Gledswood is a heritage-listed former vineyard, colonial farm and homestead and now tourist complex, golf course and private residence at 900 Camden Valley Way in the south-western Sydney suburb of Gledswood Hills in the Camden Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1827 to 1855 by James Chisholm. It is also known as Buckingham. The property is privately owned. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2006.
History
Gabriel Louis Marie Huon de Kerilleau left France and fled to England during the French Revolution. He joined the New South Wales Corps and arrived in Sydney "in the reduced circumstances of a private soldier" under the name Gabriel Louis in the 'Surprise'in October 1794 (Carroll, 1983, 31).
He was discharged in 1807 and, because of his knowledge of (fluency in) French, became tutor to John Macarthur's sons.
Governor Macquarie granted him the 400 acres (162ha) which became 'Buckingham; as from 1 January 1810, and he called it Buckingham after the Marquis of Buckingham, who had some part in arranging his discharge.
Huon de Kerilleau employed convicts to quarry stone on the property and start his building programme. Their first project was the small cottage where they were chained each night. Then they went on to the coach house and the servants' quarters.
In 1816 Huon de Kerilleau sold the property to James Chisholm for 250 pounds and moved to a new property at Bungonia, near the future site of Goulburn. His son, Paul Huon, became a pioneer in the Wodonga district.
James Chisholm renamed the property "Gledswood", and it was he who, in about 1827, finished the main homestead. Chisholm had been involved in the rum trade in the early days of the colony. He was friendly with John Macarthur, who farmed nearby at Camden Park. They shared an interest in the wine industry, which flourished in the district.
Chisholm's son James planted a vineyard in 1830. Vinedressers Frederick and Anna Worner of Wittenberg (Germany) were imported to work the vineyard in 1847. Chisholm once wrote "There is much about the vine that renders it an attractive pursuit." The convict built cellar under the main homestead was capable of holding 20,000 bottles.
Upon receiving a land grant on Cowpastures rural downs in 1829, James and Elizabeth Chisholm built Gledswood in 1830. A large stuccoed rubble stone house was built in the style of an Indian bungalow with an attached kitchen wing and a nearby barn. The property remained in the Chisholm family for the next 90 years.
James Chisholm's son, James II (Jas), planted its vineyard . The Macarthurs of Camden Park were friends of the Chisholms and loaned their six German vine dressers to the Chisholms on occasions until the Chisholms imported two other vine dressers of their own in 1847. Frederick and Anna Worner worked the vineyard with their six children. Jas Chisholm and his new wife Elizabeth quickly had Gledswood performing well. Besides the vineyard, they ran a fine herd of cattle and developed many breeds of sheep. Chisholm's wool brought the highest prices on the market. The estate had its own butcher shop, a great orchard and house cows which produced milk and cream. Gledswood comprised 1000 acres by 1850. Jas once wrote "there is much about the vine that renders it an attractive pursuit". The convict cellar built under the 90 square meter main house was capable of holding 20,000 bottles. James planted the estate's famous garden and his son James II developed them further.
Gledswood was extensively renovated during the c.1870s and was noted for its outstanding garden which was expanded by Charles Kinghorne Chisholm and described in the Horticultural Magazine (1870) in the same year that Maryland was featured. The garden remained a prominent feature of Gledswood and was romanticised by Hardy Wilson . Much like Camden Park Estate, Gledswood has close association with the historical Camden district and for its involvement in pioneering Australia's wool industry.
When the Testoni brothers bought the property in 1971 from Anthony Hordern, a condition of sale was that they would re-establish its winery. This has proven very successful and Gledswood does not produce serious quantities in the new millennium. The family established of grapes, mainly classical varieties (Traminer, Trebbiano, Semillon, Barbera, Mataro, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Savignon). They also established a small herd of cattle for making cheese.