its early period of European settlement. The construction of the house and the long ownership of the Berkett/Busch family who were of German descent has imbued the structure with further historical value because this family is typical of those who established and developed the rural settlement of Hope. The change of function of the property in the mid to late twentieth century, and occupation of Cob House, by the Hoddy family is also important because it is reflective of the strengthening of the apple industry within the local economy at that time.

Cob House, Hoddy’s Orchard | Karen Astwood | 01/06/2009 | Heritage New Zealand
Cob House, Hoddy's Orchard | R McClean | 21/01/2004 | Heritage New Zealand

Location

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List Entry Information

Overview

Detailed List Entry

Status

Listed

List Entry Status

Historic Place Category 2

Access

Private/No Public Access

List Number

1633

Date Entered

10th October 2009

Date of Effect

10th October 2009

City/District Council

Tasman District

Region

Tasman Region

Extent of List Entry

Extent includes part of the land described as Lot 2 DP 19338 (RT NL308808), Nelson Land District and the building known as Cob House thereon, and its fittings and fixtures. (Refer to map in Appendix 1 of the registration report for further information).

Legal description

Lot 2 DP 19338 (RT NL308808), Nelson Land District

Location Description

When travelling south from Nelson along State Highway 6/Main Road Hope, travel through the township of Hope and Aniseed Valley Road is located on the south east side of the road. The signage for Hoddy's Orchard and its wide driveway are visible on the south side soon after the intersection of Aniseed Valley Road. After turning into the orchard the driveway forks, after approximately 100 metres, either side of the residential section of the orchard and Cob House is located in between.

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