Welcome to “Ilfracombe”, a local property teeming with history, stunning architecture and a thriving garden.
“Ilfracombe” was built by Irish plasterer and modeller Edward Murphy, who built his own factory and warehouses on City Road in South Melbourne in the 1860s, some of which are still standing today in Victoria’s streetscape.
Edward and his wife, Ellen, emigrated to Australia in 1850 after marrying in 1845.
Edward built Ellen a split level timber house and named it “Ilfracombe” in
1885.
Additions, extensions and renovations have been made over the years, but the original part of the house retains its 12ft ceilings, open fireplaces and ornate original plasterwork.
In 1900, “Ilfracombe” was purchased by Thomas Hamilton and his wife, Martha as a seaside retreat.
After Thomas’s death on Boxing Day in 1907, the Hamilton family moved to “Ilfracombe”.
Fast forward to today, and the house is still standing in all its glory, and its current owner of 15 years has transformed what was once a “grass hill” into a massive garden, featuring statues, ponds, and of course, plants, thousands of plants to be exact.
One of these is a fig tree, believed to be more than 100 years old and possibly planted when Edward Murphy built the original house.
A “secret garden” features ferns and hidden walkways, as well as an array of frog statues.
The original stabling yards are sadly no longer standing, however their memory remains alive after the current owner used timber and fencing posts to create a table and chair set.
The inside of the house is a combination of old and new design, with much of the original house still intact.
Some of the new features include a pizza oven and a wine cellar, which was formerly a water tank.
However the garden speaks for itself, with plans already underway to add new pathways and plants to an already breathtaking property.
