Rose & Crown History

The Rose and Crown Hotel is the oldest inn still retaining its original name and site in Parramatta.

On 30th June 1823 Governor Brisbane granted a 21 year lease to John Higgs for a portion of land in North Parramatta described as "on the east side of Sorrell Street in Parramatta, bounded north by Pennant Street (now known as Victoria Road), east by chain of ponds, south by a line 95 links to Sorrell Street and west by that street 3 chains 47 links"

Under the lease, Higgs was not allowed to transfer ownership of the land. He built an Inn on some of the land at the corner of Sorrell Street and this was completed in 1828.

Over the next 10 or so years, contrary to terms of his lease, Higgs began selling off portions of his leased land and by 1840, after several of these portions had been on-sold many times, the area was occupied by John Willis, a labourer, Robert Green, a publican and Sarah Barton, a widow as well as Higgs himself.

There was never a dispute amongst these occupiers about who owned what, however around this time a person of authority realised what was going on and following a Court hearing a Trustee by the name of Nathanial Payten was appointed to watch over the activities on the site. The Trust was recorded in Court documents as having been issued on 18th August 1942.

In 1843 Robert Green built the Rose and Crown Hotel which was originally a single storey building. Parramatta at this time was a "Garrison Town" and was a fairly lively place. The "One Armed Green", who was rumoured to have lost his limb in the Battle of Waterloo, died in 1857. Green was buried at the All Saints Church next to the Rose and Crown Hotel.

From 1854 the hotel was managed by Green's daughter, Mary Ann and her husband Jesse Hack and the inherited the Rose and Crown Hotel upon Robert Green's death in 1857.

In 1867, the Hacks, moved to the White Horse Cellars in the centre of Parramatta and the hotel was taken over by Mrs Donnelly.

In 1870 Sam Larance became the licensee and it was at this time that a second storey was added to the original building together with a single storey addition running west along Victoria Road.

In 1910 the Rose and Crown Hotel was acquired  by Tooth and Company and a lease issued to George Naylor.

In the 1920's under new licensee, Michael Farrell, major renovations were undertaken with a second storey added to the Victoria Road addition and a courtyard established at the rear. The facade was tiled and a full length steel awning installed to the Victoria Road frontage.

In 1983 the hotel was purchased from Tooth and Company by David Wilson who became the first freehold owner since the turn of the century. Mr Wilson undertook major internal renovations and set about restoring the facade to its original condition.

In 2005 David Wilson sold a percentage share of the hotel to Cherie Lenon and Peter Turner, the current Licensee. The new partnership of freehold owners have embarked on a project to restore a sense of history to the Rose and Crown Hotel and to justify its rightful claim as the oldest hotel in Parramatta retaining its original name and location.

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Trading hours: Monday - Saturday 10am to 4am, Sunday 12 noon to 10pm
Rose & Crown Hotel: 11 Victoria Road, Parramatta 2150 T. (02) 9630 1405
E. info@roseandcrownhotel.com.au

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