GLOUCESTER-MATHEWS
Sponsored by The Garden Club of Gloucester
Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
HEADQUARTERS AND INFORMATION: Long Bridge Ordinary, located at the junction of Business Rt. 17 and Rts. 14 and 3. This 18th century building has a lower floor of brick and two upper stories of wood. Stairways, cornices, wainscoting, chestnut beams, paneled doors and hand-hewn pins testify to its age. In the early 20th century the property, then known as Edge Hill House, was purchased and restored by the Gloucester Women’s Club. Open with guided tours of the building during Historic Garden Week and throughout the year by appointment. Virginia Historic Landmark; National Register of Historic Places.
Chairmen:
Mrs. David N. Meeker (Becky)
5583 White Hall Road
Gloucester, VA 23061
Telephone: 804-693-4490
Email: rbmeeker8@yahoo.com
Mrs. William P. Cumberland (Darlene)
P.O. Box 321
Gloucester, VA 23061
Telephone: 804-693-5878
Email: billdarls@cox.net
Co-Chairmen:
Mrs. John W. Bowditch (Peggy)
8303 Robins Neck Road
Gloucester, VA 23061
Telephone: 804-693-4811
Email: nunn@crosslink.net
Mrs. Edward H. Ould (Betty Barr)
P.O. Box 6
Ware Neck, VA 23178
Telephone: 804-693-3773
FULL TICKET: $25, single house-admission
$10. Children ages 6-12, half-price; ages 5 and under,
of charge. An adult must accompany minors 17 and younger. Tickets,
map and brochure of the four private homes and one garden are available on
day of tour at Headquarters and at each site.
ADVANCE TICKET: $20, available by accessing www.VAGardenweek.org or
at Twice Told Tales Bookstore, (two locations) Main St., Gloucester, VA (804-693-9209),
and Main Street, Kilmarnock, VA (804-435-9201). In addition, advance
tickets can be ordered by mail from Mrs. William DuPaul
(Jaye), PO Box 42, Ware Neck, VA 23178, 804-693-6742, waresjaye@aol.com. Send
check for $20 per ticket plus $1.50 for postage and handling payable to the
Garden Club of Gloucester by SATURDAY, APRIL 12.
BOX LUNCH at HISTORIC WILLIAMS WHARF: Conveniently
located at the end of Rt. 614 near “Eastham” on the East River
in Mathews County. The Mathews Land Conservancy will be offering a lunch
at Williams Wharf Landing that may be picked up to go, or eaten on the beautiful
waterfront premises. Lunch will be a choice of ham or turkey with cheese
on a Kaiser roll, chips, brownie, fruit and a drink for $10. Williams
Wharf is owned and operated by the Mathews Land Conservancy for historic
preservation and public waterfront access. It is also home to the highly
acclaimed and award-winning Mathews High School Crew Team and Mobjack
Rowing Association. Williams Wharf will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. to pick up lunch and for “Sail, Steam & Sweat,” an
historic photograph exhibit and retrospective of Williams Wharf. Reservations
are requested by April 23, and may be made by contacting the Mathews Land Conservancy
at 804-725-9685 or mclc@3bubbas.com.
REFRESHMENTS: Served by the pool at “Elmington Gardens,” 2 to 4 p.m.
BUSES: Due to rural roads, no large buses can be
accommodated. However, vehicles for 25 passengers or fewer are welcome. Tour
guides will be furnished for buses free of charge with two weeks
notice. Please contact: Ms. Ceci Brown, PO Box 160, Gloucester,
VA 23061, 804-693-3663, CCBZanoni@aol.com
PARKING: Parking is available near each site. In the event
of rain, shuttles will be available.
AUBURN. From Long Bridge
Ordinary, go east on Rt. 14 for 8.6 mi. Turn
right on Rt. 620 and follow green arrows approximately 2 mi. to entrance. Auburn
Plantation, on the banks of the North River, has been one of the architectural
and historical showplaces in Tidewater Virginia for almost two centuries. Completed
in 1824 by Dr. Henry Wythe Tabb, Auburn is an impressive Federal-style
mansion of three stories over an English basement. The Tabbs were
prominent in early Gloucester and Mathews counties, with other branches
of the family residing at Toddsbury, Waverly, Elmington and White Marsh. One
of Dr. Tabb’s daughters, Mary Eliza, fell down the curving staircase
in Auburn’s front hall and died several hours later. Her ghost
is said to appear on occasion. The satin slippers that Miss Tabb
was wearing have been passed down to successive owners of Auburn and are
on display in the front hall.
