Eyre Hall Gardens

 

Eyre Hall is one of Virginia’s finest and best-preserved colonial homes. Approached by a long, old-fashioned cedar-lined lane, the house overlooks Cherrystone Creek. Thomas Eyre landed at Jamestown in 1622 to take up patented land on the Eastern Shore in 1623. Eyre descendents have owned land in the lower portion of Northampton County continuously for 12 generations. Littleton Eyre (great-grandson of Thomas) purchased the present site of Eyre Hall and in 1760 built the original gambrel-roofed portion.

The gardens are among the oldest in the country, circa 1800. Ancient boxwood and gnarled crape myrtles tower over the traditional swept paths, all enclosed by a wall of brick brought as ballast from England. On the sunny side, English-style mixed borders add color, and opposite is the family graveyard and romantic orangery ruin from 1819. 

The house is privately owned and only open to visitors during Virginia's Historic Garden Week but the parterre gardens may be enjoyed by the public year round during daylight hours. Benches invite visitors to sit or picnic in this breathtaking setting. 

 

For more information about the history of Eyre Hall please read: 
Eyre Hall on Virginia's Eastern Shore published in The Magazine Antiques September 2009 issue.