House, "Highroyd", including interiors

Item details


Name of item:	House, "Highroyd", including interiors
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Residential buildings (private)
Category:	House
Primary address:	262 Johnston Street, Annandale, NSW 2038
County:	Cumberland
Local govt. area:	Inner West

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
262 Johnston Street	Annandale	Inner West		Cumberland	Primary Address

Statement of significance:


	Highroyd is of high historic, aesthetic, technological and social significance as a good and relatively intact late Victorian villa that was constructed in the late 1880s as part of a residential group and development by master builder and promoter of Annandale, John Young. Despite some alterations and additions to the rear of the building and site, the main part of the house retains its original form, height and character as presents to Johnston Street, and features including side tower and spire, form and detail of the roof, front gables and balcony and reinstated open verandahs. The form of the building as presents to Johnston Street and elevated siting makes a prominent contribution to the streetscape and group which have landmark qualities. The building is of technological significance through the early use of reinforced concrete. It is of social significance through its association with the local community and Annandale Association which was formed in the late 1960s and worked to retain and protect the house and group known as “The Witches’ Houses”. The group is an outstanding and unique collection of late Victorian, high quality dwellings that are considered to be worthy of State heritage significance. Note: This inventory sheet is not intended to be a definitive study of the heritage item, therefore information may not be accurate and complete. The information should be regarded as a general guide. Further research is always recommended as part of the preparation of development proposals for heritage items.
	Date significance updated: 23 Nov 12
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Designer/Maker:	Attributed to John William Richards and John Young
Builder/Maker:	John Young
Physical description:	No. 262 Johnston Street is a late Victorian three storey (over basement level) rendered brick and concrete house with steep pitched gabled roof clad in slates with scalloped decorative barge board and finials and rendered chimney with deep profiled cornice and pots. The front features open verandahs with cast iron columns and decorative lace balustrade and French doors. A gable roofed projection with decorative barge board and rendered details to the gable end extends into the third floor balcony which also features solid and lace balustrade. At the north eastern corner is a high tower with metal clad spire, double hung timber framed windows, rendered mouldings and deep profiled cornice. Four gargoyles extend from the base of the spire. An arched opening at the base of the tower provides access to the ground level. A two storey high stair window with leadlight is located on the southern façade with a single storey gabled roofed projection with timber windows. On the western side of the street, the house is sited well above street level behind a high sandstone wall/ fence with palisade fence over which continues across the adjacent properties. An arched opening with timber gate and stone pediment over and stone stair provides access up to the house. The house is setback from the front wall, north and southern site boundaries with garden area between. A skillion and flat roofed wing extends from the rear of the main portion of the house. A modern two storey bagged brick garage with attached carport and gates has also been constructed to the rear laneway. A number of large trees are located in the rear of the property.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	The house appears to be in very good and sound condition (March 2010).
	Date condition updated:17 Nov 11
Modifications and dates:	1990: Alterations and additions (90/157) 1992: Building certificate (BC115/92) 1996: Alterations and additions (96/552, amended plans 1997) 1998: Alterations and additions for deck (98/642). 2006: Alterations to an existing heritage item to restore original ground and first floor balconies and front elevation openings (D/2006/341, CC/2007/301, PCA/2007/308).


Current use:	Residential
Former use:	Residential

History

Historical notes:

