Bacon's Castle facts for kids
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Bacon's Castle
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Bacon's Castle in 2017
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 Location in Virginia
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| Location | Surry County, Virginia |
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| Area | Hampton Roads |
| Built | 1665 |
| Architectural style | Jacobean and Greek revival |
| Website | preservationvirginia.org/historic-sites/bacons-castle |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000849 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | 1966 |
| Designated NHL | October 9, 1960 |
Bacon's Castle is a historic house in Surry County, Virginia, United States. It is the oldest known brick house still standing in what is now the United States. Built in 1665, it is a very rare example of Jacobean architecture in the New World.
The house got its name "Bacon's Castle" because it was used like a fort by followers of Nathaniel Bacon. This happened during Bacon's Rebellion in 1676. But Nathaniel Bacon himself never actually lived at Bacon's Castle. He probably never even visited it.
Today, Bacon's Castle is a historic house museum. Visitors can explore the house and learn about its past. It is an official historic site managed by Preservation Virginia, a non-profit group.
Contents
History of Bacon's Castle
Building the Oldest Brick House
In 1652, Surry County was formed in the English colony of Virginia. A wealthy merchant and judge named Arthur Allen built this impressive brick house in 1665. It was built near the James River.
Arthur Allen and his wife, Alice, lived there. Allen passed away in 1669. His son, Major Arthur Allen II, then inherited the house and land. Major Allen was an important member of the Virginia government.
Bacon's Rebellion and the "Castle"
Around September 1676, some rebels who followed Nathaniel Bacon took over Major Allen's brick house. They used it as a fort. This is why it became known as "Bacon's Castle."
The rebel group held the house for over three months. Their leader, Nathaniel Bacon, died in October. After his death, the rebellion started to fall apart.
The royal governor, Sir William Berkeley, began taking back control. On December 29, a loyal group captured the "fort." After a short fight in January 1677, the loyalists used the house as a base. The rebellion ended later that month.
The Name "Bacon's Castle"
Even though the house was called "Bacon's Castle," Nathaniel Bacon never lived there. Many historians believe the name wasn't used until many years after the rebellion. In 1769, a newspaper called the Virginia Gazette used the name. This helped make it famous.
Civil War Connections
During the American Civil War, a poet named Sidney Lanier was stationed nearby. He was a soldier for the Confederate army. Lanier and his brother often visited Bacon's Castle. The Hankins family owned the house at that time.
Sidney Lanier was good friends with Virginia Hankins, or Ginna. He later wrote a poem called "In Memoriam" for her brother, James DeWitt Hankins. James was a soldier who died in a conflict in 1866.
After the Civil War
After the Civil War, many plantations like Bacon's Castle faced big problems. They lost their workers due to the emancipation of slaves. They also had a lot of debt. Ginna's father, John Hankins, had borrowed money using the property.
In 1872, Virginia Hankins had to sell the 1,200-acre estate to pay off the debt. She moved to Richmond and became a schoolteacher. She also wrote poetry.
Later Owners and Preservation
William Allen Warren bought the estate in 1880. It stayed in the Warren family for many years. Walker Pegram Warren and his wife used Bacon's Castle as a second home. They passed away in 1973.
Since they had no children, the house and 40 acres were bought by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. This group is now called Preservation Virginia. The rest of the land, about 1,130 acres, became farmland.
Preservation and Visiting Bacon's Castle
Preservation Virginia bought Bacon's Castle in the 1970s. They worked to restore it to its original look. They continue to care for the site today.
Bacon's Castle is now a house museum. Visitors can explore the main house and its 40 acres of land. There are also other old buildings, like barns and smokehouses. You can also see a rare 17th-century English garden.
In 2015, a group received a grant to protect the farmland around Bacon's Castle. This helps make sure the land will always be farmland. It prevents new houses or businesses from being built there.
Architecture of Bacon's Castle
Unique Jacobean Style
Bacon's Castle is a very special example of American Jacobean architecture. It is the only "high-style" house from the 1600s that still stands in Virginia. It is one of only three Jacobean "great houses" west of the Atlantic Ocean. The other two are in Barbados.
Some cool features of its design include the tall, triple-stacked chimneys. It also has unique shaped gables, which are the triangular parts of the wall under the roof. Inside, you can see carved compass roses on the wooden beams.
Changes Over Time
Over the years, Bacon's Castle was changed a few times. In the 1800s, a new wing was added. The main entrance was also moved. The old diamond-shaped window panes were replaced with larger, double-hung windows.
When the house was restored, these changes were kept. This helps show how the house changed throughout its long history. Bacon's Castle is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1960.
Images for kids
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Bacon's Castle, 2014
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Bacon's Castle, perspective showing chimneys. 2014
See also
- Old Brick Church (Bacon's Castle, Virginia)
- List of the oldest buildings in Virginia
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Virginia
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Surry County, Virginia
