Thomas Potter Macqueen was granted 20,000 acres between what are today known as Scone and Muswellbrook in 1823. He was responsible for naming the town of Aberdeen,after his friend The Earl of Aberdeen, and then having it gazetted as a township. In 1837, when he had almost completed the building of the Inn he wrote to Francis Fisher, Crown Solicitor of New South Wales and described the building as follows -
"The Inn is now being roofed in - it will cost about 100 pounds more in window glass, ironwork for doors, nails, etc., and perhaps 200 pounds for labour - but it is the best building of the sort in the colony - it is of solid stone two feet thick - the lower rooms 14 the upper rooms 11 feet high - it contains two large parlours, landlord's family room - one small parlour and double bed room below - five bedrooms and two dormitories for male and female servants above - detached kitchen - tap room and store - it is beautifully situated - has a well of superb clear water in the garden, with one paddock of 30 acres of pasture and another of 10 acres for green barley for the horses...........it has excited great attention in this neighbourhood........"
1889
No doubt an interesting story behind this one...were these lodgers at the Inn or just regular drinking patrons? Had there been an incident involving dynamite at one of the mines - "Dynamite Blood" is painted on the side of the barrel.
Was one of their mates killed?
Were the miners revolting?
The flag featuring the Skull and Crossbones also reads "Bunyips Defiance". What is the meaning behind this?
This is all part of the intrigue behind the history of Segenhoe, the mystery is still being investigated!
1905
Purpose built as an Inn in 1837 by Thomas Potter Macqueen on the estate named Segenhoe after Segenhoe Manor where he was born in Bedfordshire, England in 1791. Segenhoe would have serviced many horse drawn carriages and coaches and accommodated many travellers on long and dusty journeys.
Built just 50 years after white settlement, Segenhoe Inn is a very significant heritage building.
In 1905 this horse and buggy was travelling along Macqueen Street, now known as the New England Highway.
1937
The Inn looks very different today compared to how it looked when known as the Segenhoe Hotel in 1937. Since 2003 the Inn has been in a constant state of change as Cherie continually upgrades the building and services converting it to a Luxury Boutique Hotel and B&B. Guests to the Inn can immerse themselves in a gracious old world setting where quality starched linens, silver and gold cutlery, crystal glass and antiques abound. Candlelight and soft music set the mood for a romantic getaway. Cherie's purist attitude and attention to historic detail makes a visit to the Inn a history buffs delight!