My little sister is going to hate me for this post. You see, her last name is Westover. And she wasn't with me when I visited the plantation... Oh well.
While I was down home on the farm in Virginia, I had one day of exploration in mind. I wanted to go back to the James River plantations and explore some more. This time I invited my lovely auntie-mama Rene along. We set off in the morning and drove an hour Southeast from Gram's farm down to the mighty James, the selfsame river that meets the Atlantic and was the gateway for the first British colonizers to the Americas.
The Westover Plantation is one of the oldest plantations established along the James (the oldest being Berkeley - more on Berkeley later). It was built in 1730 by William Byrd II, the founder of the city of Richmond. It was named after Lord Henry West, son of the Governor of Virginia.
The house proper is not open to the public to tour, but the grounds can be toured and are GORGEOUS. I can safely say that of all the Plantation homes I've toured along the James, Westover is my absolute favorite. It is the most happily situated house I have ever laid eyes on.
On the property there are grand gardens to explore, a plantation-style house, kitchen and other out-buildings from long past days, including a "necessary", an ice house and an old root cellar that used to be part of an old secret passage system to provide escape during Indian attack. (Yes, seriously!) I may have climbed down the ladder into the old passage...
While I was down home on the farm in Virginia, I had one day of exploration in mind. I wanted to go back to the James River plantations and explore some more. This time I invited my lovely auntie-mama Rene along. We set off in the morning and drove an hour Southeast from Gram's farm down to the mighty James, the selfsame river that meets the Atlantic and was the gateway for the first British colonizers to the Americas.
The Westover Plantation is one of the oldest plantations established along the James (the oldest being Berkeley - more on Berkeley later). It was built in 1730 by William Byrd II, the founder of the city of Richmond. It was named after Lord Henry West, son of the Governor of Virginia.
The house proper is not open to the public to tour, but the grounds can be toured and are GORGEOUS. I can safely say that of all the Plantation homes I've toured along the James, Westover is my absolute favorite. It is the most happily situated house I have ever laid eyes on.
On the property there are grand gardens to explore, a plantation-style house, kitchen and other out-buildings from long past days, including a "necessary", an ice house and an old root cellar that used to be part of an old secret passage system to provide escape during Indian attack. (Yes, seriously!) I may have climbed down the ladder into the old passage...
An old cabinet in the kitchen
A spinning wheel in the kitchen
Gardens
Details from the front gate
GORGEOUS old Magnolia tree
The front entry to the house - this is a famous doorway, known as the Westover doorway.
One of the "wings" to the house - a beautiful little solarium-style walkway between the house proper and the side buildings. The winged walkways were added in the 1900's.
The ladder in the root cellar leading down to the "secret passage"
Happily looking out onto the James River.
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