Bacon's Castle

Bacon's Castle
Bacon's Castle in 2017
Bacon's Castle is located in Virginia
Bacon's Castle
LocationSurry County, Virginia
Coordinates37°06′32.4972″N 76°43′20.5824″W / 37.109027000°N 76.722384000°W / 37.109027000; -76.722384000
AreaHampton Roads
Built1665; 359 years ago (1665)
Architectural styleJacobean and Greek revival
Websitepreservationvirginia.org/historic-sites/bacons-castle
NRHP reference No.66000849
VLR No.090-0001
Significant dates
Added to NRHP1966[2]
Designated NHLOctober 9, 1960[3]
Designated VLRSeptember 9, 1969[1]

Bacon's Castle, also variously known as "Allen's Brick House" or the "Arthur Allen House" is located in Surry County, Virginia, United States, and is the oldest documented brick dwelling in what is now the United States.[4] Built in 1665, it is noted as an extremely rare example of Jacobean architecture in the New World.

The house became known as "Bacon's Castle" because it was occupied as a fort or "castle" by the followers of Nathaniel Bacon during Bacon's Rebellion in 1676. However, contrary to popular folklore, Bacon never lived at Bacon's Castle, nor is he even known to have visited it.

Today Bacon's Castle is an historic house museum and historic site open for guest visitation. Bacon's Castle is an official Preservation Virginia historic site and operates under its 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit status.

  1. ^ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 15, 2006.
  3. ^ "Bacon's Castle". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on May 3, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2008.
  4. ^ Preserving Virginia 1889-1989: Centennial Pictorial. Virginia: The Art Band. 1989. p. 12.