At the end of the 17th century, “Quinta das Cruzes” had its first major transformations, when it came into possession of a distinguished family - the Lomelino. The origin of this family goes back to Urbano Lomelino and João Baptista Lomelino, merchants of Genoese origin, whose presence on the island dates from 1476 in Santa Cruz.

It dates from the 17th century, the construction of the red stone archery of the Region (“tufo of lapill and tufo brecha”) attached to the facade, as well as the construction (dated 1692 according to the inscription of the portico) and later institution (1695) of the Chapel “Nossa Senhora da Piedade”, erected by Francisco Esmeraldo Correia Henriques and located at the south end of the garden space.

The predominant body of the main building dates from the middle of this century, which is characteristic of 18th century island buildings, the result of works motivated by the marriage of António Correia Henriques Lomelino and D. Guiomar Jacinta de Moura Acciaiuoli, who started to live in Cruzes in late 1718 ; or by the strong earthquake that hitted Madeira Island in 1748 and that caused serious damage to the building.

In 1836, there was a dispute led by the owner of the “Quinta”, Nuno de Freitas Lomelino, patron of the Convent of “Nossa Senhora da Piedade”, in Santa Cruz, (founded by Urbano Lomelino in the 16th century), which requires the assets of the said Convent that he had lost with the Extinction of Religious Orders in 1834. Only in 1852 the situation have been resolved, with the ruins of the Convent transferred to Morgado, who transferred part of his possessions to “Quinta das Cruzes”.

It dates from the 19th century, a plaster coat of arms placed on the roof of the main entrance of the main building and which testifies to the presence of this family for about two hundred years at “Quinta das Cruzes”.

Text: Museu Quinta das Cruzes

Credits: Museu Quinta das Cruzes

Coat of Arms. © SRTC| DRC| Museu Quinta das Cruzes.