Raleigh House and Blackfriars Estate

Raleigh House is located at 639 Barton Street, on the north side of Barton Street, west of Talbot Street, in the City of London (80 Barton St). The Raleigh House was home to many prominent London citizens in the second half of the 19th century. It was built in circa 1866 and first occupied as a rental property for Captain Grant, of the British Garrison and George Becher Harris, an important London lawyer. Harris purchased the house in 1871 and owned it until he moved to his family’s home, Eldon House. James Cowan, a subsequent owner, founded the famous London hardware store, James Cowan and Co. and also served as a Mayor of London, in 1887 and 1888. In 1943, the house became the residence for the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, who occupied it until 2005. The property is now owned by Raleigh House Condominiums. The building includes four main suites. Blackfriars Estate – Perched on the hill at the end of Central Avenue overlooking Blackfriar’s Bridge in London Ontario is a mansion called Blackfriar Estate. The building has also been known as The Bishop’s Palace, and was originally named Firbrae. This estate home was built in 1870 by Thomas Kent whose father was granted much of the land along the river by the Crown of England in the 1840’s. Despite selling off most of the land, this parcel was retained by the family and Thomas built the home after selling some of the remaining land along the river to the City of London. When Thomas died without an heir the house was purchased for Bishop Fallon by John Donnelly and the property became the residence of 6 Roman Catholic Bishops until 2008. The property is now owned by Blackfriar Estate Condominiums which has made an obvious effort to retain much of the historical features of the building, while updating it for contemporary living.