Huguenot Houses in Powhatan and Chesterfield Counties

Although not of Huguenot architecture or built on a Huguenot grant, this hotel was

built in 1847 by a stock company including Huguenot descendants such as Archibald

and Abraham Sallé Wooldridge and Wyndham Robertson, former governor of

Virginia. It was built as a health resort for the nearby sulphur and chalybeate springs.

Huguenot Springs Hotel

2815 Huguenot Springs Road

Although not of Huguenot architecture or built on a Huguenot grant, this hotel was built in 1847 by a stock company including Huguenot descendants such as Archibald

and Abraham Sallé Wooldridge and Wyndham Robertson, former governor of

Virginia. It was built as a health resort for the nearby sulphur and chalybeate springs.

A century ago this hotel was one of Richmond's most popular summer resorts.

Virginia gentry had flocked to the better known mountain springs such as White

Sulphur and Warm Springs, but travel involved a long, uncomfortable coach ride

over unimproved roads for Tidewater and Piedmont residents. With the opening of

Huguenot Springs Hotel, Richmond families could escape and heat and "summer

complaints" of the city by riding only 17 miles to nearby Powhatan County.

The hotel had a reputation for good food, lodging, music, dancing, and other forms of

recreation in addition to the "medicinal" benefits of the water. The hotel and adjacent

cottages in their heyday could easily accommodate 150 guests and numerous horses

without crowding.

During the War Between the States, the hotel and cottages were converted into a

Confederate convalescent hospital. Trains of ambulances rumbled out of Richmond,

bringing the wounded to the former spa where Chesterfield and Powhatan

housewives served as nurses, supplying bandages and food. About 250 soldiers died

here from wounds or disease and lie buried in unmarked graves at the nearby

Huguenot Spring Hospital Cemetery. Although social activities quickly resumed after

the war, their time was short-lived, for the old hotel burned some time between

September 1888 and August 1889.

Compiled by Lucille C. Moseley for the 300th Anniversary

Celebrating the Arrival of the Huguenots in Virginia

Huguenot Springs Hotel

Huguenot Houses in Powhatan and Chesterfield Counties

The land on which Malvern was built was an original Huguenot patent granted to

Jacob Amonet in 1716. Malvern was built around 1780 by Francis Harris, a

descendant of another original Huguenot refugee. It has been known locally in more

recent times at the "old Archer place" where Ned Archer and his family lived.

Malvern was considered a one-story house with English basement and attic. In the

early days floors more than 12 inches below ground level and top stories with steeply

pitched roofs were exempt from taxes. Therefore, this 3-level house was taxed as only

a 1-level house.

Malvern

680 Huguenot Trail

Compiled by Lucille C. Moseley for the 300th Anniversary

Celebrating the Arrival of the Huguenots in Virginia

Huguenot Houses in Powhatan and Chesterfield Counties

There are two Huguenot houses on this property. The original brick manor house is a

four-room building with twin front doors. According to Turff & Twigg, 133 acres of

the land (patent 829) went to Bartholomew DuPuy (Dupee) in 1717, who later gave it

to his son Peter. Peter sold it to Charles Clarke of Surry, England in 1749 for 50

pounds. Clarke married Marianne Sallé, granddaughter of Abraham Sallé, an original

Huguenot refugee.

Keswick

400 Huguenot Trail

A separate kitchen is shown in the background here, flanked by

the foundation of one slave quarters and the unique round slave quarters. All were

built of brick laid in mortar containing iron ore mined on the property, the reason for

their nearly perfect condition today. [See drawings in Library of Congress]

Keswick is a registered Virginia Historic Landmark and is on the National Register of

Historic Places.

Compiled by Lucille C. Moseley for the 300th Anniversary

Celebrating the Arrival of the Huguenots in Virginia