Ewenton is a heritage-listed residence at 1 Blake Street, Balmain, Inner West Council, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by James McDonald and built from 1854 to 1872. It is also known as Blake Vale. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. History Ewenton's land (a larger section bounded by Adolphus Street in the west, Darling Street in the north, Johnston's Bay in the south and Sandy Bay in the east) was bought at auction in 1837 by Robert Blake, from Professor Gilchrist. Blake was Quartermaster Sergeant in His Majesty's 17th Regiment of Foot soldiers, who chose a civil career instead. He was appointed to the NSW Sheriff's Office in 1835, and made under sheriff of the colony on 1 July 1837. Blake's scheme on his estate was to build a number of houses one at a time on varying sized blocks of his land to bring in rental income, along with Darling Street buildings. Ewenton's house was originally constructed for Robert Blake in 1854–1855 as "Blake Vale", a simple single-storied colonial house with a part basement (probably with an attic roof) on the Johnston's Bay side of the property. Blake moved in during December 1854 after the birth of his first son, D'Arcy Stephen, who died on 12 June 1855 at seven months. Blake sold the property in October 1856, moving back to (another of his houses) Mount Shamrock (8, 8a Ewenton Street). The property was bought in 1856 by Major Ewen Wallace Cameron, a successful businessman and partner in Thomas Sutcliffe Mort & Co. in charge of wool consignments, squatting accounts and pastoral finance. Cameron also bought other adjoining properties off Blake (with his fluctuating finances) in 1860 and 1861. The 13 lots were entered from Darling Street, Adolphus Street and the entry roadway called Wallscourt Avenue. The name became Ewenton Street after Cameron bought Blake Vale. Blake had only created one other road, Blake Street. 9 of Cameron's 12 children to his wife Sophia Usher (b. 1830 in Mauritius, of a father said to have been secretary to Lord Minto, former Governor-General of India) were born at Ewenton. Mrs Cameron's origins and possible exotic tastes may explain the style of the upper floor bay window. In 1860 to accommodate his growing family Cameron engaged Balmain architect James McDonald to add an elaborate entrance portico and stone upper