Lowden House Farm: History
According to an article from an old magazine, the present house was built before 1815 by Samuel Lowden and a "lovely fan window over original front entrance" indicates its possible Planter or Loyalist origins. It is "the oldest house continuously occupied dwelling on the Habitant road".
A building has been on this site for at least two hundred years, perhaps as far back as the 18th century. The cellar is possibly of Acadian origin; if so, it indicates that a pre-1755 expulsion dwelling occupied the site. The massive fieldstone base occupies a considerable area of the cellar. It is stepped back to take the large wooden beams which in turn support the post and beam structure of the floors above. These supports have recently been extensively strengthened to ensure the house's continued stability.
Mr. Lowden was a tanner and manufactured shoes from leather which he prepared on the property; he also had a shoe shop in Canning (shown on the Church map of the County in 1866). Several buildings used for this purpose were situated near the brook where traces of original foundations may still be seen. A previous owner, Oran Ells, told of finding large round stones 4 feet in diameter used to grind the bark of hemlock tress used in the tanning process. Old wooden shoe molds were also found on the site in the tannery cellar.
Above: the beehive bread oven in the kitchen. Below: inside the oven.
In the late 19th century the house and land passed into the ownership of the Ells family, who still have many relatives in the area (and in the local cemetery), the last member of which was noted locally as a medium and psychic.
The document below gives more detail of the house's long history. (Certain recent information has been erased to protect the privacy of the living.)
Inside the house, boards as wide as 18 to 24 inches form the room partitions. The curving stairs lead from the kitchen behind an original wooden door. An early 'Christian door' (so named for the structure of its frame) forms the main entrance to the building which has original small paned windows and window casements. The house has four fireplaces made of stone or brick. Three of of these are sealed off but one has a wood stove. In the attic the sloping chimney is made from hand-made bricks (probably from the exposed red mud of the Habitant estuary nearby) and rakes back on an unusual angle. The hand dressed rafters are mortised together and joined with large wooden pins; the floor boards are attached by hand-made nails.
The house adjoins a 22 acre strip 'long lot' farm, approx. 360 feet in width, which runs from the highway to the estuary. Sixteen acres have been in arable condition (though not farmed or sprayed for ten or more years) and are divided by a year-round brook in a wooded dingle within a 'vault' - a local Acadian term for small ravine. The lower field looks out over the estuary and the numerous migratory birds which feed there in spring and fall. In addition, bald eagles and hawks are frequently seen. Two new dew ponds have recently been dug and landscaped to provide more bird and wildlife habitat. At the top end of the field, birch saplings have become established. Near the house, about 15m above the level of the estuary, is a more sheltered field that has been used as an orchard in the past.
The area enjoys a healthy and mild micro-climate ideally suited to grape and soft fruit growth, like our luscious tomatoes in the photo at right. Just a few properties to the east nearby are several vineyards and Blomidon Winery recently established as a notable processor of local grapes. Local wines may be purchased there every day of the week!
