Rockwood Museum and Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rockwood Park & Museum |
|
|---|---|
Rockwood House, December 2010
|
|
| Type | Public Park, Garden & Museum |
| Location | 4651 Washington Street Extension Wilmington, Delaware 19809 |
| Area | 29 hectares (72 acres) |
| Created | 1851-1854 |
| Operated by | New Castle County |
| Open | |
|
Rockwood
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | 4651 Washington Street Extension, Wilmington, Delaware |
| Area | 162 acres (66 ha) |
| Built | 1851-1854 |
| Architect | Williams, George |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival, Rural Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000579 100008808 (decrease) |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | July 12, 1976 |
| Boundary decrease | April 19, 2023 |
| Status | Open Wednesday-Saturday: Tours given Friday & Saturday at 10, 12 & 2 |
Rockwood is a beautiful country estate and museum located in Wilmington, Delaware. It looks like a grand English home. This special place was built between 1851 and 1854.
A banker named Joseph Shipley had it built. Rockwood is a great example of Rural Gothic Revival Architecture. This style was popular back then. In 1976, Rockwood was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a very important historical site.
Contents
Rockwood's Story
Rockwood Mansion was built for Joseph Shipley. He was a rich banker from Wilmington. Mr. Shipley spent most of his life in Liverpool, England. He wanted Rockwood to be his retirement home.
The mansion was inspired by his English house, Wyncote. An architect named George Williams designed both homes. Joseph Shipley moved his whole life from England to Rockwood. He even brought his favorite dog, Toby, and horse, Branker! His gardener, Robert Shaw, and housekeeper, Audrey Douglas, came too.
After Joseph Shipley passed away, Rockwood eventually went to his great-nephew. This was Edward Bringhurst Jr. in 1891. Edward, his wife Anna, and their three younger children moved in. Their oldest daughter, Elizabeth, lived in a castle in Ireland. She helped decorate the mansion a lot.
Today, the mansion looks like it did in the 1890s. Many of Joseph Shipley's original furniture pieces are still there. They were brought from England!
The estate later belonged to Mary Bringhurst. She lived to be 100 years old! She left the mansion to her niece, Nancy Sellers Hargraves. Nancy then gave it to a non-profit group. This was so everyone could enjoy it.
New Castle County received the mansion and its land in 1973. A group called Friends of Rockwood helps take care of it. The mansion was fully restored in 1999. Rockwood Mansion Park is 72 acres big. It includes the Mansion, a Conservatory, Porter's Lodge, Gardener's Cottage, and a Barn & Carriage House.
Building Style and Gardens
The Mansion was designed in the "Rural Gothic" style. An English architect named George Williams created it. This style was very modern at the time. It was inspired by old country homes from 400 years ago.
Rural Gothic homes were simple. They did not have fancy church-like decorations. They also avoided being perfectly even on both sides.
Rockwood has a six-acre historic garden. It has been there since the 1850s. A special sunken wall called a ha-ha surrounds the garden. This wall keeps animals out. But it makes the lawns look like they go on forever!
The landscape at Rockwood is called "Mixed Style." This style was very popular. It combined the best parts of English Naturalistic gardens. These gardens have wide open lawns and curving paths. Trees and bushes border the grassy areas. The landscape was also restored in 1999. This was done using old plant receipts and photos.
In 2009, the University of Delaware received Rockwood's old papers and records. These were a gift from New Castle County.
Rockwood on TV
Rockwood has even been on television! It was shown on an episode of My Ghost Story. This was on the Biography Channel in 2011. The mansion also appeared on a season 11 episode of Ghost Hunters.
Visiting Rockwood
The Mansion is open from 10 AM to 4 PM, Wednesday through Saturday. You can take tours on Fridays and Saturdays. Tours start at 10 AM, 12 PM, and 2 PM. Tickets are $10 for adults and $4 for children.
The Park has lighted walking trails. It is open from dawn until dusk every day. You can get trail maps and garden tour guides at the mansion. These are available Wednesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 4 PM. The Mansion is closed on major holidays.
More to Explore
