| Linwood House | |
|---|---|
 Linwood House in 2003 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | late Georgian- / Regency-style house |
| Location | Linwood |
| Address | 30 Linwood Avenue |
| Town or city | Christchurch |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 43°31′35.82″S 172°39′41.25″E / 43.5266167°S 172.6614583°E |
| Completed | 1857 |
| Renovated | 1889 1920 |
| Demolished | 2011 |
| Client | Joseph Brittan |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | unreinforced masonry |
| Floor count | two |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Charles Fooks |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect(s) | John Whitelaw (1889) Luttrell Brothers (1920) |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
| Official name | Linwood House |
| Designated | 17 August 1982 |
| Reference no. | 3119 |
| References | |
| New Zealand Historic Places Trust (30 May 2005), Registration Report, Christchurch: New Zealand Historic Places Trust, retrieved 24 September 2012 | |
Linwood House was built as the homestead for Joseph Brittan, who, as surgeon, newspaper editor and provincial councillor, was one of the dominant figures in early Christchurch, New Zealand. The suburb of Linwood was named after Brittan's farm and homestead. Brittan's daughter Mary married William Rolleston, and they lived at Linwood House following Joseph Brittan's death. During that time, Rolleston was the 4th (and last) Superintendent of the Canterbury Province, and Linwood House served for many important political and public functions.
The property went through many changes in ownership. Land was successively subdivided; at its peak, 110 acres (450,000 m2) of land belonged to Linwood House, of which only 2,013 m2 (21,670 sq ft) remain. For some years, Linwood House was used as a private day and boarding school for girls. The house declined during the mid-20th century, was used for flats for several decades, and was in 1985 described by an historian as the "city's worst example of a house which should be preserved being left to decay". The house's fortunes improved when it was purchased in 1988 by people sympathetic to heritage. Gradually being restored, Linwood House suffered significant damage in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake and partially collapsed in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Civil Defence ordered the building's demolition, which was carried out in the second half of 2011.
Architecturally, Linwood House was a rare example of a late Georgian- / Regency-style house in Canterbury. It had historical importance as one of the oldest surviving houses in Christchurch. The building's association with Joseph Brittan and especially William Rolleston made it socially important.