Heytesbury House
This plaque is located at 33 Parrott St.
Heytesbury House was constructed as a 14-room private residence, consulting rooms and surgery for Dr R G Naylor by Turner Fewtrell from Camperdown. The house was completed on 17th November 1904.
Dr Naylor arrived in Cobden as the local doctor and health officer for the Shire of Heytesbury in October 1903, replacing Dr Stang. He was reported to have more than the basic qualifications and clinical experience after serving at the Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital in London and the Royal Infirmary at Edinburgh.
During his period in Cobden, Dr Naylor involved himself in many social and sporting groups. He was a member of the cricket, tennis and football clubs, as well as the Literary and Debating Society, Mechanics’ Institute, Horticultural Society and the Cobden Orchestra. He left Cobden at the end of 1905 and, following his departure, there were a chain of physicians who took up the post of Cobden local doctor and health officer for the Shire of Heytesbury residing and operating from what is now known as Heytesbury House.
Dr Charles replaced Dr Naylor for eight months before selling the practice to Dr Stewart who stayed until October 1910. He was replaced by Dr Drew who was the local doctor until 1919 when Dr Dorey Browne arrived.
During 1920, a number of discussions were held, supported strongly by Dr Browne, with regard to the need to establish a cottage hospital in Cobden. This does not appear to have eventuated but, by 1923, the house and surgery constructed in 1904 for Dr Naylor and occupied by the subsequent doctors was in use as a private hospital under Dr Browne’s management.
Dr Browne did not carry on the operation of the hospital for long as, in August 1924, he announced he had bought a practice in Wangaratta and was leaving Cobden. He was replaced by Dr Alfred Horne Barrett from Walpeup.
Dr AH Barrett was to be the longest and most significant doctor to live and continue operation of the private hospital at Heytesbury House, known as ‘The Bungalow’ at the time.
His son, Dr J W (Bill) Barrett, went into partnership with his father at the Cobden practice in 1960. He remained until the property was sold in 1989.
It was at this point that the property was converted into a guest house by the Fairweathers who renamed it Bydowne House and operated it until 1995.
Peter and Barb Mason (nee McQuinn), changed it into a more traditional bed and breakfast facility, under the name of Heytesbury House, until 2005.
John and Valerie Celms took over in 2005, and changed the name once again, this time to Quillsbury, operating it until 2010.
In September 2010, Andrew and Kathryn Stubbings returned the property to Heytesbury House to honour the original shire name. They have conducted extensive restorations to ensure its longevity as a property of significance for the local community.