After passing through various owners, including John Lennon and Yoko
Ono, Auburn was purchased by the current owners in 1997. A major
expansion project was set to begin when Hurricane Isabel struck, leaving mud
and debris in her wake. After that slow start, work commenced on additions
to both sides of the 19th century structure. Completed in 2005, these
symmetrical wings blend seamlessly with the old house while adding modern amenities
like a gourmet kitchen and an extensive master suite. Old materials,
such as doors from a church in Richmond and iron gates from the White House
of the Confederacy, were carefully chosen to lend historical authenticity. Period
antiques collected on the owners’ travels throughout the world, art and
family heirlooms mingle with comfortable, contemporary pieces to create an
elegant, inviting backdrop for family, friends and entertaining. Not
to be missed is a fabulous wine cellar reflecting one of the owner’s
interests. This area incorporates pieces of stone from the Coliseum
in Rome and from an old Tuscan villa, as well as “Hokie stone,” the
limestone used in the buildings at Virginia Tech. The bar in the wine
cellar is constructed from an old Guinness vat.
Today, Auburn comprises 31 acres of expansive lawns and gardens with
broad views across the river to Ware Neck. Ancient trees shade the property
which is landscaped with English boxwoods, azaleas, camellias and crape myrtles. Spring
bulbs and perennials add color to the gardens. Auburn’s venerable
architecture, historical background and updated interiors blend past and present
into an ideal example of Southern hospitality and grace. Mr. and Mrs.
C.A.S. Hornsby, owners.
CHANNELSIDE. From Long Bridge Ordinary,
go east on Rt. 14 for 9 mi. Turn right on Rt. 617 for 1.1 mi. Turn
right on Marina Rd. and then left at sign for Channelside. This
is a new house, built after the 1920s Greek Revival-style residence originally
on the property was severely damaged by Hurricane Isabel. First sketched
by the owners on graph paper, then refined and built by Alex Post, the
plan was designed to maximize interior space and water views. The
white facade bears a striking resemblance to its predecessor, incorporating
four columns salvaged from the waterside of the old house. A covered porch,
which may be accessed from the first or second floor, beckons visitors
to and from the North River shoreline and provides ample space for family
relaxation and entertaining.
The glass front door sets a welcoming tone, and its arched shape
is echoed throughout the inside of the house. There are no halls in the
interior; one room opens directly into another. Light maple floors, featuring
an inlaid compass rose in the foyer, and ten-foot ceilings make the house seem
larger than it is. Furnished with both antiques and reproduction pieces, the
home is very livable. Red cabinetry dominates the wet bar in the family room.
Eighteenth century delft tiles surround the living room fireplace and accent
the backsplash in the kitchen. Of special interest are the framed samplers
that are displayed in nearly every room, many stitched by Barbara. The
house is opened as a hopeful work in progress for an area that continues to
recover from recent storms. Drs. Hugh and Barbara Alison-Bryan, owners.
Gloucester-Mathews--Eastham
EASTHAM. From Mathews Courthouse,
go 1 mi. south and turn right on Rt. 614 (Williams Wharf Rd.). Follow
green arrows to parking. Facing the East River, Eastham, an
early 19th century structure, was once a landmark on Main Street in Mathews
Court House. It was moved to its present lovely location in
1954. Before the move, the Greek Revival building served as an academy
and home to generations of several families. When expansion of a small
shopping area near the post office threatened to doom the landmark, Mathews
banker Joseph E. Healy moved it piece by piece to its present location.
Consistent with the tradition that waterfront houses present their best
side to the water, the original entrance façade, which for more
than a century faced Main Street, has for the past half-century faced the
East River with a view of the open waters of Mobjack Bay in the distance. Largely
unchanged structurally, the white clapboard house contains original heart-pine
floors, window panes, door lintels and black walnut banisters testifying
to its venerable vintage. The only major change to the original structure
is a new kitchen wing, added at the time of the move. The present
owners have remodeled a cottage/office, built in keeping with the style
of the main dwelling, and have added a formal garden.
Family pieces from each of the owners’ forebears furnish Eastham. American
antiques, primarily from 18th century Philadelphia and New England, are from
Butler Burton’s family, and Dutch antiques from the 17th-19th centuries
are from Diana Burton’s. Portraits throughout the interior likewise
illustrate these two branches of the family; other paintings tell stories of
houses where family members have lived as well as adventures and travels. Books
installed in bookcases everywhere reflect the lively intellectual interests
of the owners who are graciously opening both floors to Garden Week visitors. Mr.
and Mrs. Butler Burton, owners.
THE FARMHOUSE ON WOODAS CREEK. From Long
Bridge Ordinary, go east on Rt. 14 for 12.9 mi. Turn right on Rt.
