Agecroft

A visit to Agecroft Hall in Richmond, Virginia with my sister and her husband on Sunday April 24.

 We toured the house and gardens.   I had a post about the history a few years back about how this place made it here from England to Virginia and was the start along with the house next door that became Windsor Farms neighborhood, The Virginia house which is a must see also.  Both shipped here from England.   This photo of Agecroft from a few years back as I didn't get a shot of the front this year.

A few pictures of the inside  

The long gallery where we transition from modern world to early 17th century.  

Walls filled with wattle and daub.

 Armour for physical protection.  Mythological cockatrice shown on shield - protection from witches and spirits.  In those days people relied on superstitions.  

The great hall with exposed timbers and large hearth were sometimes the only room in a large manor house. 

Plaster ceiling

Agecroft Hall has a blog and one to take a look for the history of it, inside and out.  

www.agecrofthall.org/blog

Staircase from Warwick Priory. The Virginia house right next door that was also from England reconstructed in Va. 

Newell post and panels carved from one piece of wood. Made of oak.

Originally there were 20 to 40 sleeping chambers at Agecroft, not just for family but for the maybe 20 to 30 servants employed at the manor house. 

my sister checking out the room

Over in the corner below is the 

 silent companion 

Dummy boards or silent companions I understand originated in Holland in 1700's.  Found in households throughout the continent, British households and Colonial America.

I assume the feeling of a human Prescence was comforting for some, hence the term silent companion. 

Some say they were used to ward off burglars or enemy soldiers, which makes me think that is what the one above is for as he is holding a sword.  

Another bedroom here and off to a small hallway 

In the hallway is this shelving which is really a Priests hole.

moving along and admiring this electric candle with a brass plate hung above it to throw the light.

Another silent companion

An idea of what a meal may have looked like at the time at the Tudor Manor house when originally located in Irwell valley in Agecroft Pendlebury in the 15th century, later in Lancashire England.

A closer look at the pie. Little birds for dinner? 

I guess if one is hungry enough, maybe.  I am sure I would stay hungry.

On to the out of doors.

Gorgeous sunken garden of tulips.

Roses will be more in bloom maybe in a few weeks

In the courtyard there were activities, and one was making potpourri sachets, mine made with lavender and rose buds.  Not shown but fabric pulled together and tied with a yellow ribbon.  

My sister and her husband  

 

 

Agecroft in the evening

Visit to Agecroft Hall recently and some garden pictures

Manor house was actually  built in Lancashire England in the 16th century. 

In 1925 it was sold at auction.

Thomas C Williams Jr. purchased it.  Dismantled and shipped in crates across the ocean to a Richmond Virginia neighborhood, Windsor Farms.

Stepping inside to get tickets

I took this picture because I like the shade, I must find me some.

Wicket door within this large door

Entering  the courtyard are 17th century plantings along with the ones we are more familiar with today.

Espaliered Pear trees against the wall.

Hampton Court Palace pond garden in England is what the sunken garden is based on at Agecroft.

The perimeter of the sunken garden are surrounded by boxwood.  I would have loved to have seen it in April when 4,000 tulips bloomed in Spring.  Summer are pretty annuals.  

Mostly white flowers are planted in the garden area now.

I am sure if it was later in the evening, the garden would almost sparkle with the white flowers.

The raised pond has  Iris and lilies 

Painted carp, turtles and frogs.  This area appears about the same as it did when Mr. Mrs. Williams lived here.  A 1920's garden

Gabrielle's Trumpets as Mom calls them will bloom such a pretty large trumpet flower and loaded with scent.  I know they are poisonous but I like to grow them and grew up with them. Just leave them be and enjoy the beauty.  Azaleas are poisonous also, most of us have those too.

To the left of sunken garden is the crepe myrtle walk.  Planted in the 1920's  with English style structure.

Looking towards the Crepe Myrtle walk and you can see the Myrtles in the distance.

Onto the knot garden - this urn near the garden

Two open Knot design gardens.   Typical of a garden dating back 400 years, reading from the brochure. 

Herbs are Germander, English Lavender and green Santolina create the knot.

I used to have Santolina  growing in my flower bed. It had the prettiest yellow flowers. Dries well.  I think mine got too much water as it doesn't require a lot and doesn't need much if any plant food.

Gate to Knot Garden

You can see cabbages and other veggies planted here. 

Like these potatoes

Tradescant garden

In honor of John Tradescant. He is the first Englishman to travel here to Virginia.  The purpose of visit was to transport botanicals to England.

Rare and unusual plants grow here.  A native Virginia plant includes Tradsdecantia Virginiana

 or Spiderwort as I have always called it.   Lobelia Cardinalis or Cardinal Flower and that is what I have growing in pots at home and at the lamp post.  The Hummingbirds love it.

Herb garden 

Medicinal, culinary and dye herbs used in the Tudor and Stuart times on display here.

Borage whose blue flowers were eaten to comfort the heart and melancholy

Flower heads of Fennel for seeds to flavor food.  Sage, whose leaves were used to treat colds.

In two woven baskets are hops grown for beer making.

 Bee skeps in the garden to encourage pollination and a good honey source.

Still house walk.  This stone wall has planting growing through the crevices.

The still house is where the lady of the manor would over see the distillation of herbs for culinary and medicinal use.

Sweet smelling scents for the home and perfume were prepared here.

On top of the still house is the Banqueting house

built from timbers left over from the building of the main house

Interpreting as a 17th banqueting house, 

wealthy property owners during Stuart and Tudor times would invite their guests for the final course of a meal, sweets dishes.

Inside the banqueting house looking towards the Linden walk.

The trees are little leaf lindens 

A method of pruning to cause dense growth called Pollarding.

Typical feature in English garden design

Reading for what comes next in the Linden walk

Here a rectangle  is the bowling green

A jack (small ball) is thrown onto the green as a target

larger balls are then played one at a time.  The one that is closer is declared the winner

Here you can see the maze.  Like the brochure says, Mazes have been know from antiquity to present time.  

More later