Hampton Villa for 35 years, and the Hunt family owned the property for nearly 50 years. Edward Hunt is believed to have built Hampton Villa in 1847-1849, a sandstone gentleman's residence with attic. The design of the villa has been attributed to the prominent Sydney architect, John Verge, although not conclusively established. John Verge practiced from 1831-1838, with some of his commissions completed after 1838 by his assistant, John Bibb. Verge became the most sought-after domestic architect from this period, who designed gentleman's residences for the elite of Sydney society. Edward Hunt, a leading cabinet maker, and John Verge, the leading architect of the time, are known to have had several clients in common amongst the elite of Sydney who could afford to commission their work. A further connection between Hunt and Verge is that Hunt hired Verge to build his Jamieson Street showroom and house in 1833. The success and influence of Edward Hunt during this period also makes it probable that he would commission the leading and most sought-after architect of the time to build his home. In addition to the connections between Verge and Hunt, the physical fabric of Hampton Villa supports that the building was designed by John Verge because it combines many of the characteristics that are known to be typical of works by Verge. These include the use of sandstone quoining and very fine ashlar construction, the stone-flagged verandah, the depth of the verandah, the hipped roof, the generous proportions of rooms, the exceptionally high ceilings for the period (14 feet), the exceptionally fine cedar joinery that is a dominant feature of the interiors, the use of French doors with slender glazing bars and louvred shutters, the non-glazed kick-panels in the French doors (a Verge trademark), the elevated situation of building with a commanding hill top view, and the careful situation of the building within a planned and ordered landscape. Moreover, the overall quality and combination of these elements is indicative of a highly skilled architect, of whom there were few in the subject period, and no others known with the reputation of Verge. Both the sandstone Hampton Villa and the 1840 timber Hampton Cottage remained on the allotment for some time. Between 1851 and 1856, Hunt purchased a number of the surrounding lots accumulating approximately 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) occupying all the land between Adolphus Street and Camerons Cove. Hunt died in the