Picturesque Quebec : a sequel to Quebec past and presentLe Moine, J. M. (James MacPherson), Sir
History
Picturesque Quebec : a sequel to Quebec past and present
Le Moine, J. M. (James MacPherson), Sir
Québec (Québec) -- Description and travel; Québec (Québec) -- Suburbs
Manager of the Bank of Montreal, at Quebec. Forming a portion of it to the
west, and looking towards Charlesbourg, there is a snug English-looking
little nest, "Woodside," with the prettiest of thorn and willow hedges.
Thornhill has exchanged hands, and been for many years the seat of
Archibald Campbell, Esq., P.S.C., at Quebec.
_SPENCER WOOD._
On the South side of the St. Louis road, past Wolfe and Montcalm's famed
battle-field, two miles from the city walls, lies, embowered in verdure,
the most picturesque domain of Sillery--one might say of Canada--Spencer
Wood. [226]
This Celebrated Vice-Regal Lodge was (1780-96) known as Powell Place, when
owned by General Henry Watson Powell. It took its name of Spencer Wood
from the Right Honorable Spencer Perceval, [227] the illustrious relative
of the Hon. Henry Michael Perceval, whose family possessed it from 1815 to
1833, when it was sold to the late Henry Atkinson, Esquire, an eminent and
wealthy Quebec merchant. Hon. Mr. Perceval, member of the Executive and
Legislative Council, had been H. M.'s Collector of Customs at Quebec for
many years, and until his death which took place at sea, 12th October,
1829. The Percevals lived for many years in affluence in this sylvan
retreat. Of their elegant receptions Quebecers still cherish pleasant
reminiscences. Like several villas of England and France, Spencer Wood had
its periods of splendor alternated by days of loneliness and neglect,
short though they were. Spencer Wood, until 1849, comprised the adjoining
property of Spencer Grange. Mr. Atkinson that year sold the largest half
of his country seat--Spencer Wood--to the Government, as a gubernatorial
residence for the hospitable and genial Earl of Elgin, reserving the
smaller half (now owned by the writer), on which he built conservatories,
vineries, a pinery, orchid house, &c., far more extensive than those of
Spencer Wood proper. Though the place was renowned for its magnificence
and princely hospitality in the days of Lord Elgin, there are amongst the
living plenty to testify to the fact that the lawns, walks, gardens, and
conservatories were never kept up with the same intelligent taste and
lavish expenditure as they were during the sixteen years (1833-1849) when
this country seat owned for its master Mr. Atkinson.
_THE LATE HONORABLE MRS. M. H. PERCEVAL. FORMERLY OF SPENCER WOOD,
QUEBEC._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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