Just off Woodlawn Road in Dorchester, tucked behind a short lane near the village’s main intersection, sits Ladysmith Manor – a 10,000-square-foot Georgian estate that has quietly become one of Dorchester’s most unique community hubs. This weekend, the manor is hosting its annual Summer Market, drawing visitors to the property’s outdoor beer garden for live music, games, and local vendors.
But the event is just one chapter in a much larger story. Click to hear the audio story.
Built in 1840, the manor was once the home of Sir Albert Smith, a Dorchester-based lawyer and politician, who went on to serve as one of New Brunswick’s premiers. Smith was the first person in the province knighted by Queen Victoria and notably delayed the province’s entry into Confederation by two years. His wife, Lady Smith, quite younger lived in the home for another 40 years after his death.
Miriam Andrews and her husband Stephen Trites purchased the property in 2019. I spoke with Andrews in the Beer Garden outdoors.
“We had one working bathroom and two-thirds of the house had no plumbing or electricity,” said Andrews. “But we felt like if we didn’t take it on, it might have been knocked down.”
The couple moved from British Columbia in search of a venue for their event business. “I had a vintage rental company out west,” said Andrews, “and I got tired of hauling things around. I figured it would be easier if people came to me.”
They renovated the manor room by room and now host weddings, overnight guests, live music, and seasonal experiences. The manor also includes a licensed pub, one of the only in the Dorchester area in quite a while. She’s not sure if it’s due to the vintage atmostphere, but Andrews says she has found that while they of course have WiFi and some people visit to work, when people are in the manor, the need for electronics seems to fade away.
Photos: Clinton Davis
“We want people to step back in time, get off their phones, and connect again,” said Andrews, noting that their silent book club, vintage picnics, and trivia nights have become community staples.
As of this summer, the manor also offers afternoon tea, and hosts bi-annual markets. One of which takes place with weekend, with 27 vendors coming to Dorchester from around the Maritimes.
The Summer Market began Friday and continues today, Saturday, July 20, with Andrews expecting over a thousand visitors. This year’s theme, “The Greatest Showman,” includes costumed staff, scavenger hunts, cotton candy, and circus games. “My husband built me a lion cage and a ticket booth,” she said with a laugh.
And while the painting in the one of the many rooms has become a favourite photo stop for visitors who believe it’s Lady Smith herself, Andrews confessed it was a Christmas gift from a friend.
“I don’t know who she is,” she said. “But let’s just say it is.”
📷 Enjoy some additional snaps of the grounds.
