Iandra Castle

Iandra is a large homestead 11km south of Greenethorpe, New South Wales in the Weddin Shire, surrounded by the townships of Cowra, Grenfell and Young . It has a New South Wales heritage listing.History and descriptionBuilt between 1908 and 1910 in the Federation Romanesque style by the pioneering engineer Edward Giles Stone, Iandra is a significant Australian example of early reinforced concrete construction. The homestead, with the surrounding agricultural property is a rare example in Australia of the manorial system, "the likes of which may not exist elsewhere in the state or nation".The dwelling along with the surrounding stables, church and residences were listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2005.Although Iandra is colloquially known as a castle, Iandra is not a castle. A castle is a fortified building designed for the defence of territories in warfare, and also used to solidify rule in a region during peace time. Iandra is styled on a traditional English stately home, and to call it a castle is technically incorrect. The most correct name for Iandra is probably the one given to it by its first owner George Greene, which is Mount Oriel Homestead.The main dwelling in the Iandra homestead is an ornate mansion built from reinforced concrete in the Federation Romanesque style with Tudor influences. Consisting of 57 rooms on two storeys, it is referred to locally as "The Castle" in reference to its striking design and its semi-feudal role in the community. The homestead, built by pioneering engineer, Edward Giles Stone, also includes a blacksmith, manager's residence, stables, and a small Gothic chapel.