The house is nearly 200 years old. When Martin Wickremesinghe was a child the only houses with sturdy lime plastered walls were those of the village temple, the physician, the teacher and the Headman. The house was restored to Martin Wickramasinghe in 1962 by the government of Sri Lanka. After his death the MartinWickramasinghe Trust has undertaken to preserve the house and its surroundings as a parkland recreating the past”. It has become a part of our national heritage, attracting thousands of visitors of all ages from all part of Sri Lanka, as well as abroad.
The house has been renovated several times during its 200 or so years of existence, whilst preserving its original appearance. It has a verandah, parlour room, dining room and bed rooms, including the room in which the writer was born. The brick floor in front of that room was used to play coins, an indoor game played by Martin Wickramasighe as a child. The author’s belongings such as his bed, wardrobe, pens, walking sticks, wristlet and spectacles make a deep impression on the visitor. The pigeon-hole writing table is similar to the one used by Mudliyar “Kaisaruwatte” in the “Gamperaliya” novel. The hall of life (Upandasita hall) is where photographs, paintings, souvenirs, hand writings and covers of books can be found reflecting various events and instances of the writer’s life.
Among these are his many foreign visits and photographs of contemporary writers and intellectuals reflecting the marvelous intelligentsia of the era. The photos of old Colombo showing the modes of transport, trade and commerce and surroundings of various places, takes one back to a bygone time. The author’s favourite subject, evolution, is depicted through the sketches along the outer corridor of the hall.
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