Virginia House

Virginia House is a mansion in Richmond that blends English Tudor and Neoclassical styles using materials salvaged from a 16th-century English priory. The structure sits on a hillside overlooking the James River and is surrounded by eight acres of gardens designed by landscape architect Charles Gillette.

The estate was constructed in 1925 by Alexander Weddell and Virginia Chase Steedman using salvaged components from Warwickshire's Priory House shipped across the Atlantic. This ambitious project of combining English heritage materials with an American location represented the architectural ambitions of that period.

The house displays an extensive collection of English and Spanish antiques from the early 1900s, including oriental carpets and silverware that reflect the tastes of wealthy American collectors of that era. These pieces remain on view throughout the rooms today.

The property is managed by the Virginia Historical Society and offers easy access to its rooms and grounds. The gardens are most pleasant to walk through during spring and fall when plants are blooming.

British newspapers of the time strongly opposed the dismantling and removal of these historical English materials to the United States. This controversy reflects the debates about heritage and acquisition that happened during that era.

Location: Richmond

Inception: 1925

Architects: Henry Grant Morse

Architectural style: Neoclassical architecture, Tudor Revival architecture

Address: 4301 Sulgrave Road

GPS coordinates: 37.55354,-77.50310

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:54