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The James River PlantationsSunday, Monday and Tuesday Photo courtesy of Tori Brock Photo courtesy of Tori April 28, 29 and 30, 2019 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Open together, three historic properties and a church that dates back to the 1630s celebrate Historic Garden Week on three consecutive days. A special combo ticket allows access to the extensive grounds, numerous outbuildings and interiors of all three sites. In addition, afternoon tea will be offered by reservation at Shirley. All are located along scenic Route 5 in Charles City between Richmond and Williamsburg. In addition, lunch is offered on all three tour days at Westover Episcopal Church, which is also open for touring. Berkeley, Shirley and Westover Plantations are Virginia and National Historic Landmarks, working plantations, private family homes and living links to our country’s past.

Hosted by the owners of Berkeley, Shirley and Westover Plantations Ticket information: $45 pp. www.vagarden- Contact information at tour sites week.org. Combo ticket allows access to the and for bus groups grounds and gardens at Berkeley and guided house tours of the mansion’s first floor and basement; the grounds, gardens and eight : original outbuildings at , Tammy Radcliff (804) 829-6018 with a self guided house tour of the first [email protected] floor; the grounds and gardens at Westover www.berkeleyplantation.com Plantation, as well as a tour of the down- stairs interior, which is open especially for Shirley Plantation: Historic Garden Week. Additionally, combo Lauren Carter (804) 829-5121 ticket includes a tour of nearby Westover [email protected] Episcopal Church. Single-site admission is www.shirleyplantation.com available for $20 pp. $15 pp with advanced reservations : from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Andrea Erda (804) 829-2882 Monday and Tuesday at Westover [email protected] Church. To make a reservation, www. www.westover-plantation.com westoverepiscopalchurch.org and click on “HGW lunch.” 84 James River Plantations / Charles City James River Plantations / Charles City 85

in 1726 of brick fired on the plantation, oc- and majestic eagles soaring overhead. The On Sunday, April 28, Shirley will cupies a beautifully landscaped hilltop site grounds are still protected by wrought- have Afternoon Tea with Mrs. Car- overlooking the historic James River. The iron gates hung by William Byrd in 1709 ter. Join Mrs. Carter on the garden terrace mansion is furnished with a magnificent col- and considered the finest set of 18th-cen- at Shirley Plantation for afternoon tea lection of eighteenth-century antiques, arti- tury gates in the country. The interior, nor- complete with tea sandwiches, pastries, facts and historical paintings. The gardens mally closed to the public, is noted for the and Shirley Plantation jams. The cost is and lawn extend a full quarter mile from the beautiful proportions of the rooms, ornate- $35 pp and does not include a tour. Seating front door of the mansion to the river banks.. ly carved ceilings, the detail of the cornice at 3 p.m. Book online at Shirleyplantation. Owned by the Malcolm E. Jamieson family. and stairway, and an unusual black man- com to make reservations. telpiece. After the death of William Byrd Westover Episcopal Church will have Shirley Plantation III’s widow in 1814, Westover was sold a garden-grown plant sale on Sun., 501 Shirley Plantation Road out of the Byrd family. In 1921 Mr. and Mon., and Tues. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mrs. Richard Crane acquired the property. Today, their great-granddaughter and her Local historians onsite sharing collec- Shirley Plantation is home to 12 generations of one family who continue to own, oper- family make it their home and care for this OUR MEAT tion of period weapons and equip- historic landmark. Westover was featured ment. Visitors will also experience the ate and work Virginia’s first plantation. Es- tablished only six years after John Smith’s on the first Historic Garden Week in 1929. firing of an authentic Civil War cannon on Rob and Andrea Erda, owners. the grounds of Westover Plantation settlement at Jamestown in 1607, Shirley Plantation is the oldest family-owned busi- COMES FROM especially for Historic Garden Week. Takes Westover Episcopal Church place at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on April ness in North America, dating to 1638. The 28-30 (weather dependent). present