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.

THE WARKWORTH HOTEL TODAY

Warkworth Hotel has been lovingly restored to house an exciting new bar and restaurant. 

The Victorian decor is reminiscent of the hotel in its glory days, with original kauri wood floors, sofas and tiffany lamp shades taking you back in time.

After a year and a half of research, design and renovation, Warkworth Hotel reopened its doors Monday I9th October 2020, and is a classic piece of town history.