The somewhat stately home of watchmaker Thomas Marsden and wife Mary is found in Isel Park on the main road in Stoke, Nelson. Thomas Marsden, a watchmaker from Hensingham (part of Whitehaven) in Cumbria, England, arrived in Nelson with his wife Mary in December 1842. He first set up in business in Selwyn Place then moved to Isel, at that time a property of 930 acres, after six years in Nelson. He built the original house, gave the land for St Barnabas Church, planned the park and planted most of the older trees which are now well into their second century. After Thomas died, his son James took over the property and had the stone front built onto the house in the 1880s.
Isel House and it’s surrounding woodland grounds recently celebrated its 160th birthday in 2009. (5 years and 3001 days ago)

Melrose House was originally built about 1879 for Charles Fowell Willett Watts. Charles came out to New Zealand aboard the Will Watch in 1841 and worked as a surveyor for the New Zealand Company.

After his death in 1881, Melrose became the home of his daughter, Francis and her husband Percy Bolland Adams, a prominent Nelson lawyer. It was at this time that much of the planting of the grounds was carried out by Mr Adams’ man-servant, Joseph Busch.

Garden parties were held in the rose garden at the back of the house where Melrose Terrace runs today. Percy and Frances had one son, Noel Percy Adams, who eventually inherited the property. His wife became very interested in the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers - and was at one time a Dominion President. This association was acknowledged by Colonel Adams when he arranged for the Women’s Division to have use of the property, and for a number of years the W.D.F.F. used the house as a holiday-rest home.

The property was gifted to the Nelson City Council for the use of the citizens of Nelson. (5 years and 3003 days ago)

1 Comment

Melrose, House, Nelson

MossyB says:

The color desaturation, with a bit of yellow overtone, does not compliment this building well, It all looks somewhat washed out and bland. The color contrast of the foliage and those wonderful storm clouds in the background would have done a wonderful job of accentuating the building. As is, everything just kind of blends together, with too much unity, and no real dominance.

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Flooding caused by a hurricane caused this house to be broken apart. Sony camera. (5 years and 3004 days ago)

3 Comments

house, the, Where, rest

friiskiwi says:

great

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author says:

Thanks. A very terrible time in our area during this hurricane. They are still doing cleanup and repairs...some roads still closed.

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kyricom says:

That would be a bummer... I hope the stained glass was saved

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Occupying a prominent location on the edge of Calton Hill, in central Edinburgh, the Governor's House is a castellated structure situated next to Old Calton Burial Ground and behind St. Andrew's House. This is a remnant of the jail which once occupied the site of the latter, at the time the largest prison in Scotland. The Governor's House was built 1815-17 by Archibald Elliot (1761 - 1823), who extended the Bridewell Gaol, which was the work of Robert Adam (1728-92) in 1791. The buildings were all built to match James Craig's Old Observatory on Calton Hill behind.

The Governor's House lay unused for many years and is now occupied as part of the St Andrew's House office complex.
(5 years and 3008 days ago)

4 Comments

Governor, House

friiskiwi says:

A beautiful photograph.

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author says:

Thank You

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jerostone says:

Wonderful picture, author. Now how about Rosslyn Chapel, or is it too far away from where you live? Kidding of-course.

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FallingHorse says:

Maybe a little too much HDR - it has created a halo around the object that are adjacent to the blue in the sky

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old train depot. One of the first. Wish could have had the inside. the "ceiling" was beautiflu (5 years and 3008 days ago)