HISTORY
CEYLON TEA & TAYLORS HILL
The illustrious history of the Pattiyagama Plantation Estate traces its origins to an 18th-Century coffee plantation established by Welsh planter Dominic Elwes. However, the onset of the coffee blight in the 1870s (Hemeleia Vastatrix) brought an unfortunate end to the coffee cultivation.
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The narrative takes a turn as Ceylon Tea's protagonist, James Taylor, arrives on the scene, and the Loolecondera Estate - identified as Field No. 07 - emerges as the pioneering tea plantation in Ceylon. This distinguished development played a pivotal role in establishing Ceylon as the Tea Country during the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria.
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Amid Taylor's dedicated efforts to introduce tea to Ceylon, he developed a deep affinity for Loolecondera Estate, an adjacent property to Pattiyagama Estate. Here, Taylor solidified his legacy as the trailblazer behind the legendary Ceylon Tea, elevating the central hills of Ceylon to a realm of unparalleled splendour. It was at Taylors Seat that Taylor envisioned the future of Ceylon Tea, gazing upon the breathtaking expanse of hills and valleys that lay ahead.
HISTORY
PATTIYAGAMA MANSION
Taylors Hill, formerly known as Pattiyagama Mansion, was once the cherished gathering place for Taylor and fellow planters, facilitated by Dominic Elwis. This historical dwelling served as the hub for planters' interactions. The echoes of that colonial era are still preserved, evident in the presence of a remarkable 200-year-old Burroughes & Watts 1836 Snooker table, standing as a testament to those days.
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In the wake of the colonial era's closure, the mansion transitioned to a trust's ownership. Subsequently, it was acquired by E.L. Senanayake, an accomplished international lawyer educated at Kings College London, and a member of the esteemed Senanayake family, which has maintained a legacy of large plantations spanning across five generations.