Other Historic Buildings

Ryde district was the third area of European settlement in NSW and was originally known as Kissing Point. The first land grants were made in 1792 and small groups of farms were established along the foreshores of Parramatta River. During the nineteenth century larger estates developed and on them some quite substantial homes were built, several of which still exist, as do churches and some small public buildings. Other historic buildings you may like to visit:

	Curzon Hall 53 Agincourt Road, Marsfield An architectural splendour built in the 1890s by entrepreneur Harry Smith. Italian Renaissance style with graceful arches and colonnades built with local sandstone. It is now a function centre and a popular venue for social functions and conferences. Right: Curzon Hall around 1924
	Eastwood House 44 Hillview Road, Eastwood (Viewing from the outside only) Listed by the Heritage Council. A single storey Georgian house built in 1840 by William Rutledge and purchased by Edward Terry, first Mayor of Ryde, in 1863. The estate was subdivided in the 1910s and the house is now part of Marist College Eastwood. Right: Eastwood House in 1907
	Hattons Cottage 158 Blaxland Road, Ryde Early settler's cottage built in 1884 for Joseph Hatton, descended from one of Ryde's First Fleet families. Listed by the Heritage Council.
	The Hermitage Pennant Avenue, Ryde John Blaxland (son of the explorer and owner of Brush Farm House, Gregory Blaxland) purchased 5 acres of land in 1838. Blaxland built the house for his family and it was completed in 1841. John Blaxland was known as the hermit, within the family and so the house was named The Hermitage. The house is a rare survivor from the early settlement period of Ryde. The Hermitage was purchased by CSIRO in 1952 from Mr DT Nicholson. It became one of three CSIRO Wool Research Laboratories and in 1958 became a separate division and was named the Division of Textile Physics. The Hermitage and its surrounds stayed in Commonwealth Hands until 1999, when CSIRO rationalised its properties in the Ryde area. Right: Rear courtyard of The Hermitage in 1954
	Holy Cross College Victoria Road, Ryde (Opposite Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre) Built in 1898 by the Patrician Brothers on land purchased from the James Squire Farnell Estate. Right: Holy Cross Cottage around 1912
	Methodist Church 25-27 Church Street, Ryde Now known as Ryde Wesley Uniting Church. It was the second church in the Ryde district and was opened in 1849. A new church building was opened in 1870. The original building is a hall for the current church. Right: Ryde Wesley Uniting Church in 1992
	Old Court House Church Street, Ryde (Viewing from the outside only) Built in 1863 by George Miller Pope for the Justice Department and used as Ryde's first Court House. It was also the first meeting place of Ryde Municipal Council (now Ryde City Council). Right: The Old Courthouse in 1995
	Ryde Watchhouse Corner of Belmore Street and Victoria Road, Ryde Designed by colonial architect Mortimer Lewis and built in 1837-1838. The oldest building in New South Wales to serve in continuous police use. Right: The Police Station in 1995
	St Anne's Church 46 Church Street, Ryde Earliest parts date from 1826 - 1827. Major alterations in 1861 including a chancel, vestry, bell tower and buttresses. The graveyard includes the burial place of Granny Smith and Emily Barton (Banjo Paterson's grandmother) as well as six First Fleeters. Right: St Annes Church in 1995
	St Charles Borromeo Church 582 Victoria Road, Ryde Opened in 1857, but extensively rebuilt in the 1930s, sections of this original building have been included in the present church. The graveyard is the burial place of many early settlers including Andrew Lenehan, a prominent early Sydney cabinetmaker.   Right: St Charles Borromeo Church around 1912
	Wallumetta 826 Victoria Road, Ryde A two storey Victorian style dwelling that has recently been refurbished as office accommodation.

Black and white photos provided courtesy of Ryde Library Services, and can be found on the Library Catalogue.