In the 1890's, the O'Reilly's, one of the first families to immigrate from County Kerry, Ireland, to the Kingsbridge area, built our home "on the north side of Kerry Creek".  It is reported that the builder told the owner 'he was proud to have had a part in the building of such a fine mansion, that he had used the finest of materials, provided his best workmanship, and that the house should stand for generations'.

Interestingly, we have found names and dates scratched onto the brick walls; O'Reilly (a grandson of the original owner), Macdonald, Flynn, O'Connor, and Garvey.  We've also had the pleasure of having previous residents visit us.  One such visitor, Jeanie, kindly wrote "Thank you so much for doing such a beautiful restoration on our old homestead." 

In 1975, the house was purchased by a priest, and he made many repairs and renovations, including turning an upstairs bedroom into a Chapel; the first to be built, and consecrated, in a private home in Huron County.  The Chapel is now the comfortable  'Chapel Room'. The beautiful and historic Kingsbridge Church, built in 1887, pictured left,  is just down the road in the Hamlet of Kingsbridge if you wish to attend or just visit.  As well, a meditation poustinia, a delightful little cabin overlooking Kerry Creek, was built a few yards from the house. The Priest also planted thousands of trees, daffodils and other plants,  making the property an oasis in the middle of acres of farmland.

Following our move from West Sussex, England in 1999 (I was born in Somerset), my wife (who is Canadian) and I bought our property and opened as a Bed and Breakfast the following summer.