Michaelmas Cottage is an ancient house built in 1769 by Benjamin Rumsey (a Connecticut transplant and Chancellor of the Cheque in Annapolis Royal) on previously Acadian land in Granville Ferry (next door to Annapolis Royal). This is a beautiful building with remarkably little alteration done to it over the centuries. It sits on an acre of land largely fenced at the front, and many acres of field stretching back to the South Mountain and beyond to the Bay of Fundy. There is a partial view of the water from the front of the house, but its great charm and beauty lies in its age and interior atmosphere. The owner loves sitting outside the house on the stone flag terrace, at the picnic table under the trees, or on the slightly raised main floor deck at the side of the house under the apple tree.

The house is painted in warm colors, has 6 fireplaces (one discovered during renovation and a seventh suspected on the second floor) enormously wide floor boards (no trees of this size are left in N.S.), a huge brick oven in the Summer Kitchen, a narrow twisting and steep staircase to the second floor bedrooms (Bear in mind this might not be appropriate for an arthritic or extremely elderly person, or for very young children. Please examine the photographs!) , sky lights, beams, a large colorful bathroom on the main with another on the second floor, sloping ceilings or rafters in the bedrooms, a colorfully tiled and well equipped kitchen with wooden ceiling, etc.

This is a treasured and lived in family home. The owner is not always here and travels extensively. The house is crammed with interesting collections from afar as well as photographs by the owner who, besides being an anthropologist, is also a professional photographer. You will experience the “soul” of this house by living here. It is perfect for family visits with the dog. There are flowering apple trees and lilac in the spring and it is very close to the delightfully picturesque village of Granville Ferry which hugs the shore en route to Annapolis Royal, 15 minutes by foot away.

Some years ago this cottage was designated one of the 10 best vacation rentals in Nova Scotia. We like to think that this was because it is entirely unique, bringing as it does the past to life.