Quebec House is close to Chartwell. Colonel Wolfe rented the Tudor house in 1726. It was here that his and Henrietta’s son, James, was born and grew up until the age of 11-years. The property had been extended during the reign of James I and has evolved since – having a Georgian appearance.

James Wolfe became a soldier at just fourteen-years and found himself involved in the war of the Austrian Succession as well as the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. In 1759, during the so-called Seven Years War, Wolfe led his men up the cliffs at Quebec and attacked the French. The general, whose death is captured on canvas at Ickworth House near Bury St Edmunds, won the battle but lost his life. Spiers, as his childhood home was known, was renamed Quebec House in his honour.

The Seven Years War was fought between 1756 to 1763 and was effectively world war – and so it was described by Churchill- since it involved all the European powers of the time and consequently their colonies. Britain was an ally of Prussia while France, Austria, Russia, Sweden and Spain lined up on the other side. One of the causes included a territorial dispute over Silesia fought between Austria and Prussia. The British and the French were more interested in control of North America. The French and Indian War had started in 1754. The Treaty of Paris signed in 1763 would see France relinquish most of its North American land to Britain.

One of the domino effects of the war, aside from Wolfe’s death, was the amount that it cost. Inevitably this led to more taxation of the American Colonies which in turn led to increasing discontent.

The house is full of General Wolfe memorabilia including the general’s canteen chest – with spaces for all the china he used while he was on campaign. That said the contents of the home are fairly spartan – a reminder that Wolfe’s family were not aristocratic.

However, you can even see Henrietta Wolfe’s cookbook or receipt book. As might be expected as well as recipes for cooking everything from fish to sponge cake there are also a number of household remedies. If you time your visit right, volunteers may be found in the kitchen preparing some dishes inspired by the Georgian recipes.