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This 18-20 roomed house was built by William Coomb’s wife Alice upon returning to Palmerston North after her husband's death in Hastings in 1907. Known by the family as 'Birchanger', it was designed by C W Blackbourn as a replica of their Hawkes Bay, Tukituki home. Mrs Coombs lived in the house until her death in 1940 at the age of 82. In 2008 the house operated as a Rest Home. It was then known as 'Hillcrest', and now Woodlands [2020], it is listed in category 4 of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust register because of its architectural significance.

Identification

Object type
Image
Digitisation ID
2008N_Bur213_BUI_1866
Title
'Hillcrest', 544 Featherston Street
Relation
PNCC Series 7/8/5
Held In
Coolstore

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Creation

Created By
Place
544 Featherston Street, Palmerston North
Date
1981

Object rights

Credit Line
Manawatu Evening Standard

Taxonomy

Tags
buildings,
heritage building,
photographs,
two-storey,
Community Tags

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Related items

'Hillcrest', 544 Featherston Street
Fireplace at 'Birchanger', 544 Featherston Street
Bedroom at 'Birchanger', 544 Featherston Street
518 Main Street
'Highden', Green Road, Awahuri
71 Broadway Avenue
16 Guy Avenue
'Highden', Green Road, Awahuri
'Siberia' homestead, near Ashhurst
Grand Hotel, corner of Church Street and The Square
Grand Hotel's former turret, The Square
Post Office, Palmerston North

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