Medway (Mount Holly, South Carolina) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Medway
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Medway Plantation in 1940
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | off U.S. Route 52 |
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| Nearest city | Goose Creek, South Carolina |
| Built | ca. 1686 |
| Architect | Van Arrsens, Jan |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000569 |
| Added to NRHP | July 16, 1970 |
Medway or the Medway Plantation is a historic estate located in Mount Holly, South Carolina. It's found in Berkeley County, South Carolina, not far from Goose Creek, South Carolina. This important place was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 16, 1970, recognizing its special history. Medway is about 2 miles (3.2 km) east of U.S. Route 52.
Contents
Exploring Medway's Past: A Journey Through Time
Early Settlers and Important Families
The story of Medway began around 1686. A man named Jan Van Arrsens, who was a leader from Holland, brought a small group of settlers to the province of Carolina. He built his home along the Back River, which was once called "Meadway" or "Medway." This river flows into the Cooper River. Sadly, Van Arrsens died soon after arriving and was buried at Medway.
His wife, Sabrina de Vignon, later married Landgrave Thomas Smith in 1687. This marriage made Smith one of the richest men in the Carolina Province. Sabrina Smith passed away in 1689 and was also buried at Medway. Thomas Smith became the governor of the Province of Carolina in 1693. He died in 1694 and was buried at Medway as well.
Changing Hands: New Owners and Uses
After Governor Smith's death, his son, Thomas Smith II, inherited the plantation. In 1701, he sold it to Edward Hyrne. However, Hyrne didn't pay for it, so it went back to Thomas Smith II in 1711. Medway was sold many times throughout the 1700s.
Later, Theodore Samuel Marion bought the plantation. He was a nephew of Francis Marion, a famous hero of the American Revolution. Theodore Samuel Marion was also a key figure in the South Carolina Provincial Congress. In 1827, the plantation went to his grandson, Theodore Samuel DuBose.
Between 1833 and 1835, DuBose sold Medway to his brother-in-law, Peter Gaillard Stoney. Stoney also owned the West Point Rice Mill in Charleston.
Life and Work at Medway Plantation
During Peter Gaillard Stoney's time, Medway Plantation was very busy all year round. In the summer, the main work was growing rice. In the winter, making bricks was a big activity. Medway and other nearby plantations made "Carolina Grey" bricks from the local clay found by the river. These bricks were used to build many structures in Charleston. Some of Medway's bricks even helped build Fort Sumter.
The plantation also produced timber, which is wood for building. They also made "naval stores," which are products like tar and pitch used for ships. Besides work, the plantation was also used for hunting.
Medway's Connection to Authors and History
In 1906, Samuel Gaillard Stoney, a nephew of Peter Gaillard Stoney, bought Medway. The author John Bennett (1865–1956) was a friend of Samuel and his wife, Louisa. Bennett used Medway as the setting for his novel The Treasure of Peyre Gaillard.
Samuel and Louisa Stoney's son, also named Samuel Gaillard Stoney (1891–1968), became a writer too. He wrote Plantations of the Carolina Low Country and other books about the buildings in the South Carolina Lowcountry. He also helped write books of Gullah stories.
In 1930, Sidney and Gertrude Legendre bought Medway. Sidney passed away in 1948 and was buried at Medway. Gertrude Sanford Legendre was a famous big-game hunter. She also worked for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. She was the first American woman to be captured during that war. After about six months, she managed to escape to Switzerland. Gertrude died in 2000 and was also buried at Medway.
The Architecture of Medway: A Look at Its Design
Building the Original House
People used to think that Jan Van Arrsens built the main part of the house. However, in 1984, a discovery changed that idea. The Hyrne family's special seal was found pressed into some bricks around a doorframe. This showed that the Hyrne family also played a part in building the first house.
The house that Jan Van Arrsens built on the Medway River burned down. This happened either in 1692 or in the early 1700s after the Hyrnes bought it. The house was rebuilt using the old foundations and walls that were still standing. This new house had special stepped Dutch gables, which are decorative parts of the roof.
The house had entrances facing both the river and the land. It was made from handmade bricks produced locally. These early bricks were not as strong as bricks made later. So, parts of the house were patched with a mix of oyster shells and plaster. It's believed the original house had three rooms on the main floor.
Changes and Expansions Over Time
In 1827, Theodore Samuel DuBose added another story to the house. This made it a two-and-a-half-story building. Later, in 1855, Peter Gaillard Stoney made the house even bigger. He added a wing, or a new section, to the west side of the house. Before 1875, two more rooms were added to the east side.
The house was damaged during the 1886 Charleston earthquake. But it was repaired by 1900. In 1906, Samuel Gaillard Stoney rebuilt the stepped gables. Louisa Stoney worked on restoring the lawn and gardens around the house. When the Legendres bought Medway, they also worked to bring the plantation back to life and redecorated the house.
The original Dutch style of the house has been kept over the years. Drawings showing the house's layout, both how it might have looked originally and how it looks now, have been published.
Medway Today: A Home for Nature
Gertrude Sanford Legendre created the Medway Environmental Trust. This trust helps manage the plantation as a special place for nature. Medway Plantation has been named an Important Bird Area by Audubon South Carolina.
It's a home for many different birds, including ducks and other waterfowl. It also has about fifteen groups of red-cockaded woodpeckers, which are a special kind of bird. A pair of bald eagles also nest there.
