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 very old and special house in Surry County, Virginia, United States. It's known as the oldest documented brick house still standing in what is now the United States. Built way back in 1665, it's a rare example of a building style called Jacobean architecture from the 1600s.
The house got its interesting name, "Bacon's Castle," because it was used like a fort by followers of a man named Nathaniel Bacon during a time of trouble called Bacon's Rebellion in 1676. But here's a fun fact: Nathaniel Bacon himself never actually lived in the house, and he probably never even visited it!
Today, Bacon's Castle is a historic house museum. This means you can visit it to learn about its history and see what life was like long ago. It's cared for by an organization called Preservation Virginia.
Contents
Exploring Bacon's Castle's Past
Who Built Bacon's Castle?
In 1652, a place called Surry County was formed in the English colony of Virginia. A wealthy merchant and important judge named Arthur Allen built this impressive brick house in 1665. He and his wife, Alice, lived there near the James River. When Arthur Allen passed away in 1669, his son, Major Arthur Allen II, inherited the house. Major Allen was also an important person, serving in Virginia's government.
Bacon's Rebellion and the House's Name
Around September 1676, a group of rebels led by Nathaniel Bacon took over Major Allen's brick house. They turned it into a fort, or "castle," and held onto it for over three months. Their leader, Nathaniel Bacon, died in October, which weakened their cause.
The royal governor, Sir William Berkeley, slowly took back control of different rebel strongholds. In December, a loyal force captured the "fort" that many historians believe was Bacon's Castle. After a short fight in January 1677, the loyalists used the house as a base to finish the rebellion.
The Allen family's home became known as "Bacon's Castle" because of this event. However, Nathaniel Bacon never lived there. Many historians think the name "Bacon's Castle" wasn't used until many years later. For example, a newspaper in 1769 called the Virginia Gazette used the name when writing about the rebellion.
Life During the Civil War
During the American Civil War, a poet named Sidney Lanier was stationed nearby. He and his brother were good friends with the Hankins family, who owned Bacon's Castle at the time. The brothers often visited the estate. Sidney Lanier even wrote a poem for a friend from the Hankins family.
After the Civil War, many large estates like Bacon's Castle faced big challenges. They lost their workers and had a lot of debt. Virginia Hankins, a daughter of the owner, had to sell the property in 1872 to pay off debts and help her younger brothers and sisters get an education. She then moved to Richmond and became a schoolteacher and writer.
Modern Ownership and Care
The estate was bought by William Allen Warren in 1880, and it stayed in the Warren family for many years. The last Warren owners, Walker Pegram Warren and his wife, used Bacon's Castle as a second home until they passed away in 1973. Since they had no children, the house and 40 acres of land were bought by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, now known as Preservation Virginia. The rest of the land, about 1,130 acres, is still used for farming today.
Keeping Bacon's Castle Special
Preservation Virginia took over Bacon's Castle in the 1970s and worked hard to restore it. They continue to preserve the site while welcoming visitors. Today, Bacon's Castle is a house museum with 40 acres of land. You can see old buildings like barns, smokehouses, and even a rare 17th-century English garden.
In 2015, a group received a grant to help protect the farmland around Bacon's Castle. This means the land will always be kept as open space and won't be used for new houses or businesses.
The Unique Look of Bacon's Castle
Bacon's Castle is a very special example of Jacobean architecture in America. It's one of only three "high-style" Jacobean houses from the 1600s that still exist west of the Atlantic Ocean! The other two are in Barbados.
Key Architectural Features
Some cool things to notice about the house's design include its triple-stacked chimneys, fancy shaped gables (the triangular parts of the roof), and carved compass roses on the wooden beams inside many rooms. The house is so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was named a National Historic Landmark in 1960.
Over the years, Bacon's Castle had some changes. For example, a smaller service wing was replaced with a taller Greek Revival style wing. The main entrance was also moved. When the house was restored, these changes were kept to show its full history.
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
