The following text was prepared as part of an upgrade project and was completed 09 December 2001: They had been allowed to select 400 acres at Riccarton in exchange for the land they had purchased in Manawatu and Nelson. They also rented, from Ngai Tahu, all the land that lay within six miles from their freehold property, which included the site selected by the Canterbury Association for the settlement of Christchurch. After much negotiation with the Canterbury Association the Deans relinquished this land in exchange for Run 41, 'Homebush', also registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust Pouhere Taonga.By 1844 John and William had planted cabbages, peas, potatoes, onions and leeks. They also planted fruit trees and other exotics, such as hawthorne (for hedging) and oaks.Jane Deans expanded the garden and planted many exotic conifers and other trees. By 1874 she could say that over 100 varieties of forest trees had been planted at Riccarton. In 1876 she developed a vast kitchen garden, with borders of flowers for cutting, on the opposite side of the river from the house. When her daughter-in-law, Catherine Edith, who married John Deans II in 1879, took over the flower gardens they developed into informal mixed borders contained rhododendrons, roses and many perennials. This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. The following text is from the original Building Classification Committee report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. DESCRIPTION: Canterbury's first colonial settlers were the Deans brothers, William and John, who arrived in the province in 1843. In that year the brothers settled in Riccarton, called Putaringamotu by local Maori who used the bush in pre-European times, where they built a slab hut and then Deans' Cottage which is the oldest extant building in Canterbury. Both William and John Deans died suddenly in the early 1850s but John's widow Jane (1823-1911) continued to develop the Riccarton estate and she was also responsible for building the 1856 and 1874 wings of Riccarton House. The latter was erected to accommodate the guests who assembled to celebrate John Deans II's coming of age in that year. John Deans II erected the largest section of the house in 1900 by which time he undoubtedly needed more room to house his twelve children. As early as 1850 half of the fifty-five acres of forest at Riccarton had been given by the Deans to the Canterbury settlers and in 1914 John Deans III gifted the remainder of Riccarton Bush to the people of Christchurch. Family members continued to live in Riccarton House until 1947 and today they still play an active role in the property's administration. Riccarton House is currently used as a community function centre and future plans for the building provide for greater public access after sympathetic restoration of the building.

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. The following text is from the original Building Classification Committee report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. ARCHITECT/ENGINEER/DESIGNER: James Johnson (1856) Mr Marley (1874) Robert England, Architect (1900) ARCHITECT/ENGINEER/DESIGNER: James Johnson was the builder who was responsible for the earliest part of Riccarton House and a Mr Marley was the architect engaged by Jane Deans to design the 1874 addition (Notes for Riccarton House Guides, 1990). Evidently while Johnson took great care in his work, Marley's addition was not very satisfactory, particularly as he did not allow sufficient space for the stairs and a gap had to be cut in the ceiling for headroom (Ibid). The dominant architectural character of Riccarton House is, however, created by the third stage of the building which was designed by the R W England. Robert William England (1863-1908) was one of Canterbury's foremost architects around the turn of the century. Son of a well-known local builder and timber merchant, England set up practice in 1886, having recently received his architectural training in England. He subsequently formed a partnership with his younger brother, Edward Herbert (1875-c.1953), which was known especially for its domestic work. In addition to a number of commercial buildings and the substantial alterations made to Cridland's St Andrew's Presbyterian Church (1889-91), the England brothers also designed Holly Lea (1899-1902) and several large houses on Christchurch's Bealey Avenue. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION: Riccarton House is a large two-storeyed building which was built in three stages between 1856 and 1900. Resting upon concrete foundations the house is clad in lapped weatherboards over a light timber frame with Western Red Cedar shingles on the roof. In plan the house is basically rectangular with the 1856 and 1874 wings projecting from the east wall of the main section and the former chauffeur's quarters and the curator's garage projecting from the west. The principal facade is north facing and combines within it the humble appearance of the 1856 wing and the late Victorian exuberance of the latest section. The latter forms the largest part of the house and establishes its architectural character; bringing together elements of Queen Anne domestic architecture with the late Victorian villa style. Gabled roof forms crown individual bays and wings, creating a picturesque roofline which helps to reconcile the different stages of the building's construction. Decorative timberwork is the principal feature of the 1900 section of the facade but elsewhere the building is quite restrained in its exterior massing. Sash windows light the rooms within which are grouped around a large entrance hall which features wood panelling cut from oak trees grown on the property. The front half of the house which contains the major living areas, on the ground floor, and bedrooms above, is used to host function and to accommodate various clubs. Part of the rear section of the building houses the curators' quarters on the ground floor and is unused on the first floor. MODIFICATIONS: 1874 - Two storeyed addition made to original building. Bay window ground floor and dormer window first floor added to original section. 1900 - North-west wing added to house. Verandah added to north side of 1874 addition. Post 1911 - Roof of 1856 section raised to full height and dormer window therein replaced by a triple casement. Plain window in north end of 1856 wing replaced by a bow window and a small window installed in east elevation of the same wing (both these alterations made at first floor level).