Historic photo of horse-drawn wagon with men in hats in front of a building and tree

John Southgate has been referred to as one of the fathers of Warkworth. A contemporary of John Anderson Brown, Southgate settled in Warkworth in I848.

Southgate was one of the first people to recognise the potential of limestone, later establishing a small hotel on the site of his early kilns. In I862 he sold this site to Nathaniel Wilson and moved his hotel business to the centre of Warkworth, building the Warkworth Hotel with adjoining horse stables.

The Norfolk pine tree he planted in front of the hotel was in tribute to his son and continues to be a prominent feature in the town. The hotel and the norfolk pine are now over I50 years old.

People gathered outside Warkworth Hotel, an event venue, with socializing guests and a vintage vehicle in front.

THE WARKWORTH HOTEL TODAY

The Warkworth Hotel has been lovingly restored and now features an exciting new bar and restaurant.

The Victorian decor, with original kauri wood floors, comfy sofas, and Tiffany lamp shades, takes you back to the hotel’s glory days.

After a year and a half of careful research, design, and renovation, the Warkworth Hotel reopened on Monday, October 19th, 2020, standing proud as a classic piece of town history.