The Abbey, Annandale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Abbey |
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The Abbey, c. 1880s
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Victorian Free Gothic |
| Location | 272 Johnston Street, Annandale, Inner West Council, New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 33°52′28″S 151°10′25″E / 33.8744°S 151.1735°E |
| Completed | 1882 |
| Renovated | 2015 |
| Client | John Young |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | Alan Croker |
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Invalid designation
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| Official name: "The Abbey", house | |
| Type: | Inner West Council local heritage (built) |
| Designated: | 23 December 2013 |
| Part of: | “The Witches’ Houses” |
| Reference #: | I65 |
| Type: | House |
| Category: | Residential buildings (private) |
The Abbey is a very old and special house in Annandale, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. It's located at 272 Johnston Street. This house is important because it's listed on several heritage registers. This means it's protected for its history and unique design.
Contents
History of The Abbey House
Building a Dream Suburb
The Abbey was built by John Young. He was a builder who moved to Australia from England. John Young first worked in Melbourne and then moved to Sydney. He became very successful.
In 1877, John Young bought a lot of land in Annandale. He had a big dream to create a beautiful "garden suburb" there. He wanted it to be as fancy as other rich areas near the harbour, like Darling Point. He then built eight amazing homes close to Rozelle Bay. These homes included The Abbey, Oybin, Kenilworth, Greba, Hockindon, and Highroyd. Two other homes, Rozelle and Claremont, have since been taken down.
Unique Design and Features
The Abbey was the most impressive of all these houses. It was a "romantic house" that looked a bit like a Scottish castle. It was designed in a style called Victorian Free Gothic. The house had special stencil work and hand-painted pictures. It also featured wooden archways, a Gothic-style ceiling, and a tower with gargoyles.
John Young was also the main builder for St Mary's Cathedral. People used to say he took gargoyles from the cathedral to put on his houses in Annandale! He also used a new building material called reinforced concrete. This was very modern for the time. John Young was part of a group called the Freemasons. The house was decorated with symbols from this group.
The house was finished in 1882. John Young built it to try and convince his wife to come back from England. But she never returned, and they never lived in the house together. Housekeepers lived in The Abbey while John Young lived in another house nearby. From 1887, the large ballroom and stables at The Abbey were used as a place for students to live.
Changes Over the Years
In 1924, The Abbey was divided into smaller apartments. This was the start of a long period where the house slowly became run down. In 1959, a radio engineer named Lancelot Davis bought the house. He bought it for his son, Dr. Geoffrey L. R. Davis, who was a surgeon in Sydney. Dr. Davis continued to rent out some of the apartments. At the same time, he worked for many years to restore the house.
The Davis family lived in The Abbey for fifty years. Dr. Davis passed away in 2008. In May 2009, all the items inside the house were sold at an auction. The house itself was sold in November 2009 for $4.86 million. This was a record price for Annandale at the time.
Ghost Stories
Gervase Davis, a member of the family, believed the house was haunted. He said he sometimes felt different presences. People have also reported seeing a "lady in white" there. In the 1970s, ghost hunters even visited the house with their special "ectoplasmic machines" to investigate. Francesca Davis, another family member, thought that cats could sense spirits. She said her cats would get their fur standing up when a spirit was in the room.
Restoration and Recognition
The new owners, Michael Hogan and Ann Sherry, bought the house. They spent four years, until 2015, restoring it to its former glory. They worked with a special architect named Alan Croker. Their hard work won a National Trust Heritage Award in May 2015. The Abbey is still listed on important heritage registers today.
Gallery
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As viewed from Johnston Street
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Detail of chimney
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Detail of the tower with gargoyle
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