Gladswood House

Gladswood House is a two-storey Gothic Revival heritage-listed house in Gladswood Gardens, a residential cul-de-sac in the Sydney suburb of Double Bay. The house is now divided into flats as part of an apartment block.

Gladswood House is listed on the Australian Register of the National Estate. The Australian Heritage Commission's Statement of Significance cites it as a "Picturesque and historic home which has first class fittings and detail. Base of the original structure remains almost intact." Over the years it has also been known as Glenyarrah and Seaford House.

The site was originally part of the Point Piper Estate, a parcel of 190 acres granted to Captain John Piper by Governor Lachlan Macquarie in 1820. Piper later had severe financial problems, as a result of which he sold his property in 1826 to the merchant Daniel Cooper, of Cooper and Levy. Over the years, the property has been associated with a number of notable people, including William Walker, Samuel Gordon, Thomas Hussey Kelly, Thomas Herbert Kelly, John Spencer Brunton, and Howard Joseland.

The house was built between 1862 and 1864. The architect's identity is uncertain, but it was most likely either William Munro or Hilly. It was definitely Munro who built the gate pillars as there was an advertisement placed by Munro for stonemasons to build these at this house in 1864. Constructed of sandstone, it features two wings, a verandah with three bays, a slate roof, Tudor chimneys and a fireplace that is thought to go back to 14th century England. Further extensions and alterations were carried out after 1901.

The house and private jetty have a state heritage listing as well as the federal listing.

Samuel Deane Gordon (1811-1882) built Gladswood House, then called Glenyarrah in about 1863. Samuel Deane Gordon was born in 1811 at Ballynahinch, County Down, Ireland. His father David Gordon was a farmer. His mother’s name was Mary Deane. He came to Sydney in 1830 at the age of 19 and worked in several mercantile houses before becoming a successful merchant. He then turned to pastoral pursuits and leased Banandra run of over 50,000 acres on the Murrumbidgee River. He moved to Sydney and established a wine and spirit business and became the Director of several important companies.

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