15. Wesleyan Manse

Parish residence and continued to be the home of Mintaro’s minister. The Victorian wing was added in 1891 when the congregation increased.

1859 Wesleyan parsonage (Manse) built.
1891 Northern Victorian wing added.
1997 Western accommodation wing added.
2022 Renovation of Manse complex completed.

 

The Wesleyan Parsonage was built in 1859 close to the 1854 Church and at the time of building was referred to as “the Mission House”. The house had two rooms with a passage. It was built in the southeast corner of the Chapel acre by Mr. John Pearce. The woodwork was let to Mr. Jolley (sic) … Mr. Thompson Priest plastered the inside walls of the house.

The original Parsonage was substantially added to in 1891 when three rooms and a passage on the northern side of the house were built by Mr. H.D. Jolley (sic) for £249.10s. to the design by Reverend S. Rossiter.[1]

The Parsonage was subdivided from the Church group and sold separately in 1972. The manse was bought by Don and Julie Benger in 1990 and used as a residence. They also hosted bed and breakfast accommodation, including in the western accommodation wing which was built by Clare stonemason Max Hoad in 1993.[2]

The Edmunds family bought the manse and the churches in 2018. The manse has been renovated since then.

Notes

  1. Edited extract from Mintaro conservation study, McDougall & Vines (Architectural & Heritage Consultants), Norwood, South Australia, 1988.
  2. Personal recollection by John Hawke, Heritage Advisor, Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council, 1992-2004.

Included within the Mintaro State Heritage Area, designated 20 September 1984.

Reminiscences of Early Methodism in the Clare Circuit.
Australian Christian Commonwealth (SA : 1901 – 1940), Fri 19 Nov 1926, p.5.

Mintaro Methodist Church. Its history for 67 years.
Northern Argus (Clare, SA : 1869 – 1954), Tue 10 Jul 1934, p.6.