HERITAGE

Puwak Watta (literally Betel Nut Garden) was built around 130 years ago in a 'Kandyan' style and was the main house serving a small lowland tea estate. In later years the estate was split up amongst family members until the house and 5 acres of the estate were put up for sale in 2010 so that the owners could re-locate to live with their daughter in Colombo.

Current owners, David Grigson and Ros Pomeroy, bought the house in January 2011 and spent more than a year managing an extensive renovation project to create the house you can now see. The Tea House annex, with an extra two double ensuite bedrooms, an air-conditioned library and a tree canopy sit out area, was added in 2018.

David was born in Sri Lanka and his great grandfather was one of the first tea planters in Ceylon, which means the restoration of this house and the adjoining tea plantation has been undertaken with extra special care.