The Dining Room at Buccleuch Mansion

Hi – Millie again!  I can't wait to explore the main dining room of the house with you!

The dining room is located on the first floor of Buccleuch Mansion, to the immediate right of the main staircase that takes  you to the upper floors. It is decorated in the Federal period, which means it features simple decor with swags and garlands.

The picture above shows me in a food warmer cabinet that would have been used near the fireplace to keep hot cooked dishes warm for serving. Luckily, it's no longer in use anymore and I was safe to sit in it!

The two doors on the left of the fireplace enclose a storage closet that wraps under the back stairs. It leads to the Dey bedroom on the second floor. This staircase would have been used by the servants to clean and service the bedrooms on the second floor of the mansion without being seen on the main staircase.

This household would have had servants to help with the cleaning and maintenance, like a cook and maybe a cook’s helper to do the cooking, food preservation, serving and cleaning. With the house being located on the Raritan River,  there would have been easy access to the ships coming from Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and the Caribbean islands, supplying foods from all of them.

The oval mirror opposite the door from the hallway is called a Bull’s Eye Mirror and
was made about 1790, with a carved eagle on the top. It hangs next to the large side
door that leads to the original kitchen of the house, which would have served to prepare all the food for the main house. Originally, the kitchen was in a totally separate building to prevent fire catching to the main house, but it was attached to the mansion in the 1800’s. It is now an apartment for the building’s caretaker and not open to the public.

There are three portraits of the children of Joseph Warren Scott that hang in the dining room. The children, Moses Scott, Lavinia Scott and Cornelia Scott were painted
around 1830-1850. The Scott children were raised in Buccleuch Mansion, and I remember fondly peeking in at them while they played!

I can't wait to 'dine' with you at the Mansion one day!

"Written" by Millie Mouse

Millie's family lived in the mansion from the very beginning of the building. Learn about the story of her life in Colonial America through her observations and adventures as she shares the history of the New Brunswick area with young visitors.