The site is part of 290 acres which was originally granted in 1799 to Major, later Colonel, George Johnston, a marine officer of the First Fleet. His son Captain Robert Johnston later leased portions and oversaw the first subdivisions, known as North Annandale Estate from 1874. In 1877 John Young, a prominent building contractor in the late 19th century and Mayor of Leichhardt (1879-80 and 1884-86), consolidated 280 acres and transferred it to the Sydney Freehold Land, Building and Investment Company Ltd which he formed in 1878 and which proceeded to subdivide and sell residential allotments over the next 30 years.
Annandale was to be a “model township”. Young created the 100ft wide boulevard along the main ridge, Johnston Street, which was intended to be the finest street in the Colony and encouraged the symmetrical street grid pattern. John Young also left a lasting imprint on the area in the form of a group of buildings centred around The Abbey (No. 272 Johnston Street) which was constructed near his home, Kentville (now demolished). The Abbey appears to have been constructed by Young between 1881 and 1882 for his own home, however, he never resided there. Young was a high ranking mason and the building is rich in Masonic symbolism and laid out similar to a typical lodge. It is thought that he used the house for Masonic meetings and as a showpiece of his work. Oybin (No. 270 Johnston Street) next to the Abbey was constructed for the architect C H E Blackman. Two of the so called Witches’ Houses, Hockingdon and Highroyd (Nos. 264 and 262 Johnston Street) were constructed to provide an income for his daughters and Kenilworth (No. 260 Johnston Street) and Claremont (258 Johnston Street, now demolished) were also constructed by Young for leasing.
Young reacquired the subdivided sites on the western, high side of Johnston Street south of his estate and Weynton Street in a series of purchases in the early 1880s. It is assumed that the house was constructed some time between 1886 and 1889. A Sydney Water Plan dated 1890 and revised in 1892 shows the brick house, Melba, and adjacent houses. Melba, occupied by PB Black, is first listed in the Sands Directory in 1890. By 1900 it was listed as Highroyd. In 1924 architect HC Kent, who worked on the setting out and construction of the houses, described the building methods used by Young during this period. It is said that surplus stone from Young’s work at St Mary’s Cathedral was used in Annandale and Kent also suggested left over stone from Callan Park was also used. Kent described Young’s early use of reinforced concrete using railway sleepers, broken sandstone and bricks which was used for footings, superstructure and upper floors in the buildings at North Annandale. The house continued to be leased to a number of tenants and from the 1920s appears to have been used for multiple lettings and the open balconies on the first and second floors were enclosed from this time. Other changes followed with brick structures added to the rear and third floor built over. Since that time it has reverted back to a single dwelling as envisaged by Young. The current owners have spent the last twenty years opening up and restoring the house with recent works (2008-2009) including the opening up of the front verandahs and reinstatement of lace iron work based on earlier fabric.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Accommodation-Activities associated with the provision of accommodation, and particular types of accommodation – does not include architectural styles – use the theme of Creative Endeavour for such activities.	(none)-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	Highroyd is of historic significance as a late Victorian dwelling constructed by John Young as a speculative “gentleman’s villa” and part of his vision for the development of the area. The building is part of the earliest residential developments in Annandale and possibly one of the earliest (with the adjacent group) residential buildings to incorporate reinforced concrete in the building structure. The building has typically undergone some alterations and additions in response to on-going residential use which reflects the growth and development and social changes in Annandale and the wider area.
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	Highroyd is associated with architect and master builder John Young and has also been attributed as a design of architect John William Richards who designed the Annandale Council Chambers (No. 79 Johnston Street).
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	The main portion of the building is of high aesthetic significance as a good and largely intact example of a late Victorian "gentleman's villa" that retains its original form, height and scale as presents to Johnston Street and original features such as side tower and spire, roofscape, front double gable, open verandahs and balconies and associated details and elements. With the other Witches’ Houses it has landmark qualities. The group and associated stone wall and gates make a unique contribution to the Johnston Street streetscape and area in general.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	The building is associated with a number of local residents and occupants and is highly regarded by the local community as one of the “Witches’ Houses”. It is associated with the work of the Annandale Association who prevented the demolition of the buildings.
SHR Criteria e) [Research potential]	The building has the potential to yield information about the early use of reinforced concrete for residential purposes in NSW. The concrete was used for the footings and floor structure of the building.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	The building is a rare example of a Victorian villa that incorporates reinforced concrete into the structure. With the adjacent group it forms part of an outstanding and rare collection of large speculative residential buildings of historic, architectural and technological merit. The building and group remain as rare examples of residential buildings constructed by master builder John Young.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	Highroyd is an outstanding example of a late Victorian "gentlemen's villa" residence that retains its original site boundaries and curtilage, access and relationship with the rear lane.
Integrity/Intactness:	High
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Recommended management:

Elements that contribute to the architectural character of the building as presents to Johnston Street should be retained, particularly: -the form, height and scale of the main section of the building; -side tower and spire; -roof form and ridge and associated elements including front gables and chimney; -open verandahs and balconies and associated ironwork and tiling; -pattern of openings on the front façade; -long stair window on the southern facade and leaded glazing. The existing curtilage of the building and setbacks should be retained. Any additions should be restricted to the rear.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Local Environmental Plan	Leichhardt Local Environmental Plan 2013	I61	23 Dec 13

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
Leichhardt Municipality Heritage Study	1990		McDonald McPhee Pty Ltd (Craig Burton, Wendy Thorp)		Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title
Written
Written	Fiona Gillies	2009	The magic touch
Written	Gary Nicholls/ The Annandale Association	1981	Hockingdon The Storey of a House
Written	Max Solling and Peter Reynolds	1997	Leichhardt: On the Margins fo the City

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Local Government
Database number:	1940063

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