Tucked away in the heart of St. George’s on quiet Broad Alley is a very alluring, quite incredibly preserved home, the lovely ‘Old Rectory’.

It is an immaculate cottage, white with black shutters, whose front entrance is dressed by rows of fanciful flowers on either side of the brick walk way. The lawn is perfectly manicured and embraced by carefully tended flower gardens.

It has the feel of an English cottage garden adorned with roses, begonias, aloe, blue salvia, yellow lilies and other thriving blooms and plants.

For the last decade ‘Old Rectory’ has been blessed to have such caring and dedicated residents, Lt. Col. Brendan Hollis and his wife.

“We are quite happy living in this fine old home and we thoroughly enjoy the history of St. George’s,” said Mr. Hollis who does the gardening.

The mock orange mora tree provides a pleasant and generous shade with its massive white flowers. Mr. Hollis explained that the white flowers are followed by red berries that the kiskadees like. Other trees such as lime, loquat, and spice abound.

Quite possibly it is one of the oldest houses in town. According to the Bermuda National Trust it was built in or before 1699.

The lot was granted to Captain George Dew in 1700 in consideration for the great cost he had laid out in buying the house already there, which consisted of only a hall-and-parlour and perhaps the entry porch which graces the front of the building today.

The residency of Reverend Alexander Richardson, rector of St. George’s Parish Church, led to the name which has remained with the house for nearly two centuries. Reverend Richardson died in 1805.

In 1903, the home was owned by Robert H. James. James’ heirs sold the ancient house to the Bermuda Historical Monuments Trust in 1950. It is in the hands of that group’s successor, the Bermuda National Trust.

An extensive historical account is found in ‘Bermuda’s Architectural Heritage St. George’s’, a wonderful historical reference book available throughout many bookstores in Bermuda.

The welcoming arms extend a warm, gracious feeling to you even before you step inside the home. As you enter the home you walk into a small entrance room with windows on either side which makes for a light and airy feeling coupled with interior white walls.

The entrance door is made of a heavy wood, perhaps of pine, with six panels and a cast iron lion knocker. You feel that you are entering a home of quality and strength from the first knock.

The house smells very nice, perhaps because of all the fragrant flowers around, and the living room looks fresh and very comfortable decorated in pink upholstered furniture and delicate pink florals.

There are many cedar furnishings which make a nice contrast against the white walls. The dining room table is Bermuda cedar and dates from around 1750. In the living room sits a handsome sea captain’s chest, which belongs to theTrust, which dates from about 1700.

If there are spirits living here they are happy ones. Mr. Hollis said he had heard that one of Bermuda’s Anglican Bishop’s brought an exorcist who went into the basement about 30 years ago.

Mr. Hollis remarked that people have reported hearing harpsichord music flowing from the house and some have seen the ghost of a gentle old lady with grey hair in the master bedroom.

“I will say that when we first moved here our dog didn’t like the house but he came to grips with it.

“One quiet winter evening we were sitting in the living room and heard someone walking up the front entrance steps — so did the dog who began to bark. We went to the door but there was no one there.”

Mr. Hollis said that it is perfect for intimate dinner parties of six people in the dining room.

“In cooler weather the dining room is quite attractive with the fire in the fireplace and candlelight all around,” concluded Mr. Hollis.

|0x95|Since this article was written, Mr. and Mrs. Hollis left “Old Rectory” to live abroad last year and it is inhabited by another tenant.