Bacon's Castle

Photos 

Map 

Street View 

Description 

The fine old brick mansion in the lower part of the County, known as "Bacon's Castle", was built by Arthur Allen, ancestor of the Claremont Allens, in 1665. It was referred to as "Allen's Brick House." During Bacon's Rebellion, Major William Rookings, Lieutenant Robert Burgess and Captain Arthur Long, followers of Bacon, seized this house of Allen's and made a fort of it. It was thereafter known as "Bacon's Castle," "Castle" meaning fort. On the 29th of December, 1676, a fight occurred here between Bacon's followers and men from the British ship "Young Prince" lying in the James River. Captain Robert Morris of the "Young Prince" claims to have carried the fort. In the County records we find depositions made in 1677, which tell of the seizure of Allen's house and the behavior of the "Rebel Crew" while there. At the time of the American Civil War, "Bacon's Castle" was owned by Colonel John H. Hankins. His son, James D. Hankins, was captain of the Surry Light Artillery, C.S.A. -- Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS VA-75)

Tags 

17th Century (449) Arthur Allen (1) Bacon's Castle, Virginia (2) Battle site (201) Brick (42,466) Built 1660 (10) Built during 1660s (49)

Have Street View (49,509) Historic American Buildings Survey (1,238) National Historic Landmark (2,198) Private owner (54,402) Surry County, Virginia (18) Virginia (3,637)

Update Log 

• February 28, 2020: New Street View added by Michael Miller

Sources 

• HABS VA-75 - Bacon's Castle
• Wikipedia
• Michael Miller - michael_a_miller [at] yahoo [dot] com
• National Register database - Reference number 66000849 (Search for documents)
• National Historic Landmark information

Comments 

Post a comment here Contact webmaster