Antique Furniture | Antique Silver | English Antiques | Wakefield-Scearce Galleries
In 1947, Mark
Wakefield and Mark Scearce leased the extreme eastern portion
of Science Hill known as The Chapel or Lecture Hall from
Misses Juliet and Harriet Poynter. Together they founded
Wakefield-Scearce Galleries with the intent of selling
British antiques. After four years, Mr. Wakefield retired
from the business he helped found, but his name and his
inspiration remained with the store.
Mark J. Scearce continued to operate
the retail antique business and purchased the eastern
portion of the property in 1961. Four years later he
purchased the remainder of the property on the condition
that the Misses Poynter be allowed to reside in the west
wing until their deaths.
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The Williamsburg Room |
The property had fallen
into disrepair since the school's closing in 1939. Indeed,
the building had not even been painted in nearly forty
years, and the plumbing and wiring, originally installed
in the early 1900s, were dangerously antiquated. Thus,
upon purchasing the property, Mr. Scearce launched an 18-month
restoration in which nearly 75 miles of new wiring was
laid, 14 miles of new copper plumbing was installed, and
700 gallons of paint was used in a single coating of the
building. The entire property was given a complete facelift,
but the original structure was carefully retained for historical
authenticity. Only minor changes were made to adapt the
six buildings for their modern day use.
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The Green Room |
Between 1981
and 1982, Mr. Scearce launched a new 15-month restoration
of the West Wing following the death of Miss Harriet Poynter
in 1982 at the age of 99. (Miss Juliet had died in 1974
at the age of 93.) Upon the renovation's completion in
the Autumn of 1983, four new shops were opened to the public
in what is now called the Poynter Wing.
Today Science Hill is divided into three
major sections: the Gallery, the Courtyard, and the Dining
Room. The Gallery still serves in its original retail
capacity: selling primarily British antiques to the American
public. The Courtyard is home to five shops that sell
fashionable apparel, silver, linens, and even Christmas
ornaments. The Dining Room makes use of the original
kitchen and dining hall to serve dinner to any guest
of this historic place.
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| The sturdy masonry of Science Hill has protected
its 78 rooms from wars, depressions, and nature's ravages
for nearly 200 years. During that time, millions have visited
and studied under Science Hill's care: Celebrities, dignitaries,
young ladies with dreams of knowledge, diplomats, and orators
have been our frequent guests. But the doors remain open
to people from every walk of life who wish to relive a bit
of the past. |
Historic Science Hill
now houses one of the largest collections of
antique English furniture, antique silver, and antique home decor in the United States.
Its dining room is always full of good food and its shops
are staffed by wonderful people. Today's genteel use of
the Science Hill property is a fitting monument to a place
so rich with history, housing auspicious institutions of
education, culture, and gracious living for nearly 200
years. |
The Mustard Room |
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