Explore the 9 oldest buildings in Virginia

Discover the oldest surviving colonial buildings in Virginia and learn about their rich history, unique architectural styles, and stories of early American life.

Virginia is home to a rich architectural history, with numerous colonial-era buildings that offer a glimpse into the past. From the grand estates of the 17th century to the modest plantation houses that survived the centuries, these historic structures tell the story of early American life. Explore Virginia’s oldest remaining homes, from Bacon’s Castle and St. Luke’s Church to the charming Pinewoods House, and uncover the fascinating stories and architectural styles that have shaped the commonwealth’s heritage.

1. Historic Jamestowne Church Tower

Location: Jamestown

Year: 1680

The Historic Jamestowne Church Tower is the sole above-ground remnant of Virginia’s first capital, Jamestown. Built around 1680, the tower has withstood fires, centuries of neglect, and the Civil War. Its original church served the James City Parish congregation until about 1750 when they relocated, leaving the site to succumb to farmland and woods. In 1893, Preservation Virginia began repairs, safeguarding the tower. A 2014 restoration addressed its failing mortar, and in 2024, a new stainless-steel roof—the first in over two centuries—was installed. A glass floor now reveals the foundations of the 1617-18 church, offering visitors a glimpse into Jamestown’s early days.

Historic Jamestowne buildings, including a 17th-century church tower and reconstructed Jamestown Memorial Church. (Virginia Tourism Corporation)

2. Broad Bay Manor

Location: Virginia Beach

Year: 1640

Broad Bay Manor, one of the oldest continuously inhabited homes in America, traces its origins to 1640 when English trader Thomas Allen built its central section in a one-room loft style. Over the centuries, it has seen significant expansions, including a Georgian addition by Lemuel Cornick I around 1770 and extensive renovations by John B. Dey in 1928, which modernized the home with plumbing and central heating. The manor has survived fires, lightning strikes, and changing ownership while remaining a focal point of its community. Today, Broad Bay Manor stands as a testament to Virginia’s enduring architectural and agricultural history.

3. Bacon’s Castle

Location: Surry

Year: 1665

Built in 1665 for Arthur Allen and his family, Bacon’s Castle is the oldest brick dwelling in North America. Originally called Allen’s Brick House, it earned its current name in 1676 when followers of Nathaniel Bacon occupied the home during Bacon’s Rebellion. The house is a rare example of High Jacobean architecture and features a restored 17th-century English formal garden. Outbuildings include an 1830 slave dwelling, an 1820s smokehouse, and a barn from 1700. Preservation Virginia acquired and restored the site in the 1970s and 1980s, preserving its legacy as a site of labor, freedom, and rebellion across four centuries.

4. St. Mary’s Whitechapel

Location: Lancaster

Year: 1669

St. Mary’s Whitechapel, founded in 1669, is one of Colonial Virginia’s earliest churches. Captain David Fox, a prominent landowner, likely donated the land and funds for its construction. Originally rectangular, the church expanded in 1741 into a cruciform shape to accommodate its growing congregation. Following the disestablishment of the Anglican Church in 1786, it fell into disuse and disrepair until it was reconstructed in the 1830s. Today, it retains a simpler rectangular form, with features like blue woodwork reflecting its historic roots. Since 1973, it has shared a parish with Trinity Episcopal Church in Lancaster County.

5. Lowland Cottage

Location: Gloucester County 

Year: 1670

Lowland Cottage, situated near the Ware River in Gloucester County, dates back to a 1642 land grant to Thomas Curtis. Around 1670, Curtis’s son-in-law, merchant Robert Bristow, established his “Home Plantation” there, complete with a wharf and storehouse targeted by Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676. After the rebellion, Bristow returned to England, leaving the property in the care of agents for over a century. The original late-17th-century vernacular house featured a center chimney and exposed ceiling joists. Renovations in the 19th century altered the structure. The property likely holds archaeological evidence of Tidewater commerce from the period.

6. Winona 

Location: Northampton County

Year: 1681

Winona, located in Northampton County, features rare Jacobean diagonally-set chimney stacks, one of only two pre-Georgian houses in America with this detail. Similar to Bacon’s Castle in Surry County, it has three stacks above a large exterior-end chimney breast, a style popular in Jacobean England but seldom seen in the New World. Projected west-end foundation remnants suggest the house may have originally been symmetrical. Likely built after 1681, when Mathew Patrick acquired interest in the property, Winona stands at the mouth of Hungar’s Creek, overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.

7. St. Luke’s Church

Location: Smithfield 

Year: 1685-1687

St. Luke’s Church, believed by local legend to have been built in 1632, is now thought by experts to date to 1685–1687. Despite the debate, it is recognized as Virginia’s oldest surviving church building. While its exterior brickwork is largely original, much of the interior and furnishings have been replaced over time. The structure is a rare example of Artisan Mannerism architecture, blending Romanesque, Gothic, and Jacobean influences. Built by skilled artisans referencing English designs, St. Luke’s remains a revered historical treasure.

Couple on wedding day outside of St. Luke’s. (St. Luke’s Historic Church & Museum)

8. Foster’s Castle

Location: New Kent County

Year: 1685-1690

Foster’s Castle, built in New Kent County near the Pamunkey River, dates to approximately 1685–1690. Joseph Foster, its original owner and a member of the House of Burgesses, designed the T-shaped manor house with an enclosed porch and upper chambers—a style shared with Criss Cross and Bacon’s Castle. Though much of the original interior was altered in the 19th century, and the main house was raised to two stories in 1873, the surviving walls remain a vital example of Virginia’s Stuart-period architecture.

9. Pinewoods

Location: James City County

Year: 1700-1710

Pinewoods, also known as the Warburton House, is a rare pre-Georgian plantation dwelling in James City County, distinguished by its brick construction—uncommon for rural homes of its time. Built in the early 18th century, the house features Flemish-bond brick walls and decorative T-shaped chimney stacks. After a fire gutted the building in the 20th century, the Warburton family rebuilt it within its original walls as a hunting lodge. Pinewoods remains one of the few surviving examples of early brick homes in the Williamsburg area.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.