Ercildoune is a name with a thousand-year history still resonating in Elizabeth Bay today thanks to a wealthy local stockbroker and his 19^th century mansion.

Elizabeth Bay Road and its surrounding streets were originally part of Alexander Macleay’s Elizabeth Bay estate. Macleay (1767-1848) was Colonial Secretary of New South Wales and migrated to the colony in 1826 to take up the position. He was promised a grant of 54 acres at Elizabeth Bay where he erected Elizabeth Bay House and developed the grounds into a private, world-famous botanical garden.

Macleay experienced financial difficulties in the downturn of the 1840s depression and left the colony in 1845. His estate was taken on by his eldest son, William Sharp Macleay (1792-1865) who lived there until his death in 1865 when it was bequeathed to his brother George (1809-1891). George had already left the colony in 1859 but directed from his home in England that the estate be subdivided and sold with staged 99-year leases. By 1882 only three acres of garden around the house remained.

Today’s Ercildoune is a block of 74 apartments once part of the original Macleay estate grant. It was previously a grand 1880s Victorian-era villa which was demolished in the 1960s. It was built for John Gilchrist and later converted to flats. The Gilchrist family seems to have had genealogical connections to Lord Ercildoune dating back to the 12^th century which may account for the name of the property.

Mr. John Gilchrist was a member of one of the oldest shipping families in New South Wales. Born at Greenknowe house, Macleay Street, Sydney, in 1847, he went to England with his parents when a child and was educated at Harrow. He returned with the family in 1867 and in 1875 he commenced business on his own account as a merchant and importer, residing at Ercildoune, Elizabeth Bay. In 1892 he became a stockbroker.

Mr Gilchrist took was one of the original members of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. One of his most vivid recollections was the shooting of the Duke of Edinburgh on a royal visit at Clontarf in 1868. He was at the picnic and was one of those who rushed to the Duke’s assistance. Mr Gilchrist was one of the oldest parishioners of St John’s, Darlinghurst having first attended that church in 1875.

The Ercildoune site was later subdivided after his death and on 1958 was sold to Ercildoune Gardens Pty Limited and later on-sold to the Horwitz Corporation in 1964 which developed the site in 1965 for today’s Harry Seidler-designed apartments.

It was one of several apartment blocks designed by Seidler in Elizabeth Bay. Other examples include Aquarius (1966), the twin towers Gemini complex at Potts

Point and Ithaca Gardens (1960), where Seidler lived with his wife Penelope prior to building their new home in Killara,

Harry Seidler AC OBE (1923-2006) is regarded as one of the significant post-war architects in Australia and was highly influential in introducing European modernism into the country.

Ercildoune apartments consists of a roof-top pool with two wings with an eight-storey wing to the southeast fronting Elizabeth Bay Crescent with connecting walkways lift and stair. The southern section has an undercroft with apartments according to original 1963 plans lodged with Sydney Council. The front section has projecting service areas off the main block.
The Elizabeth Bay Road presents a facade with a plain, five-level blank, blonde brick wall (see photo above), letter boxes, flag pole, a twelve-car asphalt car park and utilitarian service stairs. The incinerator chimney is set between the two blocks and is a circular, precast concrete flue .

It is described by one heritage architect as “an interesting example of a five to eight-storey, late Twentieth Century Modernist style building with some Brutalist overtones to the

massing at the rear … it has a cellular plan of apartments … the gridded, glazed facades to the major elevations are very well composed and were a signature of Seidler’s work at

the time … Seidler’s … uncompromising approach … was not always popular.”

Interestingly, a small section of stone wall and steps, perhaps from the original 19^th century Ercildoune home, remains in the northeast corner of the site.

By Andrew Woodhouse

Heritage Solutions