In 1750, the Reverend Francisco Fernandes Coelho ordered the Chapel to be built in the exact same spot where Nossa Senhora da Escudeira was worshipped, using the contributions made by her devotees. The chapel survived the 1755 earthquake and the creed of Nossa Senhora remained rooted in local traditions.
In 1930, during the festival in honour of Nossa Senhora da Escudeira, the Chapel was destroyed by fire, with only the structure left standing. In 1936, it was restored by António M. da Silva and his wife Maria Kirkebye da Silva; in 1968, António J. Bustorff Silva bought the estate and carried out preservation and redecoration work on the Chapel; in 1986, owing to its advanced state of dilapidation, the dome of the main nave was rebuilt; but, by the end of the XX century, the contents and the Chapel itself had again deteriorated considerably.
In the XXI century, the current owners, Francisca Duarte Pacheco and Carlos Botelho Moniz, with the support of PRODER, carried out preservation and restoration work on the Chapel and the estate.
The Chapel was redecorated in line with the pre-existing style and tradition and the owners helped preserve the Festival of Nossa Senhora da Escudeira. The creed of Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Escudeira is the oldest in the municipality of Palmela, where the pilgrimage and the festival are still celebrated with great devotion. The festival is held every year on the closest weekend to 15 August and is attended by hundreds of visitors.
Apart from the Chapel, two wells, a mine and two old water tanks make up the heritage of Quinta da Escudeira. These hold great symbolic value for the life experiences they testify to and, as a factor in the identity and the appeal of the territory, are of interest to the community. These were irrigation features that carried water to the steep slopes of the mountain, enabling farming to be self-sufficient.
Traditional well: with a depth of 20 m, built stone upon stone, it illustrates for the visitors the habits and customs of the people and activities of yesteryear;
Mine: links the well to the tank and has a gallery that you can visit. You can learn about other activities that exist in the region – all in all, a very interesting place to visit.
Traditional watering and laundry tank: illustrates for visitors how the land was farmed in the past, the link between humans and agriculture, and the day-to-day of our ancestors.
A visit to Quinta da Escudeira provides a return to the past, to learn how people lived in days gone by!
