Built in 1861 by the Knowles family, the Inn was actually two small buildings put together in later years. The front porch was enclosed and the interior changed to provide a single family floor plan. The house is on the historic register and commemorated with a lovely plaque given by the town. The building housed Brewster's first telephone and so it began a life as a meeting place for locals. It also was the first gift shop on the lower cape, The Brewster Gift Shop, which eventually moved across the street and several houses east.

The Bramble inn has been run as an Inn and dining spot welcoming guests for over 50 years. Known originally as The 1861 House, it provided dinner and lodging to travelers and locals year round. In the mid-seventies it was purchased by Karen Etsell and Elaine Brennan who
transformed it into The Bramble Inn Gallery and Cafe, a California style luncheon cafe, B
& B and gallery, open only in the summer months. Ms. Etsell and Ms. Brennan were so
successful that they wrote a book on their experiences entitled, ''How to Open and
Operate a Country Inn".  Ms. Etsell appeared on television to promote the book and the
Inn.

In 1985, Cliff and Ruth Manchester purchased the inn and transformed it yet again into
The Bramble Inn and Restaurant, a formal 4 star fixed price dinner-only restaurant. Over
the next 20 years the Manchester's, with Ruth as Executive Chef, Cliff as Innkeeper and
their three daughters helping out, received many honors. Ruth and her
original recipes have been featured numerously in The New York Times, Providence
Journal, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Gourmet, Food and Wine, Bon Appetite, Good
Housekeeping, Travel and Leisure, Chocolatier, Yankee Travel, Naples Daily News and
Gourmet Getaways, as well as voted most romantic by the readers of Cape Cod Life to
name a few. Nationally, the Inn has received noteworthy praise and recognition from
Triple A, Mobil Travel, Foders, Frommers and was is featured as the top rated restaurant
on the Cape from Zagat Guide. Ruth and the inn were just inducted this winter into the
prestigious order of the Chaine des Rotisseur where Ruth was given the title of Maitre
Rotisseur. Most recently, the Inn received the award of excellence from the North
American Restaurant Association and was chosen again as Editor's pick from the
Publishers of Yankee Magazine.

The inn remains a gallery as well, featuring the works of local emerging artist covering the
walls of the five dining rooms. Ruth makes the rounds of all the local art shows to
assemble a diversified variety of subject matter and mediums. Also on hand are lovely
antique china plates and collectables for sale. All the tables are set with antique face plates
and Cliff does all the flower arrangements with flowers grown from a local garden, as well
as maintaining the extensive gardens around the inn.