I finally went up to Cliveden house/Chew Mansion where the Battle of Germantown was fought. For more info on the battle, see my previous post here.
Cliveden House (built 1767), home to the wealthy Chew family for 200 years. Clivden was the site of the Battle of Germantown in Oct 1777
Much of the house still retains bullet holes and signs of the battle
the connecting passage from the house to the kitchen was added 20+ years after the house was built
statue taken out by the battle
All of Cliveden’s books are original. In 18th century currency, not accounting for inflation, each page would have cost $1 – which is a testament to the Chew family’s wealth
all the books
bullet hole above Benjamin Chew Sr’s desk
bullet hole detail
Yellow silk was very rare at this time, and usually meant for gowns. Having a yellow silk sofa was another testament to Chew family wealth.
matching yellow china, sold by permission of the emperor himself
Benjamin Chew Jr.
There is a room just to the left with a “blood portrait” on the wall. The likeness of a woman (too faint to pic up on camera) was drawn by a dying British solider, allegedly in his own blood, of his sweetheart back in England. The substance on the wall has been tested and confirmed to be organic material. If it is indeed blood–then that’s actual 18th century blood still on the wall! That’s metal.
Wyck House served as a British hospital during the Battle of Germantown. The rose garden is both beautiful and fragrant.
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