Wilton, like neighboring Agecroft Hall, was dismantled and moved brick by brick to a new location.  But Wilton's journey was far shorter, a mere 14 miles up the James River rather than the 3,000 miles across the Atlantic that Agecroft traveled. See Agecroft article.

Wilton, a Georgian brick plantation house, was built for William Randolph III between 1747 and 1753.  William, like others in his family, served in the Virginia militia (as a colonel) and was a delegate to the House of Burgesses.  William married Ann Carter Harrison of Berkeley (see selection) in 1743 and reared eight children at Wilton.  Many noted historical figures enjoyed the hospitality of his 2,000-acre plantation.

An entry in George Washington's diary reads, "March 25, 1775.  Returned to the Convention in Richmond.  Dined at Galt's and went to Mrs. Randolph's of Wilton.  26 Stayed at Wilton all day."  One of the bedrooms is decorated to look as it did during Washington's visit.  Thomas Jefferson frequently visited his cousins at Wilton.  His mother was a Randolph from nearby Tuckahoe.

At the end of the American Revolution from May 15 to 20, 1781, General Lafayette made Wilton his headquarters.  He moved on to Richmond when Cornwallis crossed the James River and headed in Wilton's direction.

Today you can enjoy the hospitality of Wilton, thanks to the efforts of The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  In 1933, Wilton faced demolition and a museum was negotiating for the parlor paneling.  The Colonial Dames, under the direction of Mrs. Granville Gray Valentine, saved the house.  Although Wilton stood empty for years, it has now been beautifully restored and furnished with 18th- and 19th-century period pieces.

Your tour begins in the central hallway.  The so-called back door was the main, or river, entrance when the James was the main highway between plantations.  One of the finest antiques at Wilton is the mahogany tall case clock in the hallway, made in 1795 by Simon Willard.  Before you leave the hall be sure to take a close look at the stair railing crafted from a single piece of walnut.

The parlor is included in Helen Comstock's book, 100 Most Beautiful Rooms in America (now out of print).  The 12 carved pillars are among the most attractive features of the room.  The alcoves that flank the marble fireplace add to the parlor's symmetry.  The earliest record of furnishings is an 1815 family inventory, the basis for the current furnishing and interpretation of the period rooms.

In all, you'll see copies of ten family portraits painted to hang at Wilton around 1755.  The originals are owned by the Virginia Historical Society.  The Garden Club of Virginia has also made a contribution by landscaping the grounds.  Be sure to stroll around the grounds after your tour.

Wilton is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. and Sunday 1:30 to 4:30 P.M.   The last tour begins at 3:45 P.M.  It is closed on Monday (except by advance appointments), national holidays and during the month of February.  Admission is charged.

After touring Wilton why not head just a little farther out of town to Tuckahoe Plantation.  You will need to call (804) 784-5736 for an appointment.  If you feel you recognize the house on your first visit, it is probably because you remember the country scenes filmed here for Williamsburg's orientation film, The Story of a Patriot.

Thomas Jefferson lived at Tuckahoe, his mother's home, between the ages of two and nine.  The schoolhouse where Jefferson began his studies is matched on the other side of the main house by the plantation office.  The rare outbuildings and H-shaped house are, according to architectural historian Frederick Nichols, "the most complete plantation layout in North America dating from the early 18th century."

Tuckahoe's interior features some of the most important architectural ideas of the early Georgian period.  The house is still a home, and the family who live at Tuckahoe often conduct the guided tours.  They have a wealth of old stories to share with visitors.