Glebe history set in stone

It was the decade when thousands of free settlers migrated to Sydney to start a new life, gold was discovered in Bathurst and New South Wales became a self-governing colony.

It was also the decade when 8000 tonnes of sandstone were employed in the construction of the fortifications on Fort Denison, then known as Pinchgut Island.

South-west of the island, in Blackwattle Bay, it was a far less onerous task to build The Retreat at 53 Leichhardt Street, a Georgian-style sandstone residence in Glebe for saddler and harness-maker James Rothwell.

It may seem like an age ago, but as the home hasn’t yet been given a designer makeover, it’s not difficult to launch yourself back a century or two and picture the property devoid of neighbours and providing a getaway for Rothwell and his young family.

The solid sandstone walls are still intact, the ceilings soar to 12 feet and there are five original fireplaces. Instead of views towards the Superyacht Marina and Anzac Bridge, the Rothwells would have watched more modest pleasure boats and canoes.

Under the main house, with no internal access, are two additional rooms, one accessed via huge double barn-style doors and used as a cellar, the other a large bedroom.

According to a history of the house put together by The Glebe Society, Rothwell built a long-since-demolished bathing house on the foreshore and divided his time between George Street in the city and Glebe. The family eventually moved to the city permanently in the mid 1860s.

The next known residents of The Retreat were the widow Ann Maria Smith, her daughter Christiana and her grandson Lesley, who died there of scarlet fever in 1874. When Ann died in 1880 the auction of the house’s contents included “canaries in full song”, a double-barrelled shotgun and a Cossack-bred horse.

In the 1920s the property was part of the shipbreaking yards and in the 1970s, The Retreat was saved from demolition by the occupancy of squatters and community activism.

Restored in the 1990s, the home now awaits a new chapter in its long history. Sections of the once-award-winning Dr James Broadbent gardens have been a little neglected but can be tamed.

The new owners are buying a coveted wedge of Sydney’s waterfront – but also a heritage-listed and hugely colourful serve of Sydney’s history.

​Four bedrooms, two bathrooms and four parking spaces. 
Auction March 18, expected to sell for $4.9 million.
Next inspection Saturday, 1pm to 1.30pm.
See more at http://www.domain.com.au/2013390595

Need to know:
Last traded for $4.82 million in 2016. 
Highest recorded house price in Glebe (past 12 months) $5.25 million for 570 Glebe Point Road in May 2016. 
Median price for houses $1,681,000. 

Recent sales
$4.42 million 23 Toxteth Road in November, 2016
$4.15 million 11 Avenue Road in February, 2016
$3,985,000 54 Bellevue Street in June, 2016