In the mid-1800s, Joseph Shipley was retiring from his work as a merchant banker in Liverpool and picked the estate's location for its natural rock outcroppings, calling it "Rockwood." The design imitates English estates with manicured but natural-looking lawns, trees, and shrubs while including gardens and walkways. Like many estates in England, it has been turned into a combination historic site and tourist attraction, though the carriage house has been fully renovated and hosts events like weddings.
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| Proof of historicity! |
The mansion (which we will see soon enough) was built in the 1850s, but there was an original farm house on the land. These ruins are called "Edward's Playhouse" after Edward Bringhurst, youngest son of Shipley's nephew.
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| There's a suspicious cinderblock in there |
The pond provides drainage in the area, leaving a lot more useable land around. The information sign did not say how old the pond was, but surely the fountain is a (relatively) recent addition.
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| I want to see the dry ponds! |
The original entrance to the property was this lodge, where a gatekeeper lived. The building was constructed in the 1850s to match the estate house's style. The gatehouse is not open for touring.
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| Lodge |
The approach to the house includes a Ha-Ha, or a small wall designed to keep cattle and other livestock out of the immediate vicinity of the home. It is tall enough to stop them but short enough to be easily traversed by a horse or human. And the wall is not visible from the house.
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| You can just see the chimneys through the trees |
The original mansion was built from 1851 to 1854.
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| Conservatory attached to the house |
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| The main house |
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| The other end of the house |
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| View to the carriage house |
The main hall has a grand staircase going up, designed to impress visitors on first entry.
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| The front door from inside |
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| Stairs with family portraits |
A front room provides a sitting area for guests.
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| Plenty of couches |
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| More of the room |
The conservatory was a place to show off exotic plant all year long. It was built with hot water pipes in the floor to provide heat in the winter. The frosted glass windows for the ceiling and walls help the conservatory from getting too hot in the summer.
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| Conservatory |
The morning room is a nice place for breakfast and is next to the conservatory.
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| Morning room mirror and fireplace |
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| Breakfast table |
Upstairs are four bedrooms. The plainest one was probably for guests, though it has some family trophies.
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| Four poster bed without canopy |
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| Trophies and victory cups |
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| Cool desk in the corner |
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| A fireplace in every room! |
Edith Bringhurst loved horses and her riding crop and hat are on the bed in her bedroom. She married Alexander Sellers in 1897 and they moved to Pennsylvania. The house would come back to her family when her eldest daughter Nancy inherited Rockwood from her Aunt Mary.
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| Edith's bed |
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| Other bedroom furniture |
Mary Bringhurst lived an active social life all the way to her death in 1965 at the age of 100! She was also interested in her family history and her research provides a lot of information about the family. Her bedroom is decorated with some of her stuff. Her room has a closet attached--a whole extra room just for clothes!
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| Mary's bed |
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| Cosy decorations |
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| Walk-in closet |
Edward Bringhurst Junior was the great nephew of Joseph Shipley and bought the property in 1892 at a public auction. He brought his family (including daughters Mary and Edith) to live on the estate. Edward had retired from a pharmaceutical job in 1876. He spent his time maintaining and improving the estate.
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| Not Edward in the mirror |
The bed is interesting for the canopy, as if it were a window into Heaven.
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| Desk and bed |
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| View from lying down! |
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| Yet another fireplace |
Going back downstairs, we saw more food-related rooms.
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| Staircase from the top |
A small office was set up for the man of the house to conduct business, or at least keep track of finances.
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| The study |
The dining room was the place for more formal gatherings and entertaining.
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| Ready to serve dinner |
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| Discreet entrance for servants? |
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| The large fireplace |
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| Drinks on the sideboard |
The kitchen shows various levels of technology, displaying the history of the estate.
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| Table for cooking (the first kitchen island?) |
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| Boxes for food |
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| Freshest herbs possible! |
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| Wood-burning stove |
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| Who's ringing the bell? |
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| Older kitchen sink |
One room in the addition is a small museum containing items from the history of the house, including a recreation of a stuffed owl from long ago.
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| Displays |
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| The owl |
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| Fancy side table |
Back outside, there's a trench for water on the front patio, maybe for horses?
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| Outdoor sink? |
Not far away is the fruit cellar. The most common form of refrigeration in the 1800s was digging down into the ground and using the natural coolness of the earth. We did not get to go inside.
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| Fruit cellar, not a sunken house |
The carriage house has been rebuilt and expanded and is used as an event hall. We did not get to go in there either!
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| Garden and carriage house |
The estate has lots of trails for wandering around.
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| A cosy trail |
We loved our visit, especially since we came on the first Sunday of the month when entry is free!
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