‘Mount Pleasant', the Paget estate of Mrs. Elfrida Chappell, will be the setting for the Bermuda National Trust's latest fund-raiser on Sunday, when the theme will be: “The Joy of Collecting Bermudian Things for the Home Environment”. Mrs. Chappell's home is filled with Bermuda-made treasures, including furniture, silverware, and art, as well as more than 30 original maps of the Island. This week, she gave Lifestyle's Nancy Acton a preview of what is in store for patrons on Sunday, and also discussed her interest in collecting Bermudiana as well as the development of her beautiful gardens.

Elfrida Chappell has always admired Bermuda craftsmanship and beautiful gardens.

Not only did her parents and grandparents' homes contain fine, handmade cedar furniture and silver, as well as antique Bermuda maps, but also visits to the homes of family friends and relatives revealed more of the same.

So, from early childhood she became familiar with and developed an appreciation for such treasures. In addition, since her grandmother, mother and aunt were avid gardeners, they sowed in her the early seeds of what would become an abiding passion for creating beautiful gardens.

When, as an adult, Mrs. Chappell inherited some of her mother's Bermuda maps, they provided the impetus to become a discerning collector of Bermudiana. “At first I decided to concentrate on maps, but then I bought some pieces of Bermuda silver, and as I came across Bermuda furniture I bought that as well,” she says.

“I have stuck to Bermuda things, including paintings and prints, because you have to draw the line somewhere, and it seemed to me that things which pertained to Bermuda were more interesting.”

The result is an elegant home whose every room holds a treasure trove of Bermudian artistry and craftsmanship.

Original maps abound, each of whose history Mrs. Chappell enjoys recounting as much as she enjoys owning them. Among them is a rare photograph of the original map drawn by Admiral Sir George Somers, whom she clearly admires.

“He would have rowed around the Island to map it, and I think he did very well, don't you?” she asks.

Another was drawn by Captain John Smith circa 1624, and includes details of the Island's forts. “It is very rare,” the delighted owner says. “He never came to Bermuda, you know. Isn't it good?”

Yet another is a nineteenth century map inscribed by a father and son, which was purchased by Mrs. Chappell shortly after her marriage.

“It belonged to two Scottish admirals named Milne, both of whom had been stationed in Bermuda as Commander-in-Chief of Bermuda and North America,” she says.

“I went into a big book store in Edinburgh, Scotland and asked if they had anything of Bermuda. They did, and I paid seventeen shillings and sixpence for it!”

Like the maps, Mrs. Chappell has a deep affection for the other collectibles in her home. In the entrance hall, for example, is probably her favourite piece: a plain cedar table, once owned by her grandmother, and clearly used as an ironing board.

“I love the burn,” she says, rubbing a practiced hand over the charred outline of an iron. Noting that cedar was not as highly regarded as it is today, the proud granddaughter appreciates the visible scar as a part of its history.

In other rooms Mrs. Chappell easily recalls not only the origin of each piece of furniture, but who owned it, and how she acquired it.

Clearly, auctions are a favourite source, and as with any treasure hunter Mrs. Chappell delights in her successes. Whenever she travels, she makes it a point to seek out Bermuda-related pieces, be they furniture, maps or art, and repatriate them.

In the cedar-panelled dining room, a handsome china closet bears further witness to Mrs. Chappell's astute judgment as a collector. Here, beautiful examples of silverware, made by such Bermudian silversmiths as George Hutchings, Thomas Savage, Sr., Thomas Savage III, Lockwood and Gwynn, pay silent tribute to their skills and artistry.

Of course, while owning a fine collection of anything is always satisfying, the setting in which the pieces are displayed adds immeasurably to their visual impact, and here Mrs. Chappell's exquisite taste ensures that everything is seen to best advantage.

“I think you feel very warm and happy being surrounded by what you have accumulated in such nice ways, and I have no intention of stopping,” she says.

As for the house itself, ‘Mount Pleasant' is a gracious example of Bermudian architecture at its best. With its commanding harbour views and endless grounds, it sits like a jewel on the landscape. Again, the pleasure Mrs. Chappell derives from occupying it is obvious, and she knows its chequered history by heart.

