Bolton Priory (Pelham Manor, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bolton Priory
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 7 Priory Ln., Pelham Manor, New York |
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| Area | 3.7 acres (1.5 ha) |
| Built | 1838 |
| Architect | Irving, Washington |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001320 |
| Added to NRHP | June 28, 1974 |
Bolton Priory is a historic house built in 1838. It was made for the Reverend Robert Bolton and his family. The house is located in Pelham Manor, New York, in Westchester County, New York. It sits on a wooded area that looks over Pelham Bay. The land around it used to be much larger, but now it is about 3.7 acres.
Reverend Bolton designed the house in a style called the Romantic idiom. This style was popular in England during the Romantic Movement. The house was made to look like it had been built over a long time. For example, one part is made of stone and another part is made of brick. This gives the impression of different additions over the years.
Bolton Priory shows us what life was like for an important family in the mid-1800s. It also shows the popular architectural ideas of that time. The house was even featured in a famous book. This book, called Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening, was written by Andrew Jackson Downing in 1841. He called Bolton Priory a "highly unique residence in the old English style."
The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This means it is a very important historical site.
Contents
How Bolton Priory Came to Be
Early History of the Land
The land where Bolton Priory stands has a long history. It was first bought from the Siwanoy Native Americans in 1654. This purchase was made by Thomas Pell. By 1790, the area known as Pelham was mostly farmland. It had a small population.
Pelham was also close to New York City. Because of this, many wealthy people from the city built country homes there. They enjoyed the peaceful countryside.
The Bolton Family Arrives
Robert Bolton was born in the United States in 1778. As a young man, he traveled to England. There, he became a minister. He also married Ann Jay, whose father was an English clergyman.
Bolton returned to America with his large family. He had 13 children! In 1836, he became the minister for St. Paul's Parish. This church was in Eastchester, Westchester County. The next year, Bolton bought 38 acres of land in Pelham. He finished building Bolton Priory on this land in 1838.
Who Helped Design the Priory?
It is believed that Washington Irving helped design Bolton Priory. Irving was a famous American writer and a friend of Robert Bolton. He might have helped with both the house and its gardens.
Bolton's sons also helped a lot with the house. They did much of the interior work themselves. This included beautiful carved woodwork. One son, William Jay Bolton, was a pioneer in making stained glass in America. He created the stained glass for the house.
Architectural Design of Bolton Priory
Outside the House
The main part of Bolton Priory is a long, two-story building. A two-story wing with a pointed roof crosses it. At one corner, there is a tall, four-story tower. This tower is octagonal, meaning it has eight sides. It also has a decorative top that looks like castle walls.
At the other end of the main building, there is a three-story brick tower. This tower is square and also has a castle-like top. Washington Irving gave yellow bricks for the house. These bricks were from the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow. They were used to show the building date above the door.
Inside the House
The inside of Bolton Priory still looks much like it did in the 1800s. The first floor has several well-designed rooms. On the second floor, there are eight rooms. You can reach these rooms from a main hallway. This hallway runs the entire length of the house.
The amazing craftsmanship of Robert Bolton's sons can be seen inside. They created richly detailed woodwork. This includes beautiful fireplace mantels and built-in bookshelves.
Other Buildings Nearby
Several other buildings are located near Bolton Priory. These structures are also connected to the property's history. They include:
- Christ Church (built in 1843)
- Christ Church Parish House (built in 1845, with additions in 1876)
- Bolton Memorial Building (around 1848)
- Bolton Cottage (built in 1810)
- The Stables (built in 1895)
