
Domaine De Fort Escu,
'Sunset House', in the 1930's when owned by Winifred Fortescue
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Domaine De Fort Escu,
'Sunset House', in the 1930's
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Winifred in the courtyard of Fort Escu in
1936 |
DOMAINE DE FORT ESCU ('SUNSET
HOUSE') - Near Opio
Winifred Fortescue and her husband, Sir
John Fortescue, moved to Provence in the early 1930s. There they converted an
old stone farmhouse into a graceful and idyllic home - the Domaine. For two years after Sir John's death, Lady Fortescue,
still a comparatively young woman, continued to live in the Domaine, years that
were not altogether happy. Then, visiting a friend, she came across a small,
near derelict house set amidst thickets of wild lavender, magenta gladioli, and
trailing sweet peas. She fell instantly in love with it, and thus began a new
and happy chapter of her life.
With the help of her dear friend and neighbour, 'Mademoiselle', she set about trying to purchase the property from a complicated and cunning
'Mafia' of local Provencals - and then, once more, she began the heart warming,
frustrating, funny, and altogether delightful process of transforming a small
Provencal cottage into a home and creating a breathtaking garden down the side
of the mountain. She called it 'Sunset House'.
Click
on any of the pictures to see the large version

Sunset House
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 The Shield |

Sunset House |
 Edouard
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 Sunset Staff
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 Margaurite
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 Dining Room
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 Salon
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 Gardens
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 Gardens
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 Loggia
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 Gardens
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Winifred's
Dining Room & Salon at
Sunset House in 1936

The lovely jacket artwork by Brian Sanders of the garden at
Sunset House'
Today 'Sunset House' is still a private
residence. It still carries the Domaine De Fort Escu shield
on the wall, the name Winifred decided to give it as she thought her alterations
and extensions when completed made it look like a tiny fort. She thought the
French would know it meant 'Strong Shield' spelt in the ancient way. She also
thought she would be more likely to get her letters as it contained her name and
that the English would realise it was a little joke.
The property was sold for the first time in approximately 30 years
in 2000. The owner, an American artist, fully aware of its history, had been
keen to keep it very
much in the spirit of Lady Fortescue. When I was in the area around that time I
called at a boulangerie and to my amazement discovered a lady who had not only
known Lady Fortescue but had actually been one of the children
invited to 'Sunset House' one Christmas when a service was held in the little
private chapel under the house and presents distributed. I was so surprised and
delighted that I gave her my original hard back copy of 'Sunset House' which contains
some pictures of that era!

Sunset House - seen from the church at Opio
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Please note: The house is a strictly private residence and
not open to the public.
Pictures - P.Riley - V C Riley
- A niece of
Lady Fortescue - Maureen Emerson
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