Modern living in a historic setting
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About the House...
The land on which the house sits was purchased by Josiah Byles in 1718 and the cape and colonial portions of the house were built in the early 1700's. Both parts of the house are traditional center chimneys and contain 5 working fireplaces on the first floor. Many of the historical aspects of the house have been retained over the centuries, such as the hand-sawn paneling, hand-hammered hinges, hand-made bricks, 9 over 6 windows, granite hearth stones, bee-hive oven, horse-hair plastered walls, and wide-board pine and chestnut floors.
When you visit, we have a few stories about the house and its inhabitants we will share, including one regarding the daughter, Henrietta, for whom we believe the front part of the house was built. The house is believed to have been on the Underground Railway, as well, and we can show where the runaway slaves might have hid from slave hunters. For those who like ghost stories, we have a few of those, as well.
Through the years the house has been tastefully renovated while keeping all the major historic aspects intact. We have completed new renovations of kitchen and bathrooms that provide the modern comforts guests expect, such as deep soaking tubs, heated floor tiles, and skylights. From the newly installed balcony and the many windows in the guest rooms on the second floor, one gets great views of our three fields separated by the old stone walls and 1800's barn still standing after all these years. Each guest room has been designed with items hand-picked by Marian from her life and travels in exotic locales, such as the Philippines, Japan, Thailand, Egypt, and Bali.
About the Homeowner...
Over the years Marian has traveled much of the world, having been privileged to live for several years in Germany, the Philippines, and Okinawa, as well as several states in the US. This whet her appetite to travel even more broadly. She has collected stories and gathered a few treasures from her travels, such as hand thrown ceramics from Japan, hand-woven rugs from Afghanistan, and baskets from the Philippines. Each room you walk through has evidence of her travels. A home is what you make it and for over twenty five years Marian has traveled the world to put together the best home for you and your loved ones to enjoy. Come for the comfort, enjoy the beauty of local landscape, and find the rest you need for whatever adventures you plan next.
About the land...
Henrietta House is located on the 3 acre Red House Farm in Ashford, Connecticut. Every year a section of this land is re-worked and with love and care transformed into a nurturing patch filled with a new fruit or vegetable. Early on Jasmine and Marian planted strawberries just outside the dining room windows. In the field behind our 1800's New England red barn are the 125 blueberries Jasmine and Marian planted with the help of our local horse-plowing team and a few other strong backs.
In addition, we raise goats (which we milk), chickens (for the eggs), and, periodically, pigs (for our bacon, ham, and home-made sausage).
About the Area...
Henrietta House Bed and Breakfast is located in Ashford, a village in the "Quiet Corner" of Connecticut, filled with the natural beauty of rolling hills, trails, ponds, streams, lakes, state parks, small farms and fields that provide for a variety of recreational opportunities, such as hiking, swimming, biking, birding, kayaking, riding, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, pick-your-own fruits and vegetables, and the opportunity to see bison, alpaca, and maple-sugaring. The Byles Sanctuary Trail is adjacent to Henrietta House. However, within a twenty minute drive in almost any direction you will find yourself in a larger town filled with a variety of opportunities for dining, shopping, and entertainment, such as coffee shops, book stores, antique stores, pubs, wineries, breweries, distilleries, sporting events, and performances in many local venues.
The land on which the house sits was purchased by Josiah Byles in 1718 and the cape and colonial portions of the house were built in the early 1700's. Both parts of the house are traditional center chimneys and contain 5 working fireplaces on the first floor. Many of the historical aspects of the house have been retained over the centuries, such as the hand-sawn paneling, hand-hammered hinges, hand-made bricks, 9 over 6 windows, granite hearth stones, bee-hive oven, horse-hair plastered walls, and wide-board pine and chestnut floors.
When you visit, we have a few stories about the house and its inhabitants we will share, including one regarding the daughter, Henrietta, for whom we believe the front part of the house was built. The house is believed to have been on the Underground Railway, as well, and we can show where the runaway slaves might have hid from slave hunters. For those who like ghost stories, we have a few of those, as well.
Through the years the house has been tastefully renovated while keeping all the major historic aspects intact. We have completed new renovations of kitchen and bathrooms that provide the modern comforts guests expect, such as deep soaking tubs, heated floor tiles, and skylights. From the newly installed balcony and the many windows in the guest rooms on the second floor, one gets great views of our three fields separated by the old stone walls and 1800's barn still standing after all these years. Each guest room has been designed with items hand-picked by Marian from her life and travels in exotic locales, such as the Philippines, Japan, Thailand, Egypt, and Bali.
About the Homeowner...
Over the years Marian has traveled much of the world, having been privileged to live for several years in Germany, the Philippines, and Okinawa, as well as several states in the US. This whet her appetite to travel even more broadly. She has collected stories and gathered a few treasures from her travels, such as hand thrown ceramics from Japan, hand-woven rugs from Afghanistan, and baskets from the Philippines. Each room you walk through has evidence of her travels. A home is what you make it and for over twenty five years Marian has traveled the world to put together the best home for you and your loved ones to enjoy. Come for the comfort, enjoy the beauty of local landscape, and find the rest you need for whatever adventures you plan next.
About the land...
Henrietta House is located on the 3 acre Red House Farm in Ashford, Connecticut. Every year a section of this land is re-worked and with love and care transformed into a nurturing patch filled with a new fruit or vegetable. Early on Jasmine and Marian planted strawberries just outside the dining room windows. In the field behind our 1800's New England red barn are the 125 blueberries Jasmine and Marian planted with the help of our local horse-plowing team and a few other strong backs.
In addition, we raise goats (which we milk), chickens (for the eggs), and, periodically, pigs (for our bacon, ham, and home-made sausage).
About the Area...
Henrietta House Bed and Breakfast is located in Ashford, a village in the "Quiet Corner" of Connecticut, filled with the natural beauty of rolling hills, trails, ponds, streams, lakes, state parks, small farms and fields that provide for a variety of recreational opportunities, such as hiking, swimming, biking, birding, kayaking, riding, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, pick-your-own fruits and vegetables, and the opportunity to see bison, alpaca, and maple-sugaring. The Byles Sanctuary Trail is adjacent to Henrietta House. However, within a twenty minute drive in almost any direction you will find yourself in a larger town filled with a variety of opportunities for dining, shopping, and entertainment, such as coffee shops, book stores, antique stores, pubs, wineries, breweries, distilleries, sporting events, and performances in many local venues.