Fairfield House

Upper Trafalgar Street
Nelson

ph: (03) 548 3640

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The House

>>view slideshows: The Land/People
The Restoration

>>view other history slideshows: >>view The Land >>view The People >>view The Restoration >>view History Prior to 1871: A two dormer cottage was built. 1872: Two story ‘wings’ built on either end of cottage by Atkinsons I883/4: Cottage and west wing removed and replaced by present two story addition with verandah and observatory tower. Designed by Nelson architect A.T. Somerville. 1985: Registered under Historic Places Act. Now a Category I historic place.	Fell-Atkinson wedding 1881 – in front of original cottage. The wing to the left (1872) is the oldest remaining part.

Fairfield 1913 – present configuration. The tower was built by Arthur as an astronomical observatory.

Fairfield House contains a ballroom, gallery, courtyard and meeting room. There is now a well-appointed kitchen. The Sanctuary contains the meeting room plus the library and meditation loft.

The Atkinson family injected a spiritual and forward thinking energy into the house as early as the 1880s. They were free thinkers who championed a number of social causes - the suffragette movement, education for women, and the development of astronomy.