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| From my photo collection of West Maling. 2014. |
West Maling
“West Maling” is situated at 663-665 King Georges R and d. Penshurst Avenue, NSW. The beautiful home was built by the Headmaster of Sydney Grammar School; Mr Albert Weigall (1840-1912), as a replica of the English Manor House of the period. In 1971 The National Heritage Council declared it “a place of special interest”.
If you look at the front chimney of the house, they are set on the outside walls, due to a change in the Australian building laws at the time.
In keeping with the Headmaster’s literary passion, the ballroom holds six magnificent stained –glass windows of Christian Philosophers and poets who influenced the growth of English culture and language. Windows could be found for:
- Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) - the first great poet to write in English, as we remember him as the author of “The Canterbury Tales”.
- Edmund Spencer (1552-1599)- a famous Tudor philosopher, scientist and poet, a man od wide political and cultural influence
- John Bunyan (1628-1674) - an English church poet, author of the pilgrim’s progress
- William Shakespeare (1564-1616) - poet, playwright and philosopher.
At the death of the headmaster, the property was owned by the Oblate Fathers, then sold to Pentecostal Evangelist, and now the house is currently use by the Revival Life Centre Church.
A new chapel has been built to accommodate 400 people beneath the car park and into the hillside.
The construction and renovation was a big challenge to the builders and architect that they were
invited to enter it in the NSW chapter Royal Australian Architects Award in 1984.
( Information have been obtained from the Hurstville Library Archive and Hurstville Writers magazine. )
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