Major George Johnston (1764–1823) arrived on the First Fleet ship Lady Penrhyn, which brought convicts to Australia from England.

It was demolished in 1905, although the original gates were preserved and rebuilt on the grounds of Annandale Public school nearby on Johnston Street.

George's son Robert inherited the estate, but in 1877 sold it to John Young, who was a businessman, architect and mayor.

Young began turning the Johnston estate into an attractive suburb by building a number of picturesque houses.

One of those houses was Kenilworth, with a "witch's cap" style of roof common to that period of architecture, which Young rented to Henry Parkes, father of Federation and former Premier of NSW.

Built by John Young, The Abbey has been described as a stone Gothic Revival mansion, modelled on Scottish manors.

Young gave his imagination a free rein and the house incorporates gables, arches, gargoyles, lions, quatrefoils, chimneys, turrets, a cloister and a tower with copper cladding (it was rumoured that Young may have stolen gargoyles from St Mary's Cathedral, which he built, but there was no proof).

After Young's death, The Abbey was occupied by a series of tenants, who subdivided the house to create flats and flatettes.

The selling agent had been hoping for a price of A$5 million, but despite a crowd of 200 people attending the on-site auction, there were only two bidders.

Young hoped that the Annandale area would be fine enough to rival places like Darling Point, but was unable to prevent the growth of industries or the subdivision of lots.

Since then it has undergone a number of social transformations, from factory floors, migrant stop off, ageing population, to now young families and modern small and micro businesses.

Returning in 1891 from travels in Europe and Asia, Young led a secession movement resulting in the incorporation of the Annandale Borough Council.

The first year it was run at World Environment Day, however a storm caused its relocation to the Leichhardt Town Hall.