Originally built as a farmhouse in 1926 for a 50 acre farm on what was then the outskirts of the city, this charming bungalow named ‘Stonehall’, has all the features associated with the 1920s: leadlight windows, shingled gables, a slate roof and bay windows at the front. What makes it unique however, is its construction of poured concrete walls (with every room having a trapdoor for underfloor access)
The house was built ‘to last a thousand years’ but with only fencing wire as reinforcing, it sustained structural damage in the earthquakes of 2010/11. At that time too, the two large, tapering roughcast chimneys had to be removed.
On a large section of land, the house is surrounded by mature trees and shrubs which greatly enhance the property and add to the enjoyment of the outdoor living spaces at the rear of the building. Over the years Stonehall has undegone a number of additions and alterations to suit the changing needs of its occupants and now, full of happy memories it has been the much loved family home of its present owners for thirty years.