[1] By virtue of orders issued to them by Governor Darling, dated 22 April 1831, Frederick John and William Montagu Rothery obtained grants of 2460 acres (995.6ha) each and chose them 12 miles (19.3 km) west of Coombing on the left bank of Limestone Creek, Portions 1 & 2, Parish of Mallongul.

[3][1] W. M. Rothery in 1838 held 9824 acres (3975 ha) by grant and purchase with an overseer by the name of Bain and ten assigned convicts.

The following year, the number of assigned convicts was sixteen and it is stated that in place of an overseer the property was supervised personally by W. M. Rothery.

The carriage which brought the family over the Blue Mountains in 1842 is still in good order, though kept in the meat-house section; until a year or two ago, Rothery horses used the original stalls in the stable section; and shearing still goes on today, using the slab weather-shed later attached to the brick building, with the sheep still using the original slab pens and exits.

The Ferrier woolpress (the same make as at Coombing Park) stands spectacularly in its own empty hall: the impact of entering this great space dominated by the one machine is really remarkable today.

A series of photographs from the 1870s show large garden areas to the east and north of the main homestead's eastern (front) frontage.

[2][1] The house was originally constructed as a low brick Colonial Georgian building with wide verandahs and very thick walls.

[3][1] The main facade of the north-facing homestead consists of a delightful section of three rooms which open through four pairs of shuttered French doors to the verandah.

[3][1] There is an interesting symmetry about the placing along a major axis of the main section of the white-stuccoed homestead, the handsome two-storied white-washed brick barn and the adjoining woolshed which is a low timber addition.

A distinctive triple hipped roof (clad with corrugated iron) reflects the internal division of the building into stables, classing tables and wool room.

This huge square brick building was erected between 1838 and 1842 by William Rothery and contains under one roof the stables, coach house, meat-house, barn and shearing-shed.

The ground floor of the barn is divided into three main functional areas - stables for working and "blood" horses, wool rooms for classing and storage, and a butcher's shop.

[2][1] The actual shearing area is housed in a lower timber-framed structure adjacent to the above square brick building's south.

[2][1] Cliefden is still occupied by the three granddaughters of William Rothery, who was the brother-in-law of Thomas Icely of Coombing Park near Carcoar, and both the homestead and the out-building retain many of their Victorian contents.

[1] The phaeton carriage which brought the family over the Blue Mountains in 1842 is still in good order, though kept in the meat-house section; until a year or two ago, Rothery horses used the original stalls in the stable section; and shearing still goes on today, using the slab weather-shed later attached to the brick building, with the sheep still using the original slab pens and exits.

[3][1] Nearby to the west of the Stables complex is a small rectangular stone building that has recently been 50% rebuilt that was originally known as the boot makers' workshop.

[1] It is said that two bullet holes can be seen in a wooden shutter on the western side of the barn and these are the legacy of the raid made on the property by the Ben Hall Gang in 1863.

[3][1] Cliefden contributes to the State significance of the Ben Hall Sites as evidence of bushranger's attacks on private residences and horse stealing.

Cliefden is historically significant in providing evidence of a continuous tradition of rural farming practices from the 1830s until the present day under the ownership of one family.

Settled by William Montagu Rothery the homestead farm complex illustrates the working relationships of the once 10,000 hectare sheep station and horse stud over time.

[1] The Ben Hall Sites - Cliefden was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 8 October 2010 having satisfied the following criteria.

Cliefden contributes to the State significance of the Ben Hall Sites as evidence of bushranger's attacks on private residences and horse stealing.

Cliefden is historically significant in providing evidence of a continuous tradition of rural farming practices from the 1830s until the present day under the ownership of one family.

Settled by William Montagu Rothery the homestead farm complex illustrates the working relationships of the once 10,000 hectare sheep station and horse stud over time.

[1] The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

The house is a good example of a Colonial Georgian dwelling which was progressively modified in order to fortify against the attacks of bushrangers and to cater for a growing family.

[1] The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

Cliefden is significant at a State level as an example of rural properties targeted by bushrangers for the purposes of stealing the highest quality horses.