History

daughter of a wealthy land owner and merchant, Zadok P. Henry.  Elizabeth's hand in marriage was given to Henry B. Johnson with the provision that he would build her a home of suitable proportions on a piece of property that was part of Elizabeth's dowry.  It is unknown exactly when construction began; however, the house was completed in 1859 and was named "Sherwood".  Consisting of over 8,500 square feet, the home surely surpassed the imaginations of the local citizenry.  Built in classis Italianate style, it combines Greek revival, classical Italianate, and Gothic Influences. 

The pre-Civil War structure was built and designed for lavish parties and for accomodating guests of long duration.  Facing due east it overlooked the Trappe Creek waterway which served the commerical shipping trade for the area.  The view from the cupola allowed for sighting of the waterway as well as providing a viewpoint for the plantation owner to observe the workers on the land.

Henry Johnson died in 1867 and his early demise caused ownership of the house and surrounding 1200 acres to be assumed by the mortgage holders Granville and Cordelia Stokes of Philadelphia.  It was then named "The Stokes Place" although they leased the property to local familes, Mr. & Mrs. Stokes never lived here.

Senator Orlando Harrison and his brother George Harrison of Harrison's Nurseries, purchased the house and 285 acres in 1902 for $6,000 dollars.  Neither of the brothers made his home on the property; however, they did farm the land extensivley.

Fourteen years later in 1916 Col. Harry Selby Purnell, M.D. and his wife Elizabeth Kenly Purnell, bought the house for use as a summer home.  They made numerous renovations to modernize the home: added indoor bathrooms and plumbing, enclosed two porches, removed the wall between the two north parlors to form a ballroom, built an addition on the west wing, and installed a hot water heating system.  The family moved permantly to Berlin in 1933 following Dr. Purnell's retirement from the U.S. Army where he served as a medical doctor.  They named their home "Dunwandrin" to reflect the end of their world travels.  After Dr. Purnell's death in 1946, Ms. Purnell lived in the house for then more years before selling it and twenty surrounding acres to William Dryden, owner and operator of the Eastern Shore Times, and his wife Beryl. 

The Drydens renamed the home "Merry Sherwood" and occupied it with their family until 1972 when the property was sold to Wanda lee and Frank Scanlon, and engineer and local motel owner.  After the death of Mr. Scanlon, Mrs. Scanlon sold the property to her youngest daughter Wanda and her husband Jim Yackley.  A partnership purchased the home from the Yackley's in 1990 and restoration was begun.

 In 1991 one of the partners, Kirk Burbage,  a Berlin native and business man, purchased full interest in Merry Sherwood.  He has restored the exterior and interior of the home with exacting standards.  It is Mr. Burbage's intention to operate Merry Sherwood as a country inn, available for lodging, weddings, parties, receptions, fund raisers, and special events.  Kirk Burbage hopes that by operating his historic building in this manner, the building's maintenance and preservation will be accompolished for the education and pleasure of future generations.