The Briars, Heritage house estate in Georgina, Canada.
The Briars is a two-story rubblestone manor with additions built in 1880, situated on a lakeside property with several buildings. The estate includes the main house and a separate Peacock House alongside other structures that form part of a larger resort complex.
Captain William Bourchier built the Manor House in 1840 and named it after the Briars on Saint Helena, where Napoleon Bonaparte spent his exile. The estate later changed hands and purposes several times before becoming an important destination in the area.
The Red Barn Theatre emerged in 1949 from an original farm building and shows how this property shifted from agricultural use to a space for performances and gatherings. Visitors can watch theater productions and cultural events in this converted structure today.
Visitors should know the property contains multiple buildings that function as a resort, and that an Ontario Heritage Trust easement protects these structures. The lakeside location provides a pleasant setting, and you can explore the architecture and grounds on foot.
The property shifted from a military officer's residence to a golf course in 1922 and later became a resort. This sequence of changing purposes demonstrates how places adapt to new uses across generations.
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