Copyright: Alan Wylde. Taken By: Alan Wylde.
The Tauroa property was in the Chambers family from 1887 when John Chambers divided the Te Mata station. The present Tauroa was built on the same site as the earlier wooden homestead destroyed by fire in 1914. Thomas Mason Chambers, the owner of Tauroa, had an important role in the history of Havelock North. He was a significant figure in local body politics and the community activities. Chambers and the house he had built, Tauroa are of considerable historical significance to the people and local history of Havelock North.
Tauroa is one of four large country houses designed by Gummer in the Havelock North area over a period of twenty years from 1916. These houses, collectively and singularly make a significant contribution to the history of architectural design in New Zealand. Gummers familiarity with a wide range of styles was exhibited in these houses and they were each quite different.
The design of Tauroa was innovative and far ahead of its time. By his use of sleeping balconies, a court and a pergola, Gummer integrated the architectural interior of the house with nature outside.
It is remarkable that in World War I, a time of scarcity, such a building would have been constructed. Tauroa is a remarkable house by an architect designing works of domestic architecture as advanced as anywhere in the world at that time.
This is a very impressive structure is hidden from the road by an extensive variety of trees. The first view of the house at the end of the tree lined drive is a striking revelation. It is set in a beautiful and extensive garden.
Tauroa is a two-storey homestead consisting of two main arms extending from the focal circular hall - a vestigal butterfly-type plan of the Arts and Crafts movement. The house achieves functional integration with the garden. The arms enclose a courtyard. A pergola, portico and sleeping balconies on the first floor make for easy contact with nature. A change in style occurs when hard white stucco walls, strong geometric shapes and a flat roof look forward to the purity of the modern movement.
There are many outstanding features about Tauroa such as the circular hall of green, brown and cream tiles laid in an intricate mosaic and the main staircase above it where clear leaded windows reach to a height of some six metres. The bannisters are made of jarrah and are supported by wrought ironwork made, on the site, by a local craftsman, McDowell, using a hand operated forge blower. The dining room features some charming bronze figurines that appear to be sliding down the light cords; they show the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement. There is also a beaten copper hood surmounting the fireplace. Throughout the house are the highly individual finger plates which bear the initials T.M.C.
The library is a large room (11.4 metres by 7.3 metres) and has book cases from the floor to ceiling, except where lofty windows and French doors are placed. The book cases have shelves at intervals which slide to make a reading surface. One of the innovations in the design of Tauroa was the provision for a centralised vacuum cleaning system whereby the hose was just plugged into wall outlets. The fittings are all in place but the ship bringing over the motor for the plant sunk so the potential of the idea was never realised.
There has been a slight modification in the music room. On the plan held by the family two piliars are marked and appear to have been removed later - the actual outline of the pillars on the ceiling can be seen.
Another minor modification includes the removal and replacement of one bath with a shower (the only one in the house).
All external walls are constructed in double brick with a cavity. Reinforced concrete columns and beams give the house great strength. Outside walls have a white stucco finish. The interior finishing is jarrah and kauri.