Bonython Hall is the "

great hall A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, castle or a large manor house or hall house in the Middle Ages, and continued to be built in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries, although by then the family used the gre ...

" of the

University of Adelaide The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on ...

, located in the university grounds and facing

North Terrace, Adelaide North Terrace is one of the four terraces that bound the central business and residential district of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It runs east–west, along the northern edge of "the square mile". The western end cont ...

. The building is on the now-defunct

Register of the National Estate The Register of the National Estate was a heritage register that listed natural and cultural heritage places in Australia that was closed in 2007. Phasing out began in 2003, when the Australian National Heritage List and the Commonwealth Heri ...

and the

South Australian Heritage Register The South Australian Heritage Register, also known as the SA Heritage Register, is a statutory register of historic places in South Australia. It extends legal protection regarding demolition and development under the ''Heritage Places Act 1993' ...

. It is primarily used for University graduation ceremonies, examinations, expositions and public lectures and meetings likely to draw large audiences.

History

The hall was built in the period 1933-1936 as a result of a donation of over £50,000 from Sir

John Langdon Bonython Sir John Langdon Bonython (;Charles Earle Funk, ''What's the Name, Please?'' (Funk & Wagnalls, 1936). 15 October 184822 October 1939) was an Australian editor, newspaper proprietor, philanthropist, journalist and politician who served a ...

. It was opened on 8 September 1936 by Governor-General Lord Gowrie and the first public lecture was held a week later.

Folklore

There are many local legends about the building, with two being particularly resilient: Bonython Hall is opposite

Pulteney Street Pulteney Street is a main road which runs north-south through the middle of the eastern half of the Adelaide city centre, in Adelaide, South Australia. It runs north-south from North Terrace, through Hindmarsh and Hurtle Squares, to South ...

. Folklore has it that the Bonython donation was made on the condition that a hall be built opposite Pulteney Street, thus blocking any future path through the parklands and preventing the division of the campus by a major thoroughfare. Folklore also maintains that the Bonython family were very conservative and did not want the building used as a dance hall. Hence, the hall was designed and built with a sloping floor rather than flat floor.

Renovation works

Beginning in 2005, the University has been conducting renovation works. The quality of these works has been rewarded with an Award of Merit at the 2007

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. I ...

Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation.

Gallery

File:North Terrace, Adelaide, 1940.jpg , North Terrace, Adelaide, 1940. From left: National War Memorial, Institute, Mortlock Library, and Bonython Hall File:UofAdelaide-BonythonHall&Conservatorium-front-Aug08.jpg, Bonython Hall (right) and the

Elder Conservatorium The Elder Conservatorium of Music, also known as "The Con", is Australia's senior academy of music and is located in the centre of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. It is named in honour of its benefactor, Sir Thomas Elder. Dating in ...

File:UofAdelaide-BonythonHall&LawBld-front-Aug08.jpg , Bonython Hall (left) & the Ligertwood Building File:Bonython Hall.jpg , Bonython Hall (looking west) and the Mitchell Building File:Bonython Hall, University of Adelaide at night.jpg , At night (looking east) File:BonythonHall 14 Aug08.jpg , The north end of

File:UofAdelaide-BonythonHall&Conservatorium-rear-Aug08.jpg , From the rear: Bonython Hall (left) and the Conservatorium File:UofAdelaide-BonythonHall&NapierBld-rear-Aug08.jpg , From the rear: Bonython Hall (right) and the Napier Building File:Adelaideunientrance.jpg , L to R: Mitchell Building, Conservatorium, Bonython Hall

References

{{coord, -34.920548, 138.605396, display=title, region:AU-SA_type:landmark Buildings and structures in Adelaide University of Adelaide UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards winners South Australian Heritage Register Adelaide Park Lands South Australian places listed on the defunct Register of the National Estate