Why is this place significant?

Why is this place Category 1 / Category 2?

The land on which the White House stands was originally part of a 121 acre block granted to Thomas Burns, Gilbert Burns and Alexander [Turner?] between 1863 and 1865 in the then rural district of Andersons Bay on the Otago Peninsula (OT27/262). Thomas Burns apparently had an early residence near the site in the late 1840s, soon after his arrival in Otago. A 1929 biography on Thomas Burns provides further information. Burns established a farm at what was known as 'The Glen' at Andersons Bay and built a stone homestead on site. The stone was quarried at Andersons Point and transported by punt to the site. Stonemasons John Mathews and James Robertson built the house, starting in December 1848. Settler James Scott recalled the location of the house: 'The stone house was close to the beach, built against a bank and was never finished upstairs, this part being used as a workroom.' The property was known as Grant Braes. Thomas Burns' son Arthur lived there for some years before shifting to the Taieri. The house fell into ruin sometime around the 1870s with Scott salvaging some of the timber for buildings on his property. In August 1876 the land was transferred to Barrister James Smith and William Larnach as tenants in common (OT27/262 and OT27/263). New South Wales born William James Mudie Larnach (1833-1898) started his career in banking at the Bank of New South Wales in 1850. In 1867 he moved to Dunedin as manager of the ailing Bank of Otago. He was soon involved in various business concerns including a timber and hardware concern (one of the largest in the country at the time) and land speculation. By the late 1870s he was actively pursuing a political career. His business activities were based on much borrowing and left him vulnerable the vagaries of the colonial economy. The land was subdivided and Lots 32 and 33 were transferred to Larnach in July 1881. According to Lois Galer the building was commissioned by William Larnach and designed by prominent Dunedin architectural partnership Mason and Wales in 1880 and built by a Mr McKinnon. Signed plans reproduced in Hardwicke Knight's biography of Larnach confirm that he commissioned the building, and a Mr McKinnon is also a signatory. It was designed as a hotel, and had stables to the south. The building was originally known as the 'Dandie Dinmont Hotel' (a Dandie Dinmont is a small terrier from the English/Scottish border region) as indicated by the relief lettering shown on the plans. The original plans indicated that the there was a billiards room, dining room, a bar with a parlour, lounge, dining room, and service area with kitchen, scullery and store. The bedrooms were upstairs. Snedden suggests that the Hotel provided a way point on the trip to Larnach's Castle where horses could be stabled. The building was never used as a hotel. The walls of Burns' homestead were pulled down on the construction of the new buildings. Larnach had ideas of developing the area as a suburb of Dunedin, which in the 1870s and 1880s was only accessed by water. Larnach and partner James Smith planned shops and free travel to the suburb aboard Larnach's paddle steamer Colleen. Larnach and Smith subdivided sections in Waverley, with prominent individuals buying land there. Unfortunately the timing was wrong. By 1881 with the failure of the New Zealand Agricultural Company his situation was bleak, compounded by the death of his wife the year before. The economic depression of the 1880s was biting and halted progress. Colleen proved an unseaworthy vessel and was taken off service at the beginning of 1882. The end of the ferry service depreciated the Waverley land by a quarter and the landowners took the subdividers to court. The subdividers had to refund the difference in the price of the sections. The Dandie Dinmont was let to a tenant, and seems to have been tenanted up until at least Larnach's death. The land was transferred to Robert Stanford and Basil Sievwright in March 1882 (Sievwright was Larnach's solicitor), and to Williamina McKenzie in August 1900. The Larnach family retained some interest in the property (as a mortgagor) until 1900. After Larnach's suicide in Parliament buildings in 1898 son Douglas relinquished his interest. The White House's profile was high during the first thirty years of the twentieth century when it was occupied by Miss Williamina MacKenzie (d.1911), her sister Isabella Stevenson and brother in law Robert Stevenson. The grounds were notable and the opulently furnished property became known as Waverley House. After McKenzie's death the land was transferred to her executor Isabella Elliott. In 1933 it was transferred to Violet Leach (who married Robert Gorman). The Gorman's owned the property until 1969. It appears that the condition of the building deteriorated throughout these years, and by the mid-1960s the veranda-conservatory had collapsed. In 1970 it was purchased by the current owner (OT2D/940]. In the early 1970s the property was tenanted by a family who undertook some renovations. The property has been tenanted since that time. From the 1970s concern has been expressed about the condition of the prominently located house, evident in letters to the editor, articles in the newspaper and correspondence with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Since 2006 there has been some repair and maintenance work undertaken, and there have been negotiations between the Dunedin City Council and the owner regarding road stopping to regularise the land titles, with possible conditions including registration and the preparation of a conservation plan. The negotiations are ongoing.

The Dandie Dinmont Hotel is located on Portobello Road, which runs along the base of Otago Peninsula next to the harbour. The building faces Portobello Road while Doon Street loops around the rear of the property. The building sits on a small parcel of land backed by steep tree-clad hills, with modern residences sitting nearby. The two storey building faces west. The main building is rectangular in plan, with two smaller rectangular wings set back from the main building. The rear wing houses the kitchen and associated services. A small turret like observation room sits centrally at roof level, providing access to the roof and a panoramic view over Dunedin City to the west. On the north elevation there is a small timber enclosed verandah with coloured glass windows, with access to a timber deck. Both are in poor condition. The principle façade (west elevation) to Portobello Road has a centrally-placed double door, with two flanking windows on the ground floor. There is a pediment decorated with a circular motif on three sides of the main building. The first floor has three evenly spaced double hung sash windows. The majority of the windows are single light double hung sash windows. French doors have been added to the ground floor on the north elevation. On first floor of the west elevation French Doors previously access to the balcony, which has collapsed. A stone wall runs the length of the section adjoining Portobello Road, with stone gate posts with concrete stairs marking the formal entrance to the property. To the south of the house are the gates which provided access to the stables. The site of the stables is no longer evident and has been levelled with the construction of Doon Street. Much of the section has been levelled and cleared. The main entrance to the house is through the centrally placed front door. The door opens into the formal entrance hall, with stairs accessing the upper floor and observatory rising to the right side of the hall. The timber stairs which rise two floors and have turned banisters and decorative detailing are the most significant architectural detail left in the building. Problems with the roof mean that there has been water penetration, resulting in damage to the interior. Many of the lath and plaster walls and ceilings are in poor condition, and some are in a state of partial collapse. Much of the Dado panelling, where it remains, is in poor condition and suffering from rot as a result of damp. Some rooms show remnant features of the previously grand residence: ornate timber and marble fire surrounds, ceiling roses, and tile work in fire places and in the kitchen. With the exception of the bathroom, which still has an deep inbuilt bath set within an alcove, there is little in the house that provides insight into its historic use or the lives lived within it. The house is currently unoccupied and in poor condition.

Information Sources

Other Information

A copy of the original report is available from the NZHPT Otago/Southland Area Office Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rarangi Korero identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions.