Agecroft Hall in Richmond

I'd had enough of the Civil War, so the last attraction in Richmond I chose to visit was from the late 15th century -- Agecroft Hall.

From their site: On the rolling banks of the James River stands a remarkable Tudor estate. And by Tudor, we're not simply referring to an architectural style. This manor house was actually built in Lancashire, England in the late 15th Century. For hundreds of years, Agecroft Hall was the distinguished home of England's Langley and Dauntesey families. At the end of the 19th century, however, Agecroft fell into disrepair, and in 1925 it was sold at auction. Hearing of this tremendous opportunity, Richmonder Thomas C. Williams, Jr. purchased the structure, and had it dismantled, crated, and shipped across the Atlantic, and then painstakingly reassembled in a Richmond neighborhood known as Windsor Farms. Today, Agecroft Hall stands beautifully re-created, in a setting reminiscent of its original site on Lancashire's Irwell River.

Now, this was my type of house.

Unfortunately, once again, I was not allowed to take pictures inside this maginificent home. Heck, we were barely allowed to breathe while in there. The tour guide was quite strict with her admonishings of what we could not do. Don't dare sit on the furniture, (I think that's a given at most historical sites) but dare ye not to brush against a wall, door, or furnishings, or face the wrath of the self-proclaimed lady of the house. With the rather large crowd ranging from toddler to senior, squeezed along tiny halls into tiny rooms, it was challenging for the guide. She spent a good portion of the tour making folks aware they were in too close proximity to something. I wished she would have spent more time on the actual furnishings and architecture of the home. The inside is extraordinary and when the guide said we were allowed to touch the banister as we walked upstairs, I caressed it the entire flight. At the end of the flight was the study...my dream room..wall to wall, floor to ceiling bookcases. From what I saw, I would be very happy living in that home.

There were outdoor gardens that were just beginning to bloom. I was allowed to take pictures outdoors...

I highly recommend visiting Agecroft Hall. The ten minute film at the beginning of the tour documenting how it came to be re-built in Richmond from Lancastershire is very interesting as well.