History of Casa do Arrabalde

All houses have their own memories related to those who built them or have lived in them.

This house was constructed for António Roiz da Maia and Ana Maria de Abreu on the occasion of their wedding.

From this marriage Dr. João de Deus de Abreu Maia was born, and it was probably he who first occupied the house as a permanent resident. Along with his brother priest Doutor Frei José da Expectação, he was one of the main founders of the "sociedade Económica e Patriótica dos amigos do Bem Público"- founded in 1870 in Ponte de Lima and approved officially the same year by D. Maria I.

He married D. Maria Joaquina Ferreira da Maia, his cousin.

It was their son, Francisco Joaquim de Abreu Maia who next occupied the house. He was a military officer during the time of the Napoleonic invasions, in the forces who impeded the advance of the French troops at Vila Nova de Cerveira, successfully preventing them from crossing the River Minho. He married D. Rosa Cândida Brandão de Castro e Silva.

His son José de Abreu Maia succeeded him in the house. He was Mayor of Ponte de Lima from 1870 to 1873 and administrator of Santa Casa da Misericórdia in Ponte de Lima. It is thought that it was he who planted the great plane trees lining the main Avenue of the town today.

From his marriage to D. Rosa Guilhermina Pereire da Rocha, was born, among others, the next occupant of Casa do Arrabalde.

It was he Dr. Francisco de Abreu Maia, a Law graduate, who was Mayor of Ponte de Lima at the time of the “Monarquia do Norte” in 1919.

For this reason he lived in exile for many years is Santiago de Compostela, in neighboring Galicia. He was an illustrious member of the town, with a great knowledge of the history and customs of the area so that he was known as “ The dictionary of Ponte de Lima”. He never married, and it was his cousin who succeeded him at his death – D. Maria Casimira de Abreu Maia, daughter of his brother Alípio de Abreu Pereira Maia. Se never lived at the house, but in another owned by her mother nearby. This house is o longer in the hand of the family. It was her son , Dr. Francisco José d’Abreu who inherited the house and who is still the owner today.

Chronology of construction:

- Construction starts in 1729

- Modifications at the end of the 19th c

- Today’s owners to convert the buildings for rural tourism carried out from1981 to 1988 restoration work.