Description of Historic Place

Fort Sackville Scott Manor House is a Dutch Colonial style two-and-one-half storey gambrel roofed house built in 1770. It is located on a 1.3 acre property along the eastern boundary of the lands bounded by Fort Sackville Road, CNR lines, and Shore Drive, in Bedford, Nova Scotia. The house is now a museum and a local landmark. The designation applies to the house and property.

Heritage Value

Fort Sackville Scott Manor House is valued as the oldest the house in the Halifax Regional Municipality. As well, it is valued for its historical association the house’s original resident, Joseph Scott, who arrived in Halifax with Governor Cornwallis in 1749. Scott was a well-established merchant involved in a wide range of goods. He was especially successful in the lumber industry. His holdings included present day Bedford and Sackville. Scott died in September 1800 and left his land, tenements, buildings, and hereditaments called "Sackville" to his wife Margaret. The manor house passed through several more hands before being sold to the former Town of Bedford in 1947.

Fort Sackville Scott Manor House is and unique example of a Dutch Colonial style house. It features a two-and-one-half storey gambrel roofed structure reminiscent of the eighteenth century New England style of architecture. Gambrel roofs were once common in Nova Scotia but few remain today. The house is thought to be the one of the last remaining gambrel-roofed buildings in the Halifax area. The house also has wishbone chimneys, stone foundation, and hand hewn beams of Norwegian oak. There are nine-over-nine windows on the first storey and six-over-six windows on the second storey. The house also has a porch and is built upon a stone foundation.

Source: HRM Heritage Property File 15 Fort Sackville Road, Fort Sackville Scott Manor, found at HRM Planning and Development Services, Heritage Property Program, 6960 Mumford Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Character-Defining Elements

Key character-defining elements of Fort Sackville Scott Manor House include:

- Dutch Colonial style house featuring a gambrel wood shingled roof;
- simple detailed facade;
- two 'wishbone' chimneys constructed of brick and stone;
- wood shingle siding;
- hand hewn beams of Norwegian oak;
- nine-over-nine windows on the first storey;
- six-over-six windows on the second storey;
- porch;
- stone foundation.