Get in the holiday spirit and join the historical Thornbury Farm for their pipe organ concert, December 3rd from 1pm-6pm! Performing some Christmas carols is the SAI music sorority from Temple University.
Farm History
Back in 1709, a stone house became what we know as Thornbury Farm. A home was added 80 years later to the land and the first public library of Chester County was later the newest addition to the farm. Throughout the years, the barn has added different buildings, including a large stone spring house. In 1812, the houses on the land were used as stops in the Underground Railroad.
A Part in the War
The farm also played a role in the Battle of Brandywine, being used as a site for the final troop engagement. Solider’s from the Continental Army ran up the barn’s stream to avoid German soldiers. They became trapped between these German soldiers on South New Street with the stream on the other side. So many soldiers were shot that blood flowed over two miles to the Brandywine. The barn was used as a hospital and also to hold prisoners.
With so much happening on the barn’s grounds, Duke University performed a para-psychological research in the early 1980s. In this study, they discovered 9 identities in the barn, including soldiers who were lost during the American Revolution and the original owner of the barn.
The Farm Today
The farm is now known to grow organic and local produce for the community. They have over 100 members and a farm market on Saturdays, it has become a great way to use this historic barn. They also started offering classes on canning, bread making, history, herbs, ghost hunting and wine tasting.
With a rich, historical background, Thornbury is a little piece of history located right in our area. Check out this amazing farm at their holiday event. The pipe organ they use for their event contains 2300 pipes with a Haskell Swell Division and a Mollier Choir Division.
The Barn is located at 1256 Thornbury Road and can be contacted at 610.793.2933. Don’t miss out and kick start your holiday season at such a historical ground.