For over thirty years, The ‘Painted Lady’ (a term used for the Victorian homes painted in five to seven colors) languished along tree-shaded Jarves Street-forlorn, tumbledown, a relic, a faded beauty. Many believed she was past her prime. “Awfully sad,” villagers and visitors mumbled, shaking their heads, as they ambled by. Wilson’s foresight, architectural vision and sensitivity to the town’s past revitalized what might, by now, have been a mere memory. The eyesore of an old rectory evolved into the first of three buildings compromising The Belfry Inne and Bistro, a landmark hostelry and dining establishment.

            In December 5, 1995, The Belfry Inne & Bistro opened for its first guests. The Bistro was located on the first floor of what is now The Painted Lady, with its small fireplace bar and three intimate dining rooms it served a pre fixe dinner menu. Tented weddings were held in the rear garden area. Nine guest lodging suites were created upstairs, in addition to the owner’s quarters of three bedrooms for Wilson and his two sons, Christopher and Alexander.

             In 1998 Wilson purchased the former church. During 1999 the Bistro was moved from the original location to the Abbey. In order to distinguish the two buildings for its lodging guests, the rectory became known as the Drew House. During the next several years the former dining rooms at the Drew House went through a transformation, first being utilized as common areas, then as two additional guest suites.

            Then, in 2005, with the creation of the Painted Lady Café, the interior was completely remodeled to reflect the whimsical and eclectic dining menu. During 2006 all the guestrooms were transformed from the Laura Ashleyesque style to more colorful “summery” crisp feelings of the Painted Lady Café below.  The dominant green color scheme of the late 1980’s was replaced with burgundy, lavender, red, yellow and pale green palettes. 

             In 2011 the Painted Lady was again transformed with the two first floor dining rooms being made into two new guest rooms. The Café was merged with the bistro to offer lunch and a lighter fare menu.  The Painted lady bar and dining area is now reserved for only for guests and private parties for groups less than thirty.                          

           The Abbey was built in 1900 and is the third Catholic Church in Sandwich. The first was located down a block down on Jarves Street, now MacDonald’s Gift Emporium. The second was located on Church Street near the glass factory. In the late 1800’s, the Abbey was badly damaged in a storm and the property location on Jarves Street was purchased. On July 5, 1900 the new Corpus Christi church was consecrated.

           The interior of the Abbey was transformed from an open space with an aisle leading to an altar, with sixteen sets of pews on each side, to an intimate dining space. A second floor was added providing space for four guestrooms and additions on the two rear roofs provided two additional rooms. The Abbey is an architectural and aesthetic tour de force. This grand space has been segregated ingeniously and imaginatively into dining and lodging spaces. Guests and dining patrons enter into a soaring space, warmly lit with retrofitted ecclesiastical lighting, handsomely accented by ground level amber stained glass windows. The grand fireplace, lit on cooler evenings, is the focal point of the main dining room.

            Tables are set with crisp cream linen and the seating is an eclectic collection of black leather and large upholstered chairs. Wilson salvaged nearly every piece of architectural ‘gewgaw’ and put them to their highest and best uses. The Bistro Bar’s wine ‘cellar’ is the one-time confessional, former pews have many new homes—some became the bar, while others became wall paneling, even beds.

              The oak paneling was saved and repositioned. For instance the choir loft railing was moved to the walkway leading from the front to the rear of the building. The confessional now houses the Bistros wine and liquor behind the bar, the bar was made out of the pews as well as headboards for the beds. The original organ was donated to the Episcopal Church in New Londonderry, New Hampshire. The stain glass window depicting Jesus, located above the sanctuary was gifted to the Corpus Christi church in East Sandwich. The remaining stained glass windows are in their original placement with the exception of Michael the Archangel is now in the Saturday room and Gabriel now in the Friday room.

              Our third property was purchased in the summer of 2003. Built in 1827, this federal style home was the original residence of  Naaman Dillingham ,  a descendant of  Thornton Burgess. Through the years the home was a boarding house as well as the offices of the company that constructed the Cape Cod Canal. Renovated from a private residence in 1985 to a bed and breakfast it is now part of the Belfry. It has seven guest rooms that are decorated in a floral theme with crisp white linens and “cottage” style beds and furniture. The rooms set a simpler tone than the other rooms at the Belfry. Guests enjoy sitting under the veranda and quiet garden areas. The rear carriage House is the setting for Art Workshops, Pilate classes and other group events held at the Inn.