“The Fort Hill Bed and Breakfast has the most prime location of any bed and breakfast on Cape Cod and it’s one of the most beautiful”
Boston Globe
History of the Inn
The innkeepers
What others say
Attractions
History
of the Inn
Built in 1864 by Sylvanus Knowles, the classic Greek revival Farmhouse
shares its unique location on Fort Hill with two other historic homes
and a host of wildlife. Owned by the Knowles family until 1943, the farmhouse
and surrounding landscape remain relatively untouched by the intrusions
of the modern world.
In 1962 the Federal Government protected the Fort
Hill Area as part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. In 1988 Gordon and
Jean Avery visited and fell in love with the area, impusively purchased
the Sylvanus Knowles House and three acres of property the same day (no
kidding!), spent the next two years updating the antique house, and opened
it as a bed and breakfast in 1990. The Sylvanus Knowles House, now known
as The Fort Hill Bed and Breakast, along with the surrounding 100+ acres
of fields, forest, scenic views and walking trails is honored to be listed
on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Fort Hill Rural
District.
Directly across the street, this rare whale bone arch greets visitors to the historic Captain Penniman House museum.
About
the Innkeepers
Gordon and Jean have been warmly greeting guests since 1990. Jean, a retired
Chemistry teacher, is a passionate gardner and cook. She maintains both
a vegetable and perennial garden that supply food and flowers for the
bed and breakfast. She enjoys entertaining, traveling and finds joy in
sharing the beauty of the historic Fort Hill Area with guests. Gordon,
a retired real estate appraiser, is an avid reader. He looks after the
day-to-day maintenance of the B+B and is an active member of the outer
Cape Cod community. They look forward to making your stay at the Fort
Hill Bed and Breakfast a memorable one!
What Others Say
"Perched on a little knoll overloooking nauset Marsh, Jean and Gordon
Avery’s three-suite B&B enjoys one of the Cape’s best locations.
The casual, yet refined 19th-century Greek Revival farmhouse is a charmer—with
wonderful hosts, separate guest quarters, and a common room with working
fireplace. "
Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket- An Explorer's
Guide
“For out-of-town seclusion with beautiful views
out over Nauset Marsh to the ocean, nothing beats Fort Hill Bed and breakfast.”
Moon Handbook’s Cape Cod
“You'd be hard-pressed to find a more hospitable
B&B with a more impressive location on the Cape. The charming 1868
Greek Revival farmhouse is comfortably elegant, with a dedicated living
room for guests. You could easily settle in for weeks to the free-standing
cottage, a charming space with a private garden. With a mere three suites,
be sure to make reservations early”
Yankee Magazine 2004 Editor’s Choice
“Voted One of the Top Ten Inns Best for Star
Gazing”
2003 Arrington’s Bed and Breakfast Journal
Book of Lists
"I've walked this trail many times since I discovered it a couple
of months ago, and each time I am overcome with a feeling of tranquillity.
It is the perfect place to get away from it all. Across from the Cap.
Edward Penniman's house is another beautiful home, the Fort Hill Bed and
Breakfast at the Sylvanus Knowles House, run by Jean and Gordon Avery.
In my opinion, it has the most prime location of any B & B on the
Cape, and it is one of the most beautiful."
The Boston Sunday Globe
"The most varied of all the walks is Fort Hill
Trail. You pass by the giant whale jawbone garden gate of the stately
Victorian home of whaling captain Edward Penniman. The trail leads from
the house through dark woods, across spacious meadow land, along bluffs
that overlook salt marshland and the Atlantic, past a huge rock where
the Nauset Indians used to sharpen their fishhooks, and down onto a boardwalk
what winds through a red maple swamp."
Cape Cod's Walking Trails, Better Homes and Gardens
"The beauty of the accommodations and surroundings,
the marsh, the elegant breakfasts, the impeccable housekeeping, the great
conversations and most importantly the warm feelings we exchanged with
each other. As in any first love experience, we will be back"
Columbia, MO
"The exceptional was a daily occurrence. The
ambiance of your home, the gracious hospitality and the gourmet breakfasts
leave a lasting memory. I have seldom felt so at home, so cared for, and
enjoyed the sanctuary of my lodging."
Chicago, IL
"How to capture our feelings about this house,
about this incredible hospitality, about these breath-taking breakfasts
in a few sentences? That's probably beyond our humble language capabilities!"
Germany
"Your home has been the perfect spot for me to
renew and be revitalized. I loved the comfortable bed, birds in the AM,
the wonderful breakfasts, your terrific suggestions and openness to my
questions."
East Grand Forks, MN
"Gorgeous, comfortable, tasteful, fresh rose,
all wrapped into one gorgeous suite. Gordon and Jean feel like long time
friends. There could be no innkeepers more gracious. This was the most
wonderful B&B experience we have ever had in any country."
Seattle, WA
"To wake up and hear the fire crackling and smell
the breakfast cooking: nothing could have been better, except the setting!
We have had a wonderful time wandering through the small towns and glorious
beaches, but your home has been just as enticing."
San Francisco, CA
"Being very private people, we were a bit nervous
about staying a whole week in a small bed and breakfast. Boy, were we
wrong! The blissful solitude, privacy and casual luxury your home provides
is exactly what we needed to unwind and re-connect with each other. Leisurely
walks around Fort Hill, lazy days at Coast Guard Beach, biking along the
near-by bike trails, and great shopping excursions in neighboring villages
rounded out our days...and wore off a few of the calories from your gourmet
breakfasts! Is it too soon to make reservations for next year?"
Kiawah Island, SC
Attractions
Eastham is a quaint, historic New England township,
sporting long sandy beaches, miles of biking and hiking trails, boutiques
and galleries, and many National Historic Register designations. Spend
a day at Coast Guard Beach, explore the National
Seashore, or explore one of the numerous Marshes and hiking Trails. Nearby
are restaurants, museums, shoppingand theatre. Try a whale watching trip,
kayaking, biking, baseball, fishing or golf. It's all right here, or take
a day trip to one of the islands.
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