Highroyd – 262 Johnston Street – Annandale – NSW

Highroyd – 262 Johnston Street – Annandale – NSW

Victorian Rustic Gothic “Witches’ House” · John Young late 1880s · Pair with Hockingdon · Standing — private · Leichhardt LEP I61 (local)

Highroyd and Hockingdon are the side-spired twins John Young built as income houses for daughters Annie and Nellie. Flats, enclosed verandahs and a twentieth-century squeeze came and went; decades of conservation put lace and open balconies back on the Johnston Street skyline.

At a glance

• Address: 262 Johnston Street, Annandale NSW 2038
• Pair: Hockingdon, 264 Johnston Street
• Early name: Melba (Sands 1890) → Highroyd by 1900 (Heritage NSW)
• Traditional Custodians: Wangal / Inner West corridor (acknowledge)
• Built: c.1886–1889 (Heritage NSW); localnotes 1888–1890 (flag)
• Builder: John Young; designer attributed John William Richards and Young (Heritage NSW)
• Style: late Victorian gentleman’s villa / Rustic Gothic Revival features — side tower with metal-clad spire and gargoyles; steep gables; open verandahs with cast-iron lace (Heritage NSW)
• Purpose: speculative income house for Young’s daughters Annie and Nellie (they did not reside there)
• Technology: early reinforced concrete footings/floors in Young’s Annandale group (H.C. Kent 1924 tradition via Heritage NSW)
• Heritage: Leichhardt LEP 2013 I61 / Heritage NSW DB 1940063 (local)
• Fate: Standing — private residence after multi-letting phase and long restoration

Site & setting

Western high side of Johnston Street behind the continuous sandstone wall, palisade, arched gate and stone stair shared with the Abbey group (Heritage NSW). Landmark silhouette with Hockingdon; city/Anzac Bridge views noted in modern sale descriptions (secondary). Group: Kenilworth 260, Highroyd 262, Hockingdon 264, Greba 266, Oybin 270, The Abbey 272; Claremont & Rozelle demolished.

Timeline

• 1799 – Johnston grant; 1877–78 – Young consolidates North Annandale (Heritage NSW).
• Early 1880s – Young reacquires high-side lots south of Weynton Street (Heritage NSW).
• c.1886–90 – Highroyd / Hockingdon built (flag date window).
• 1890 – Sydney Water plan; Sands lists Melba (PB Black) (Heritage NSW).
• By 1900 – Listed as Highroyd (Heritage NSW).
• From 1920s – Multiple lettings; front verandahs enclosed (Heritage NSW).
• Late 1980s–2000s – Owners restore; 2006–09 verandahs/lace reinstated (Heritage NSW approvals).
• Today – Private local-heritage dwelling in the Witches’ Precinct.

Architecture & interiors

Three storeys over basement; rendered brick and concrete; steep slate gables with scalloped bargeboards; NE corner tower with metal spire and four gargoyles; front double gable into third-floor balcony; cast-iron verandahs; long southern stair window with leadlight (Heritage NSW — retain per recommendations). Matching form to Hockingdon 264 (side spires vs Kenilworth’s centre spire). Prefer Heritage NSW / DCP controls over inventing interior schedules; modern rear garage/carport noted on inventory.

People & anecdotes

John Young — “eminent Australian builder,” Mayor of Sydney / Leichhardt, Annandale promoter, mason, builder of The Abbey (ADB / Heritage NSW). Annie & Nellie Young — intended beneficiaries of the pair. John William Richards — attributed architect (also Annandale Council Chambers). H.C. Kent — 1924 account of Young’s reinforced-concrete methods (via Heritage NSW). Annandale Association — 1960s–70s advocacy that helped save the group (Heritage NSW social criteria).

Image gallery guidance

1. Pair elevations with Hockingdon 264.

2. Spire / gargoyle detail from public realm.

3. 1952 row view Kenilworth–Greba (localnotes).

4. Sandstone wall / arched gate / stone stair.

5. Pre- vs post-verandah-reinstatement photos if rights clear.

What stands today

Highroyd stands at 262 Johnston Street as a private residence within Inner West / former Leichhardt local heritage listing. Street viewing of the elevated façade and shared stone wall is the public experience; interiors are not a museum. Pair always with Hockingdon.

Sources & further reading

• Heritage NSW — House, “Highroyd,” including interiors (DB 1940063): https://apps.environment.nsw.gov.au/dpcheritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=1940063
• Leichhardt LEP 2013 — I61
• Heritage NSW — Hockingdon (DB 1940064) for pair context
• localnotes — “Annandale – the houses of John Young”: http://localnotes.net.au/?p=206
• ADB — Young, John: https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/young-john-4904
• Gary Nicholls / Annandale Association — Hockingdon: The Story of a House (1981) cited on related inventories
• Wikipedia — Highroyd, Annandale (portal)
• Trove — search: Highroyd Annandale; Melba Johnston Street Annandale; “Witches’ Houses” Annandale

Related on this blog

• Hockingdon, 264 Johnston Street — twin income house
• The Abbey / Oybin — Abbey group neighbours (this batch + Abbey draft)
• Annandale House — Johnston estate predecessor

Add historic photos with captions and credits (SLNSW / Trove / author) from Image gallery guidance.