Lucy Maud Montgomery

Last week, we had a beautifully sunny, warm day and we decided to make the most of it and go out.  Our spring has been mostly cold and wet, so it was a joy to finally see blue skies.  I had the choice of where we were going, so I decided on a trip to see Green Gables, before it is overrun with tourists.

 

On our way, we stopped in the pretty village of New London, at the birthplace of the author, Lucy Maud Montgomery.  She was born in this tiny house on 30th November 1874.  

 

 

Opposite the house is this pretty century home, with a porch and a couple of tempting rocking chairs. I imagine that the owners sit out there and see the world go by - quite literally.  The Anne of Green Gables  series of novels is hugely popular, especially in Japan.  Bus tours of Japanese tourists descend on this part of Prince Edward Island every summer.

 

 

There is a plaque at the front door noting that this is Lucy Maud Montgomery’s birthplace and a blue plaque stating that it is a Canadian Heritage Place.  

 

 

This the front door to the house, which is white clapboard with green trim.  There is also a little white picket fence in front of the house.  

 

 

Entering the house, the front hall is lined with books and souvenirs relating to Lucy Maud.  

 

To the left of the front door, we toured the lower floor of the house with its cosy little rooms.  I didn’t get any photographs because it was quite dark indoors and also rather cramped because of the number of tourists (mostly hanging around taking photos!).

 

We managed to get ahead of the pack and see the rooms upstairs.  I tried to get a photo of the quilt on the bed, but I couldn’t get the detail, as the room was viewed from the hall.  The quilt was made in 1916 by the New London Women’s Institute, to raise money for the war effort: each person who contributed 10 cents had their name embroidered on the quilt (notice the sign at the door, which is also in Japanese).

 

 

The tiny rooms under the eaves of the house looked quite cosy and inviting, but I couldn’t imagine living here and surviving a Canadian winter without any form of heat in the bedrooms.

The main bedroom is furnished with a rocking cradle and a rag rug on the floor.

 

I noticed this mat at the entrance to one of the rooms.  It is Green Gables, which would later be the inspiration for the Anne stories.

 

I did manage to get a photo of Lucy Maud Montgomery, which was hanging on the wall of her birthplace.  I wonder what she would have thought, had she known that tourists from all over the world would make the pilgrimage to visit the places which are associated with her stories.

 I will write about my visit to Green Gables in another post.