“It was Harvey property, and people were living here from about 1750. I found the record from another house which my family owned,” she begins.

“The house is in different sections. The main part of the house is about 1800, and the drawing room was added in 1870. There, the walls are double to allow the windows to convert into doors, which is wonderful in summer. The old people really knew how to build. The porches were also added on the front and back in the 1800s.”

Back in the 1700s there were eastern and western sections, the latter of which was apparently used as a little courtroom by Chief Justice Harvey.

“The Harveys lived here until about the 1930s,” Mrs. Chappell says. “As a child I can remember two Harvey ladies living here, and what is now my cottage was their stable. I would see them driving on to the middle road with their carriage and pair of horses.”

Later, the house was purchased by a Mrs. Ferdinand Roebling, and Mrs. Chappell's uncle, Nat Hutchings, was the architect of the sensitive renovations she undertook.

After the Second World War, the owner never visited again, so the house was sold to a group of men who ran it, unsuccessfully, as a guest house.

As a member of the Smith family, who own H. A. & E. Smith, Waterloo House, Horizons, Coral Beach and Newstead, Mrs. Chappell was among those who decided to continue running ‘Mount Pleasant' as a guest house, but eventually it was agreed that the place was too small to be financially viable, so in 1958 “somewhat reluctantly” Mrs. Chappell and her family left their former home and moved in themselves.

“I've now been here for about 45 years and I've never regretted it,” she says. “There is a lot to do, but I have enjoyed it.”

As befits a wonderful home, the extensive grounds form a magnificent extension of its graciousness and charm. Indeed they are comparable to the lush surrounds of stately homes in England - and a far cry from the early days of Mrs. Chappell's residency. Years of work and careful planning have gone into making them a never-ending source of discovery and delight.

The peace, beauty and sheer aesthetics which make them so memorable is due in part to the late architect and landscape designer Bayfield Clark, who was a personal friend, and also did a lot of work at Waterloo House and Horizons.

“He started with the terrace, pillars and paving at the front and went on to design the swimming pool, nearby gate houses, and pillared entrance to the area,” Mrs. Chappell says. “When he no longer worked, my husband and I just carried on. He gave us a good start and from there the garden just evolved. We did a little bit here and there.”

Decades later, the work continues - sometimes as the result of storm damage, when the clearing away of debris has led to new paths, rest areas, and plantings. In one instance, the removal of fallen trees precipitated the clearing up of decades of rubbish accumulated in a disused quarry.

Today, the area has been transformed into a charming woodland oasis, complete with pathways, rustic benches, a pond and lush vegetation. An active member of the Bermuda Garden Club, Mrs.Chappell has planted other areas with specific colour schemes. One is “all blues and yellows” and graced with clipped olivewood trees. A plain grass path has been transformed into an attractive all?e with graduated steps and hedges to protect the vegetable and fruit garden from the elements, as well as the antique bathtub planted with fresh mint.

Elsewhere, exuberant border gardens define the edges of the immaculately manicured lawns which stretch away into the distance. A formal garden is enhanced by a gazebo whose roof line echoes that of the gate houses. Here, pinks, whites and purples are the predominant colours.

‘Mount Pleasant' could not be more aptly named, and participants in Sunday's National Trust fund-raiser will quickly discover that their money has been well spent.

An added treat will the superb floral and/or greenery arrangements throughout the house which have been created by renowned British floral arranger and horticulturist George Smith, a long-time friend and frequent Bermuda visitor who has also conducted several courses for the Bermuda Garden Club.

Mrs. Chappell is this year's winner of the Bermuda National Trust ‘Silver Palmetto' award for her significant contribution to the preservation of Bermuda's heritage. On Sunday, Mr. Hugh Davidson and Mr. Andr? Hubbard will discuss the furniture and silver, while Mr. Anthony Pettit will discuss the maps, and Mrs. Chappell will participate in tours of the grounds. The event takes place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and tickets ($50) are available from the National Trust headquarters on Pomander Road. Refreshments will be served. For further information call 236-6483.