The Hermitage (Hamilton, Ontario) facts for kids
Ruins of The Hermitage in October 2020
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| Established | 1830 |
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| Location | Ancaster, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Type | historic house museum |
The Hermitage was once a large home located in Ancaster, part of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Today, it stands as beautiful ruins and is part of The Hermitage and Gatehouse Museum. The Hamilton Conservation Authority takes care of this special place. Many people enjoy visiting The Hermitage for hiking and to explore its interesting history, especially the local ghost stories!
Contents
History of The Hermitage
The Hermitage was first built in 1830 by a person named Reverend George Sheed. It is located about two miles west of Ancaster, in a lovely area called the Dundas Valley.
The Ives Family and a Mysterious Legend
Later, in the 1830s, a man named Otto Ives bought The Hermitage. He was an English officer who had fought in the Greek War of Independence. Otto Ives married Magdalene Diamanti in 1824. She was the daughter of a governor from a Greek island. They moved to Ancaster around 1833 and brought Magdalene's sister or niece with them.
Otto Ives hired a coachman named William Black. It is said that Black fell in love with Magdalene's sister or niece. He asked Otto Ives if he could marry her, but Ives was very upset and said no. The next morning, Otto Ives and his wife were planning to go out, but their carriage was not ready. Ives went to the barn to find Black. Sadly, Black was found to have died in the barn.
This story has become a famous legend in Ancaster. While Otto Ives did own The Hermitage in the 1830s, there isn't much old information to fully prove the details of the coachman's love story. There is also a note from old property records that mentions a family friend who died in the woods because of love for the niece. These stories add to the mystery of The Hermitage!
New Owners and a Fire
In 1853, George Gordon Browne Leith and his wife Eleanor Ferrier bought The Hermitage. Over the next few years, they built a large stone house, other buildings, a farmhouse, barns, and an entrance lodge.
After Mrs. Leith passed away, her youngest daughter, Eleanor Alma Dick Lauder, bought the property. She lived there until 1934, when the main house was destroyed by a fire. After the fire, she continued to live in a small house built inside the ruins of the old home.
The Hermitage Museum Today
Today, The Hermitage property is part of the Hermitage and Gatehouse Museum. The Hamilton Conservation Authority manages it. The museum works with other important groups like the Canadian Museums Association and the Virtual Museum of Canada. It's a great place to learn about local history and enjoy nature.
More Information
- The Ancaster Hermitage: Historical Fiction Novel and Screenplay by Canadian author Betty Greiser
