Rouse Hill House is unique. It is believed to be the oldest large-scale house in Australia. The long association of house and family is the distinguishing feature which ahs allowed the survival of the ‘time-capsule’ rooms.
The author is a descendant of Richard Rouse, the builder of the house, and his wife, Elizabeth. She was brought upon the property, spending much of her time listening to her grandmother’s engaging but remarkably accurate accounts of time gone by. Her research has also been largely based on an extensive collection of original family documents inherited by her father, Gerald Terry. This research is viewed against the wider sweep of Australian history.
In this revised and expanded edition of Rouse Hill House and the Rouses, the author throws fresh light on the history of the house and family, and the strange twists of fate which led to the preservation of the house, its furnishings and its distinctive atmosphere.