Watercolour by Lieutenant Colonal W. A. McCleverty, December 1847. Leigh’s Stockade is mid-centre
The Old Porirua Road was built by military roadmakers between May 1846 and December 1847 at a cost of £700 per mile. It ran from Hawtrey Church in Johnsonville to Jackson’s Ferry on the Porirua Harbour, a distance of 11.35kms. The Old Porirua Road improved the original track first surveyed in 1843 which had closely followed the old Maori track. Six stockades were built along the road to give some protection to the road builders - Clifford's Stockade, Johnsonville; Middleton's Stockade; McCoy's Stockade; Leigh's Stockade; Fort Elliott, near Jackson's Ferry; Fort Strode, on the shores of Porirua Harbour. By the late 1850’s it became apparent that in places the road lay to close to the stream and was prone to flooding. So a better road was formed on higher ground to the west about 1860 and eventually became the Main Road (approximately where you're currently located).
McCoy’s stockade, (to the south) named after Lieutenant Thomas McCoy of the 65th regiment was sited on the eastern side of the Main Road and on the left bank of the Porirua Stream, just below its confluence with the Takapu Stream. [The approximate location is now occupied by the DressMart shopping centre.]
Leigh’s stockade, (to the north) was situated on the west side of the Main Road. It was a rough structure, made by digging a trench, setting large split trees and small whole trees close together on top of the dirt dug from the trench and filling any gaps with earth. This provided a palisade loop-holed for musket fire. The stockade was named after Lieutenant Charles Leigh of the British Army’s 99th Regiment. [The approximate location of Leigh's Stockade is just north of Mexted's Motors.]
Acknowledgement to the Tawa Historical Society Inc. for the information on the Road.
This area is a high muggle area so please exercise appropriate stealthiness during your hunt, signing the log and return. BYOP.