Bacon's Castle

c. 1665





Distant view

According to Preservation News of the National Trust, this building is "the sole surviving high Jacobean manor house in America" (quoted in Smith 41). It is also the oldest documented residence in the state of Virginia. Although built for Arthur Allen in 1665, it is named for Nathaniel Bacon, who led the first revolt against the British in 1676 and whose followers fortified this house. The Greek Revival wing to the east (right-hand side) was added in the nineteenth century.
 

Center: view of the front; right, view of the original house from the rear

Typical of the Jacobean style are the gable ends with curves and the cruciform plan. The chimney stacks (below) are set at a diagonal.
 


Work Cited: G. E. Kidder Smith. Source Book of American Architecture: 500 Notable Buildings from the 10th Century to the Present. NY: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996.

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© 2002 Mary Ann Sullivan. I have photographed (on site), scanned, and manipulated all the images on these pages. Please feel free to use them for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes.

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