Casa de Crasto

MORE INFORMATION

Located close to the market town of Ponte de Lima and its many attractions, this 17th century house has recently been refurbished with excellent taste and retains its traditional atmosphere and architectural charm. The guest rooms are spacious and decorated in Minho style. Wine tasting is available and the gardens offer a pleasant stroll.
In “Solares de Portugal – The art of good living”, Edições INAPA, 2007

HISTORY
In the 17th Century, Casa de Crasto was owned by Francisco de Melo Pereira, the son of the Maltese knight, Friar Lopo de Melo Pereira. Francisco married D.Genebra de Jácome Calheiros on 2 April 1667, a marriage tainted with scandal and tragedy.
D. Genebra accused her husband of being impotent, and refused to carry on living with him. However, Francisco went with his brothers to Calheiros in order to force his wife to come back to Casa de Crasto. When her uncle stepped outside to see what was happening, he was killed. Maria Fagerdas, Francisco's sister-in-law, shouted for help and the servants ran to assist. In the chaos that ensued, Francisco, his brother Friar José dos Anjos and a servant were killed. D.Genebre and her mother hid at a convent at Viana do Castelo, and the servants fled to Spain while the situation cooled down. Everything was later forgotten when Luís de Melo Pereira married his sister-in-law D.Genebra.
In 1896, the house was sold to Francisco José Perre, thus taking the house from the ownership of the Melo Pereira family. Francisco José destroyed the house, searching for hidden treasure. During the restoration, the chapel was replaced by a tower. In 1917, Casa de Crasto was bought by Miguel Jerónimo Pinto, remaining ever since with the same family. Miguel Jerónimo died with no children, thus leaving the property to his grand nieces, who have since carried out further, recent restorations.