Gloucester House and Garden Tour – Historic Garden Week in Virginia

TOUR DETAILS

A Window on the Revolution

With a good spyglass from the window at Little England Farm (ca. 1716), one could have watched the surrender of Cornwallis and the end of the American Revolutionary War. Such is the history of Gloucester County (ca. 1651) located on a peninsula that extends into the York River directly across from Yorktown. Little England Farm, on tour for the first time in 49 years, is located in the heart of this prime military vantage point. Its 14-room manor house is noted for being among the least altered of Virginia colonial plantation homes. Other homes on tour include Sweetgrass, a low-country style home overlooking the Severn River to Warner Hall where George Washington’s great-great grandfather lived. Also open is Belvinhem Quay, which overlooks Timberneck Creek and is the light-filled home of an artist. Even Tour Headquarters proclaims colonial heritage. Abingdon Episcopal Church is the largest colonial church in Virginia and one of only eight built in the form of a Latin cross. All properties are in the town of Hayes.

TICKETS

Advance $35, Day-of-Tour $45

Tickets include admission to 4 tour locations.

Advance purchase at vagardenweek.org

Tickets available locally until April 24th at Angelwing Stationers, Brent & Becky’s Bulbs, Little England Mercantile, and Mathews Visitor Center. Cash or check.

Day-of-tour tickets available only at Headquarters by credit card, cash or check. Not sold at tour houses.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Art in the Garden 10 am to 4 pm

Visit Brent & Becky’s Bulbs to see plein-air painters and to shop fantastic garden/art vendors. Brent & Becky’s Bulbs is located at 7900 Daffodil Lane, Gloucester.

Lemonade and cookies 2 pm to 4:30 pm

Enjoy complimentary refreshments at Belvinhem Quay. Take the shuttle from Abingdon Elementary School.

Master Gardeners’ Tours 10 am to 4 pm

Tour Chesapeake Bay-friendly teaching gardens at Brent & Becky’s Bulbs, 7900 Daffodil Lane, Gloucester.

LUNCHES

Nuttall Country Store is offering $12 pre-ordered box lunches available for pickup at tour headquarters. Pre-order by calling 804-693-3067 or emailing nuttallstore@gmail.com by Friday, April 19th. You may visit the store on Facebook: Nuttall Store.

VA Blue Crab is offering $12 pre-ordered box lunches available for pickup at tour headquarters. Pre-order box lunches by calling 804-694-7990 by Friday, April 19th. In addition, their on-site food truck will serve crab cakes, crab soup and other crab specialties from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at tour headquarters. You may visit the store on Facebook: VA Blue Crab Co.

Gumbeau’s Catering is offering French-countryside themed food including cheeses, charcuterie, French sandwiches such as croque monsieur, soup and seasonal salads from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.at Brent & Becky’s Bulbs, 7900 Daffodil Lane, Gloucester 23061. For more information, please visit the store on Facebook: Gumbeau’s Catering.

HEADQUARTERS

Abingdon Episcopal Church, 4645 George Washington Memorial Hwy, Hayes (White Marsh). Lunches, tours of the church, live organ music, tickets, and local brochure are available on tour day. Abingdon’s Parish House will be open for lunchtime seating and the Abingdon organist will be playing the iconic J.W. Walker tracker organ in the church from 11 am to 1 pm.

Hosted by the Garden Club of Gloucester

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For more information on Historic Garden Week in Gloucester and Mathews, visit their Facebook page or visit the Historic Garden Week website at https://www.vagardenweek.org/main/tourdetails?id=395.