Wikipedia
On an English, Scottish or Welsh estate, a dower house is usually a moderately large house available for use by the widow of the estate-owner. The widow, often known as the " dowager", usually moves into the dower house from the larger family house on the death of her husband if the heir is married, and upon his marriage if he was single at his succession. The new heir occupies the now vacated principal house.
The dower house might also be occupied by an elder son after his marriage, or simply rented to a tenant.
Usage examples of "dower house".
As he mounted the rickety stairs to the upper floor of the dower house and his father's dank stuffy bedchamber, he continued to ponder his problems, and with each step he became more depressed.
George is to be married shortly, and I shall live in the Dower House.
He called you here to persuade me to retire to the dower house at Wexcombe Hall, and to stop embarrassing him.
I was wondering if I might take a few pieces of bedroom furniture from the Dower House—.
The need now was to put at least one safe, alienating mile between themselves and the dower house of Elford, and after that they could look for a night's shelter early, for in spite of his resolution it was clear that Haluin was haggard and grey with exhaustion, and would not get far without danger of collapse.
The need now was to put at least one safe, alienating mile between themselves and the dower house of Elford, and after that they could look for a night’.
The need now was to put at least one safe, alienating mile between themselves and the dower house of Elford, and after that they could look for a nights shelter early, for in spite of his resolution it was clear that Haluin was haggard and grey with exhaustion, and would not get far without danger of collapse.
She tipped the man the amount prescribed by Magister Magus, that expert in the nuances of Court conduct, and walked up the pink marble steps of the Dower House, one of the smallest of the several palaces which dotted the vast, fairytale parklands comprising the Imperial Seat.
The dower house hadn't been occupied for eighty years and was in a sad state of disrepair.