The old Raglan redoubt site in Wi Neera St, Raglan is now registered as a heritage site by the NZ Historic Places Trust (NZHPT) with the official name of Putoetoe Redoubt (Former). The area included is at 1-5 Wi Neera Street and includes the historic 1893 courthouse cottage at 1 Wi Neera St. It joins The Harbour View Hotel and the Old School Arts Centre as heritage registered sites in Raglan. The suggestion to list the redoubt came from the Raglan & District Museum Soc. Inc. For the last few years, the Raglan Community Board has requested Waikato District Council to declare the area to be a reserve.
NZHPT have written to Waikato District Council, owner of the property, asking that they care and conserve the site and requesting that they add it to the heritage protected list in the Waikato District Plan.
NZHPT said, “The redoubt site has strong archaeological significance with the potential for the site to hold knowledge relating to a number of well documented phases of occupation. From recorded descriptions and illustrations of the subject area, although it is a typical representative of redoubts as a class of historic sites, it is unusual in that it has had two trenched redoubt constructions; the earlier being the settlers’ redoubt built in 1863, and the later a smaller defensive ditch and bank constructed by the Armed Constabulary in 1870.The house has architectural value as a rare surviving example in Raglan of a square plan cottage dating from the late nineteenth century. It is the least modified of those that do remain, and a visible reminder of the development of Raglan Township around the turn of the century.
This place has a special meaning and connection to the Ngati Maahanga people through both their occupation of the wider area of Whaingaroa and the association of Putoetoe with their leader Te Awaitaia. The land is directly linked to Te Awaitaia through firstly his claim by raupatu of the area of Whaingaroa which he won from Ngati Koata after a series of battles. Secondly it is linked to Te Awaitaia through his occupation of Putoetoe, and his whare being built there.”