Tabby Manse

Tabby Manse is a historic residence from the late 1700s in Beaufort built using a distinctive material made from whole oyster shells mixed with limestone and finished with stucco. The exterior walls, approximately 2 feet (60 cm) thick, were constructed entirely from this oyster-based material that gives the house remarkable strength.

This house was built around 1788 as a wedding gift for Elizabeth Middleton, whose cousin Arthur Middleton signed the Declaration of Independence. A major restoration in the 1960s brought the building back to its current condition and added modern conveniences such as a new kitchen.

Inside, the house displays carefully crafted mantels and follows a balanced floor plan that reflects European design principles. These details are visible as visitors move through the different rooms.

The house is easily accessible from the street and displays its original structure, though some areas offer better views than others. Visitors should allow enough time to examine the architectural details carefully both outside and inside.

This building stands as one of very few surviving early American houses with exterior walls built entirely from tabby, a local building technique rarely found elsewhere in this region of South Carolina. This rare construction method makes it an important example of old Lowcountry building traditions.