611 (Church St.) for 1.5 mi. Turn right on Rt. 621 (Glebe Rd.). Turn
right on Rt. 622 (Long Rd.) Turn left on Rt. 623 (Thurston Rd.) Turn left
on Woodas Creek Rd. Located on the point of land where Woodas Creek
joins the East River, this residence is an example of a renovated 19th
century Mathews County farmhouse complemented with numerous additions made
over the 20th century and recently by the current owners. First mention
of the home site is a property record dated 1828, in which Thomas Davis,
Jr. acquired nine acres without buildings from Joice Callis. Buildings
were first listed on the land tax records of 1840 and valued at $50. The
property was owned by members of the Davis family for most of the 19th
century.
The original two-story house has an interior dimension of 15 by 23 feet
and contains a chimney constructed of handmade bricks with mortar made from
oyster shells. Much of the original heart-pine flooring has been restored
and used throughout the inside. The house enjoys a beautiful view of the East
River and, situated only 22 feet from Woodas Creek, it engages with the water
and has water views from almost every room. A conversation area on the
southeast corner offers close-up views of water birds, fish, and in the winter,
river otters. In addition to the main house, there are eight dependencies including
a 50-foot boat house, numerous plantings in beds around the property designed
with the help of Judy Doyel, the herb garden with old rosemary
and thyme, a pecan grove and chestnut trees. Open for the first time
for Garden Week, Mr. and Mrs. John L. Dutton, owners.
ELMINGTON GARDENS. From Long Bridge Ordinary,
turn right on Rt. 14 for 3 mi., turn right on Elmington Lane and go 1.5
mi. to entrance. One of the grandest of the grand places in
Tidewater, Elmington is a perennial favorite among Garden Week visitors. With
a history dating to a 1611 land grant from the Crown, this lovely spot
has charmed onlookers for centuries. The setting at the bend of the
North River on its cozy creek renders this as one of the most desirable
of locations in the area, and although the ancient elms for which the place
was named have been claimed by time and the notorious Dutch Elm disease,
gigantic old trees nevertheless dominate the property. Massive magnolias
and large crape myrtles complemented by oaks, gingko, ash and Osage oranges
grace the grounds, giving it a park-like setting. Appreciating its
future as well as its past, the owners have undertaken extensive plantings
of younger trees, among them the disease-resistant elms.
The present house at Elmington, succeeding earlier ones, was built by
Dr. John Prosser Tabb in 1848. The design evokes its period perfectly,
its neoclassic influences creating a majestic effect. Situated so elegantly
and constructed so magnificently, the house seems hardly to need more enhancement. Nevertheless,
the various owners of Elmington have surrounded the manor house with notable
gardens of many kinds. The oldest is the formal garden that combines
both traditional European and Virginia influences. Boxwood-bordered brick
walks lead to a central fountain from which matching areas of geometric and
horticultural designs branch out, featuring English limestone statuary. A
small pavilion containing benches invites a brief moment of rest and reflection
as it provides cross views of the gardens, lawns and river. Backed by
a niche containing a marble figure of Hebe, the mythical goddess of youth,
this building reinforces the neoclassic elements of the estate, while taking
the visitor back in time. Colorful azaleas, camellias, pansies and late
daffodils under dogwood, tulip and star magnolias bring the eye forward again. Through
the garden gate, adjacent to this formal design, another equally impressive
but completely different cutting garden is planted with a great variety of
annuals and perennials. Reflecting the ambience of a 19th century English
garden with its profusion of blossoms growing with apparent abandon, this landscape
is actually a well-planned and well-tended series of borders providing flowers
for the house. Other areas such as the herb garden next to the kitchen
wing, the rose garden between the pool pavilions, and a newly created “tropical” garden
fronting to the guesthouse porch provide greater opportunity to enjoy the marvels
of horticultural diversity. Additionally, a stroll along the shoreline
reveals extensive plantings of lavender. Grounds, gardens and pavilions
only will be open. Mrs. Peter Glasel, owner.
HISTORIC PLACES OF INTEREST
Other historic buildings staffed by docents on tour day and marked with green arrows.
GLOUCESTER COUNTY
GLOUCESTER HISTORIC COURT CIRCLE. From Headquarters, turn right and proceed approximately 0.75 mi. on Main St. Revitalization efforts have resulted in an attractively landscaped Main Street with many charming stores and eateries, making for a pleasant walk to the historic Court Circle. Gloucester’s historic Court Circle is a classic example of an early Virginia county seat, now housing a Visitor Information Center and Gift Shop. The earliest building dates to 1766. A recent interpretive restoration of the Clayton Building has returned it to a Clerk of the Courts Office from 1823. The Courthouse is one of the oldest in the country still in use. Both the Colonial Courthouse and the Clayton Building are open to visitors at no charge, closing Saturday on tour day at 4 p.m.
