Gloucester, Virginia

Historic House

One of colonial America's grandest mansions, Rosewell was built between 1725-1738 and gutted by fire in 1916. Four massive chimneys, one wall, and a vaulted cellar are now silent witnesses to history. Stabilized, but not rebuilt, Rosewell allows visitors to inspect 18th-century brickwork from a perspective that no intact building can offer.
The Rosewell mansion was the centerpiece of a 3000-acre plantation where slaves cultivated tobacco and grain. Beneath its soil, countless artifacts now wait for archaeologists to interpret them. While preservation and study are ongoing, there are no plans to rebuild the mansion within its remaining walls.