Preservation Virginia commissioned Commonwealth Architects to compile a Historic Structures Report for Bacon’s Castle, the oldest brick dwelling in the United States. It is also the nation’s only surviving Jacobean structure, and oldest English formal garden in North America. The dwelling was built in by Arthur Allen in 1665, and is perhaps best known for its occupied by troops loyal to Nathaniel Bacon during the political uprising in 1676. Preservation Virginia acquired Bacon’s Castle in the 1970s, and after extensive research and restoration, the house was opened to the public in 1983. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.
Investigations included architectural, historical, archaeological, structural, civil, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing evaluations, 3-D scanning of the building, and the development of Revit drawings of the building. In addition, the project included furniture inventory and evaluation, and interpretation recommendations for both short- and long-term changes in the interpretation program of Bacon’s Castle, including additional physical restoration of the building. The project included training sessions with Preservation Virginia docents to help them understand the HSR and to incorporate the findings into their tours of Bacon’s Castle.