THE GLOUCESTER MUSEUM OF HISTORY. From Headquarters turn right and proceed approximately 0.7 mi. on Main St. to the Botetourt Building on the right just before the Historic Court Circle. The Gloucester Museum is housed in this historic, pre-Revolutionary brick ordinary built about 1770 and named for Lord Botetourt, then governor of the colony of Virginia. Open year round, the museum offers a variety of permanent and rotating exhibits, open on Saturday from 11 a.m.–4 p.m., free of charge.
WARE EPISCOPAL CHURCH. From Headquarters, turn right on Routes 3/14. Go 1.0 mi. to church entrance. Ware Parish, one of Gloucester’s four original parishes, was established circa 1652. This graceful brick rectangular church, with the foundation five feet thick and walls four feet thick to a height of three feet, continuing three feet thick to the roof, was completed in the late-17th or early 18th century. A colonial brick wall, said to be the oldest in America, and a quiet country cemetery surround it. Distinctive features include a Casavant Freres pipe organ, Flemish-bond brickwork, classic pediment doors and impressive arched windows on either side of the altar.
WALTER REED’S BIRTHPLACE. From Headquarters, turn right on Business 17 and go through Gloucester Court House. Turn left on Rt. 616 (Belroi Rd.), cross over Rt. 17. Follow Rt. 616 to end. Turn right on Rt. 614 and into parking lot. Dr. Walter Reed, who discovered the cure for yellow fever, was born in 1851 in this two-room and loft house. His family lived here during their first year in Gloucester. Wonderfully furnished with antiques and memorabilia, the house reflects the life of the Reed family with their five children. Owned by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities; National Register of Historic Places.
ROSEWELL. From Headquarters, turn left onto Business Rt. 17, 1.2 mi. to stoplight and south on Rt. 17 for 4 mi. to Rt. 614 (Hickory Fork Rd.). Turn right on Rt. 614. Turn left on Rt. 632 (Aberdeen Creek Rd.) and follow green arrows for 2.5 mi. to entrance. Built in 1725 by Mann Page, Rosewell was the birthplace of Gov. John Page and was an architectural inspiration to Thomas Jefferson who often visited. Though the house was ravaged by fire in 1916, the ruins stand today as an outstanding example of 18th century craftsmanship. Tour begins in the modern visitor center with exhibits about the history of the house and the ongoing archaeology program. Gift Shop. Admission: Adults, $4; Children, $2; Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m-4 p.m. and Sunday 1-4 p.m.
ZION POPLARS BAPTIST CHURCH. From Headquarters,
turn left onto Business Rt. 17 and continue for 0.6 m., turn left on Rt.
629 (T.C. Walker Rd.). Approximately 1.0 mi. on right is church.
Zion Poplars is the first independent Baptist Church for African-Americans
in Gloucester and has been named to the Virginia Landmarks Registry. The
current building was constructed in 1894. Of special interest is the communion
table, hand-crafted by Jeff Booth, a descendant of William Booth. Several
of the original poplar trees, from where the church gets its name, are still
standing. It was under the canopy of these trees that the first members
of the church worshipped, until the first structure was built in 1866.
ABINGDON EPISCOPAL CHURCH. From Headquarters, turn left onto Business Rt. 17 for 1.2 mi. to stoplight, go south on Rt. 17 approximately 5 mi. Church will be on the left. Established between 1645 and 1650, Abingdon Parish completed this church in 1755. It is built in the shape of a Latin cross and is the largest colonial church in Virginia, with brick walls laid in Flemish bond over two feet thick. Many notable Americans worshipped here, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Robert E. Lee.
MATHEWS COUNTY
THE TOMPKINS COTTAGE. Turn right on Rt. 3/14 to Rt. 198. Turn right on Rt. 198 to Mathews Court House. On Brick Bat Rd., just off Main St. This cottage, circa 1815, is believed to be the oldest standing wooden structure in the Court House area. It was a general store belonging to Christopher Tompkins, father of Capt. Sally L. Tompkins, first woman to be commissioned an officer in the Confederate Army. The cottage currently houses a historical review of Mathews County, and three rooms are furnished in the vernacular style of Tidewater Virginia. The Cottage and Gift Shop will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 26. Owned by the County of Mathews and serves as the headquarters of the Mathews County Historical Society.
CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Located on Rt. 614 (Williams Wharf Rd.) one mile south of Mathews Courthouse. Backed by a quiet cove of the East River, the church was built on the original site of Kingston Church, a part of Kingston Parish, established in 1652. The present brick structure was built on earlier walls after a fire in 1904, and regular Sunday services continue to be held today. Among the interesting tombs is that of Capt. Sally L. Tompkins, the only woman commissioned an officer in the Army of the Confederacy and the first woman to be commissioned in an American army.