Description of Historic Place

Milton Hall is a two-storey wooden Greek Revival residence. It was built sometime between 1855 and 1865 on Frederick Street in the Town of St. Andrews.

Heritage Value

Milton Hall is designated a Local Historic Place for its architecture and for its association with Thomas Turner Odell.

Milton Hall was built sometime between 1855 and 1865 and is a high-class example of the Greek Revival style. It has a classic symmetrical design with a prominent central bay, which encompasses the entrance. The elaborate entrance and bay windows span the first and second storeys, creating a monumental appearance. Oral lore suggests that this home was patterned after the Odell family home in England. The Odell’s named this home Milton Hall, a reference to Thomas Odell’s birthplace, Milton Ernest, a village and civil parish in the District of Bedfordshire.

Milton Hall was built for notable St. Andrews resident Thomas Turner Odell. Mr. Odell came to St. Andrews at the age of 13 to enter the dry goods establishment of his uncle, Thomas Turner. At the young age of 18, Mr. Odell took over the business after his uncle’s death in 1850. The business flourished and Thomas Turner Odell became a leading merchant in St. Andrews until his death in 1891. Aside from being a leading merchant, he held a commission as Justice of the Peace for Charlotte County for many years and was connected for a number of years with the Board of School Trustees in St. Andrews. For nine years, Mr. Odell represented the Town of St. Andrews as warden in the municipal council. This home remained in the Odell family until 1927.

Source: Charlotte County Archives – Old Gaol – St. Andrews, New Brunswick – St. Andrews Historic Places File, “Milton Hall”

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of this Greek Revival residence include:
- window placement and proportions;
- side-gable plan with central entranceway flanked by bay windows;
- plank construction;
- large corner boards;
- heavy eave returns
- pedimented window entablatures over side façade windows.

Central bay of primary façade:
- central moulded pedimented gable extends above roof-line;
- portico with paneled soffit and supported by wooden Doric pilasters;
- second storey balcony atop the portico, enclosed by wrought iron balustrade;
- single window with moulded casing in central bay above entrance.
- wooden pilasters flanking the portico and ascending to abut the frieze of the pedimented gable.

Entrance:
- three-part horizontal transom window;
- sidelights with four lights each and wood base panels;
- ornate wooden door.

Bay windows:
- two semi-octagonal bay windows flanking the central bay of the primary façade;
- vertical sliding wooden windows;
- segmented arch window headed with keystones.