The elegant colonial mansion was built by an emigrant Scottish family, in a slower, more gracious era. Constructed of local limestone in 1870, the house originally stood on a 2000 acre grant of crown land. 

In 1882, the Elliot family added an English style barn to the property. Measuring 55 feet by 120 feet, it featured a low gabled roof and a unique curved tile silo. Dismantled in 1975, piece by piece, the barn was reconstructed on the Kelso site at the Ontario Agricultural Museum. 

The true regency character of the house is discernible only from within. The former living room features what used to be a music area, containing a piano. Each of the main living rooms contains a fireplace, although these were not the only sources of heat. Stoves were also used for cooking and heating. A wood burning furnace was added later. The regency style of the house is emphasized by the two foot deep window wells and by the wide and ornamented door frame mouldings. The trim in the entrance hall, drawing room and dining room is more strongly moulded and retains the corner box, while that in the rooms that were of lesser importance is narrower and less ornamented. The upstairs back portion of the house was used as servants quarters. 

In 1912, Edwin Harrop purchased the property for $ 22,000 - a sizable sum in those days. The Harrops remained in the home until 1969. During their 57 years in Milton, the Harrops raised a family of five sons and became well known as good community participants. Today our fine food and comfortable atmosphere recall many traditions of "old world" Ontario.