Windsor Castle (Smithfield, Virginia) facts for kids
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Windsor Castle Farm
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Back of the manor house
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Smithfield, Virginia |
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| Area | 158.3 acres (64.1 ha) |
| Built | 1750 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 00000897 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 2, 2000 |
Windsor Castle is a special place in Smithfield, Virginia, United States. It used to be a large farm called a plantation, but now it's a fun public park for everyone to enjoy. You can find it in the historic part of Smithfield.
History of Windsor Castle Park
From Old Farm to New Park
The story of Windsor Castle began a very long time ago. In 1637, the King of England gave a huge piece of land, about 1,450 acres (590 ha), to a person named Arthur Smith. Later, in 1750, Arthur Smith's great-grandson, Arthur Smith IV, helped create the town of Smithfield. The name "Windsor Castle" was first used for this property in 1884.
For many years, Windsor Castle was a private property. In 2005, a real estate developer wanted to buy the land. He planned to build many new homes there. This idea caused a lot of discussion among the people living in Smithfield. Many residents did not want so many new houses built on the historic land. Because of this strong opposition, the plan was eventually stopped.
A Park for Everyone
In 2007, something wonderful happened for Windsor Castle. A generous person named Joseph W. Luter III donated $5 million to the town. This money was meant to help the town buy Windsor Castle and turn it into a park. After some discussions, the town was able to buy most of the land. The developer also donated a special part of the property to the town. This part included the old manor house.
In 2010, Windsor Castle became a public park. It covers about 208 acres (84 ha) of land. A special area of 46 acres (190,000 m2) around the manor house is protected by the state of Virginia. This means it will always keep its historic look.
The park officially opened on May 22, 2010, with Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell at the ceremony. Today, Windsor Castle Park is a great place for outdoor activities. It has trails for hiking and biking, a special area for dogs, and a fishing pier. You can also launch a canoe there. The old manor house looks out over where Cypress Creek meets the Pagan River. If you look across Cypress Creek, you can even see another old house called the King of All Places manor house, which was built around 1806.
In 2013, a small part of the park was used for a vineyard to grow grapes for wine. However, this vineyard project ended in 2019.
Gallery
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Manor house and kitchen
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Front porch of manor house
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Bench along Cypress Creek
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Fishing pier on Cypress Creek
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Bridge to Smithfield Station
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Windsor Castle by Frances Benjamin Johnston, 1935.
