Historic Rainham on the market

by AF

Rainham, Bathurst
*Update: Sold at auction for $500,000

Rainham, just outside of Bathurst, has just been listed for sale for the first time in 157 years.

The 2-storey Colonial Georgian home was built for Captain Thomas Raine in 1832, making it 180 years old. Captain Raine’s son went on to co-found the Raine & Horne real estate agency, and coincidentally the same agency has the current listing.

It was believed that Captain Raine had brought back cuttings of willow trees from Napoleon’s tomb on Saint Helena, and grew several trees from these cuttings on the estate.

Captain Raine sold the property in 1855 to James Boyd for 4,000 pounds. It has remained in the Boyd (now Richardson) family for the past five generations. The Boyd’s had operated it as an inn for several years during the gold rush.

In addition to the main house, there are also old horse stables, and a wing that once housed convicts.

The house is sandwiched between Vale Road and a train line. A small section of road directly in front of Rainham is said to be part of the original 19th century roadway.