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Visit Bacon’s Castle to stand inside North America’s oldest brick house, explore a reconstructed 17th-century English garden, and trace a dramatic Virginia story from Bacon’s Rebellion to Preservation Virginia’s restoration. Pair the tour with a ferry crossing and riverside views.
Visit Bacon’s Castle to stand inside North America’s oldest brick house, explore a reconstructed 17th-century English garden, and trace a dramatic Virginia story from Bacon’s Rebellion to Preservation Virginia’s restoration. Pair the tour with a ferry crossing and riverside views.
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Operated by Preservation Virginia · Surry, Virginia
At Bacon’s Castle in Surry, Virginia, you step into a rare hinge between colonial engineering and the landscape of the lower James River. Built in 1665 and known today as Bacon’s Castle, this is the oldest surviving brick dwelling in North America. The property at 465 Bacon’s Castle Trail sits on the coastal plain south of the James River, reached by road or the free Jamestown-Scotland Ferry; visitors often pair a visit with Historic Jamestowne and Smith’s Fort Plantation.
The house is a striking example of High Jacobean architecture: steep gables, Flemish bond brickwork and original-style finials give the façade a silhouette more commonly seen in 17th-century England than in Tidewater Virginia. Inside, period rooms are furnished to reflect domestic life over successive centuries; outside, a reconstructed 17th-century English formal garden—rebuilt by the Garden Club of Virginia—frames box hedges, herbs and geometric beds that recall early colonial plantings. Surviving outbuildings include an 1830 slave dwelling, an 1820s smokehouse and a barn with timbers from around 1700, together telling layered stories of labor, family and resistance on this land.
Bacon’s Castle is also the site of a dramatic chapter in colonial history. In 1676, followers of Nathaniel Bacon occupied the house for several months during Bacon’s Rebellion, giving the property its enduring name. Preservation Virginia acquired the site at auction in the 1970s and completed research-driven restoration in the 1980s; the organization maintains the site today and offers hour-long tours that unpack both high-style architecture and the lived experiences of enslaved and free Africans and African Americans connected to the house.
For outdoor-minded visitors, Bacon’s Castle lies in a landscape of tidal creeks, mature hardwoods and quiet country lanes. Combine your visit with a short drive to river viewpoints along the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry route, or explore nearby trails and small historic cemeteries that mark plantation networks. The low, level grounds make the property accessible for relaxed walking and photography; mornings bring soft light on brick and clipped hedges, while late afternoon highlights the texture of old timbers.
Practical details: meeting point is 465 Bacon’s Castle Trail, Surry, VA 23883. Tours last about one hour; children 15 and under must be with an adult. No refunds except for site closure; tickets are transferable. Whether you come for architecture, garden history or to trace the tangled stories of Virginia’s early colonial era, Bacon’s Castle delivers an intimate, well-researched window into four centuries of regional history and the landscape that shaped it. Allow time to stroll the restored garden, read interpretive panels that foreground the experiences of enslaved people at the site, and pair your visit with the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry and a riverside picnic for a thoughtful half-day outing balancing reflection and outdoor calm.
easy.
1 hour.
Light walking on mostly level grounds; suitable for most visitors
Meeting point is 465 Bacon’s Castle Trail, Surry, VA 23883; follow site directions and posted signs on arrival.
Tours last about one hour and cover the house interior, some outbuildings and the reconstructed garden.
Children 15 years-old or younger must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Yes—many visitors take the free Jamestown-Scotland Ferry and visit Historic Jamestowne and Smith’s Fort Plantation the same day.
No refunds are given except for site closure or tour cancellation by Preservation Virginia; tickets are transferable.
Accessibility details are limited; contact Preservation Virginia directly to confirm accommodations for mobility needs.
The house dates to 1665 and was occupied during Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676; Preservation Virginia acquired and restored the property in the 1970s–1980s.
Follow marked paths and site rules to protect historic fabric and the restored 17th-century garden; avoid disturbing archaeological areas and historic plantings.
Preservation Virginia is a Richmond, Virginia-based organization that operates and interprets historic sites and educational programs across the state. The organization presents guided tours, hands-on workshops, documentary-style tours, and virtual programs that highlight Virginia’s colonial, revolutionary, and 19th-century history. Preservation Virginia’s portfolio of sites and programs includes Bacon’s Castle (built in 1665 and recognized as North America’s oldest brick home), the historic landing site at Cape Henry Lighthouse, Smith’s Fort with surviving earthworks and an 18th-century manor house, Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown—the remaining house of the famed orator—and the John Marshall House in Richmond. Programming spans in-person tours and remote learning: the John Marshall House offers a 45-minute tour; the Courtmaker Documentary Tour of the Marshall House provides an intimate look at family artifacts; the Beginners Genealogy Research Workshop at Bacon’s Castle is taught by genealogist Sarah Carson; and multiple virtual programs bring lighthouse history and Revolutionary War sea battles to students. Educational offerings also include the Augustus Hodges virtual program, focused on Willis Hodges—Cape Henry Lighthouse’s first African American keeper and abolitionist—and the Life of a Lighthouse Keeper kids program. Preservation Virginia’s events and tours emphasize primary sources, artifacts, architecture, and site-specific stories to connect visitors with Virginia’s past. All descriptions and program leaders are provided in third-person; visitors should consult Preservation Virginia’s official listings for booking and availability.
Book with Preservation Virginia