Westover Plantation

Westover Plantation is a colonial estate along the James River in Charles City County with an early Georgian mansion built of red brick. The building shows symmetrical facades with elaborate decorative patterns between the windows and a steep roof over two stories.

William Byrd II commissioned the estate in the mid 18th century and gathered there one of the largest private libraries in the colonies at that time. The family remained connected to regional politics and economy across several generations.

The name recalls the early settlement period along the river by one of colonial Virginia's most influential families. Today the manicured gardens welcome visitors and demonstrate approaches to landscape design during the colonial era.

Guided visits through the house and grounds provide insight into the architecture and daily routines of the early colonial period. Access follows a paved path from the entrance to the main buildings.

Analysis of attic beams through tree-ring dating established 1750 as the construction year for the main house. This finding contradicted earlier assumptions about the building's origin and shifted the timeline by several decades.

Location: Charles City County

Website: http://westover-plantation.com

GPS coordinates: 37.33280,-77.17310

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:29