Charles W. Stockton had this attractive home and barn, which also served as a coach house - built on a 14 acre plot of land in 1884.
The Stocktons were a well-known family in Sussex and were direct descendants of the Stocktons who had settled in New Brunswick as Loyalists. These individuals, who had remained loyal subjects to the British Crown, chose to settle in Canada after the American Revolutionary War. Their roots are traceable to the mid 1200's in English History!
Constructed of wood, the house is built in the "Italienate Folk Victorian" style with an elegant interior, typical of the detail craftsmanship of the times.
The large copper doorbell and the hardwood banister and balustrade in the hall create an impressive entrance. The walls in this part of the house retain the original tin wainscoting with decorative pattern.
The house has two gracious parlours with vast bay windows and marble fireplaces. The parlours are joined midway by wooden folding doors with richly decorated copper doorknobs and hinges. The 12-foot ceiling is adorned with decorative crown mouldings and the "log cabin" style hardwood floor is an absolute eye-catcher.
In Victorian times, a distinguished home was not complete without a butler's pantry and this house boasts a beautiful example of such a pantry.
All of these striking details have been very well preserved and each contributes in a harmonious way to the home’s current function.
The Stocktons sold the house in 1910 to
the Jonah family and with a stay of 52 years, these owners are the ones who
had the house in their possession the longest. Judge Harry Jonah, after whom
Jonah Place Bed &
Breakfast Inn was named, lived here
as a boy. In addition to being a Judge, he was also a Sussex Town Councilor
and a member of the Legislative Assembly.
After the Jonah's departure, the house was inhabited for
17 and 18 years by the Bronnum family (Winston
Bronnum -Artist) and Doctor Sul Khedheri and his family,
respectively. This last resident was a trusted family doctor in Sussex and
the house is still known by some residents of Sussex as "Dr. Khedheri's
house."
After having faithfully served its function as a private home for more than 100 years, the house was converted into a Bed and Breakfast by the London family in 1998. With this, Jonah Place became the first Bed and Breakfast to open its doors in Sussex. The house was sold to the Gulmans family in 2002 and they operated the Inn until early 2008.
We - Deborah and Phil Sellars - are now the proud owners of this beautiful Victorian home carrying on the tradition started in 1998. Within this historic atmosphere, we offer you five guestrooms, all equipped with every contemporary comfort so that you, our guest, may count on enjoying a pleasant stay at
Jonah Place Bed & Breakfast Inn.
Brief history of Sussex
The
story goes that Sussex owes its existence to the stubbornness of Hugh
McMonagle. This influential citizen of Sussex Vale (the current Sussex
Corner) owned valuable farmland and several racetracks, one of them being
the fastest half-mile racetrack in North America and drawing visitors from
as far away as Kentucky to see the horse racing events.
When the railway was designed in
1853, the first survey showed that it would cut straight through his
racetracks and farmlands. McMonagle raised objections and a re-survey of
the line placed the stop, to be known as Sussex-station, two miles west of
The Vale. Growth of Sussex Vale came to a stand still, while in the years
that followed many businesses were established near the railway to take
advantage of the traffic that was being generated. Sussex is today the regional centre of Kings County
and is proud to be the registered trademark "Mural Capital of Atlantic Canada".
The Sussex Train Station accommodates the Sussex Tourist Information &
Interpretive Centre and the enthusiastic staff is more than willing to
tell you all about Sussex and its surroundings.
Your destination in the Y of the Mural Capital of Atlantic Canada.