A history of old Highbury House

Posted on 29/8/09 by Lucy (No comments)

The Manor of Highbury remained the possession of the Knights of St John, until it was confiscated by Henry VIII in 1540. The land then stayed as crown property until Parliament began selling it in the 17th century.

John Dawes, a wealthy stockbroker, acquired the site of Jack Straw’s Castle together with 247 acres (1 km²) of surrounding land. In 1781 he built Highbury House at a cost of £10,000 on the spot where Highbury Manor had stood. Over the next 30 years the house was extended by new owners, firstlyAlexander Aubert and then John Bentley, to include a large observatory and lavish gardens.

The grounds around Highbury House started to be sold off in 1794. By 1894 Highbury House and its remaining grounds became a school. Finally in 1938 Highbury House was demolished and is now the site of Eton House flats (on Leigh Road), built by the Old Etonian Housing Association in 1939.

A history of old Highbury House

Member Comments (0)

Posted by Lucy