mansion was begun in 1723 as a 6401 Memorial Highway wedding present for Elizabeth Hill and John FARMERS NOT Directions to the tour area Carter, eldest son of Robert “King” Carter. Between 1611 and 1613, as colonists moved and parking information: The mother of Confederate General Robert west from Jamestown, several small parish- E. Lee, Anne Hill Carter, was born at Shirley es were formed and eventually merged to Heading East into Richmond on I-64: From and married Revolutionary War hero, “Light become Westover. The original Westover FACTORIES 64, take I-295 South around Richmond. Horse Harry” Lee in the great house parlor. Church was constructed between 1630 and Take Exit #22A onto Scenic Rt. 5. Considered by many to be the most intact 1637 on nearby Westover Plantation. In Heading West on I-64 from Williamsburg: Colonial estate in America, the great house 1730, construction of the current church Take Exit #211 (Rt. 106 south). Follow to Rt. is largely in its original state and features a was completed at its site on Herring Creek, 5. From Williamsburg (scenic route): Take three-floor, square-rigged or “flying” stair- 1.5 miles north of Westover Plantation. The Rt. 199 west in Williamsburg. Proceed to case in the main hall. Still lived in by direct end of support for the Episcopal Church by Rt. 5. Ample parking is available at all three descendants of the first owner, Edward Hill, public taxation at the start of the Revolu- plantations, as well as Westover Church. the guided tour of the great house highlights tionary War in 1776, followed by the War Bus groups should make prior arrangements stories from the Hill Carter family, includ- of 1812, the prejudice against the Church for tickets and parking prior to arrival. ing several occasions when the property was as an English loyalist institution, and a de- saved by the hard work, dedication and hu- clining interest in religion culminated in a manity of the Carter women. Gardens, eight period of desecration at Westover. For 30 Ticket includes admission to the original colonial outbuildings and com- years after 1803, Westover Church was following 3 properties in Charles City, manding views of the James River complete misused as a barn and services of the Prot- as well as the Westover Episcopal Church: this majestic setting. Owned by the Charles Hill Carter family. estant Episcopal Church of Virginia lapsed completely in Charles City County. In 1833, Berkeley Plantation Westover Plantation however, religious services were revived by the Reverend Parke Farley Berkeley, a 12602 Harrison Landing Road Westover Road 7000 missionary sent to Charles City County. At this time the church structure was repaired Berkeley’s history begins in 1619 when set- William Byrd II, author, diarist, Colonial and restored, principally through the ef- tlers observed the first official Thanksgiving leader and founder of the cities of Pe- forts of the Harrisons and Carters, owners in America. The estate was the birthplace tersburg and Richmond, built the house of Berkeley and Shirley plantations. Badly of Benjamin Harrison V, signer of the Dec- around 1730. Long considered a premier damaged by Federal troops during the Civil laration of Independence and governor of example of Georgian architecture in Amer- War, Westover Church was once more re- Virginia. Berkeley was also the birthplace ica, the house’s special charm lies in its el- stored to service in 1867 and has been used of , ninth president egant yet extremely simple form and per- faithfully ever since. Worshipers at Westo- of the United States, and ancestral home of fect proportions. Of special interest are the ver have included Presidents Washington, his grandson, Benjamin Harrison, the twen- steepness of the roof, the tall chimneys in Jefferson, Harrison, Tyler and Theodore ty-third president. During the Civil War, pairs at both ends of the main house, and Roosevelt as well as farmers, plantation General George McClellan’s Union troops the elaborate doorway, which continues owners, and their slaves. occupied the buildings and surrounding to be recognized as “the Westover door- 15 N Belmont Ave, Richmond fields. While at Berkeley, General Dan- way” despite its adaptation to many other (804) 422-8519 iel Butterfield composed the familiar tune buildings and homes. Shaded by 150-year- “Taps”, first played by his bugler, O.W. Nor- old tulip poplars, Westover’s lawn offers belmontbutchery.com ton. The original Georgian mansion, built a commanding view of the James River