Merembra Homestead is a heritage-listed homestead and former inn at 218 Gormans Hill Road, Bathurst, Bathurst Region, New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1863 to 1864. It was also known as John's Farm and Barley Mow Inn. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 14 July 2000.
History
Settlement at Bathurst Governor Macquarie the commissioned William Cox to construct a road over the Blue Mountains in 1815. Cox's road followed the route established by the two teams of explorers. This road was completed in 1815. The constructed road followed the South or Left bank of the Macquarie River until it reached Gorman's Hill. The final stretch of the road to Gorman's Hill travelled through Queen Charlottes Vale, between Vale Creek and the Macquarie River. The Vale Road, following the Vale Creek was also an early entrance road into Bathurst and another alternative in flooding seasons. This placed Merembra or Johns Farm in a strategic location in the development of Bathurst.
Baylis family Private Joseph Baylis, a soldier in the NSW Corps, arrived in Australia on the "Suprize" on 26 July 1790, part of the second Fleet. He served as a guard on Norfolk Island. By 1803, he had received land grants from Governor King and became a farmer near Windsor. Joseph's wife, Ann Taylor, was convict who arrived in Sydney on the "Earl Cornwallis" in 1801 In 1806 muster she is shown as pardoned and her employer as J Bayliss. They married in 1810 and reared eight children. Their first child, Sarah, (1804–1844) later married Thomas Kite on 26 December 1820 in Castlereagh, Church of England. In the early 1820s, William (1805–1883), John (1808–1880) and Jane (b. 1813) came to Kelso, Bathurst to join and work for their sister and brother-in law Sarah and Thomas Kite. The father, Joseph, and the children also settled later in Bathurst, probably after his wife died in Windsor of accidental poisoning in December 1826. John Baylis, applied for and received a land grant of 108 acres, No 14 Parish of Bathurst in 1830. He married Priscilla Golsby in 1832 and became a pioneering farmer, experimenting on lighter soils. There were nine children. The property was then known as "John's Farm". The promised Crown Grant of 108 acres was formalised in 1840. 'John's Farm' is where Joseph Baylis is thought to have died in 1855 so there would have been an earlier dwelling on the property. John Baylis lived on the property for 50 years. In 1864 John mortgaged the land and house for a loan of 250 pounds from John McPhillamy, possibly to help pay for the completion of the homestead. The present homestead was constructed c. 1864 of triple brick on a stone foundation. It is purported that bush ranger John Vane, a confederate of Ben Hall carted the foundation stones. John and his son Henry (1844–1934) for a time kept a hotel, the "Barley Mow" at John's Farm They were active members of the Bathurst Amateur Turf Club and owned and trained horses at the farm, including the winner of the 1881 Bathurst Silver Bracelet Race. In 1867 the building was licensed as the Barley Mow Hotel for one year. John Bayliss died in December 1880 with the cause of death given by Dr Bassett being "advanced age", at 72.
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