History of Winterham Manor
Winterham Manor home is an authentic19h century National Register architectural gem built in the Italian Villa style by a cousin of President Thomas Jefferson (ca. 1855). It is spacious yet intimate, elegant yet unpretentious, and your guests will rave about it. In this century, a lower Garden Terrace level has been excavated under the manor house to accommodate modern living space and additional guest rooms. The home exudes a tranquil Southern hospitality and comfort that you and your guests will be reluctant to leave. Winterham can sleep up to 20 persons overnight.
We have also created an intimate Honeymoon Cottage in a historic dependency which features a private porch overlooking Winterham Lake and a luxurious steam shower-spa including a vertical full body water jet massage. The expansive lawns overlook a small lake and over 300 acres of beautiful nursery plantings rising on the hills beyond, a “world class” view. Winterham is one of the most beautiful wedding venues to be found anywhere. Many request to visit our venue for the photo ops alone.
This panorama provides a glorious setting for the metal filagree Versailles ceremony pavilion. This season, we have also purchased a brand new 60’ x 40’ white vinyl tent with clear and opaque side curtains. It will be set on a base of Pennsylvania bluestone pavers for your round tables and fan-back chairs (included at no extra charge) plus a central 40’ x 20’ dance floor which will accommodate several couples at once. Distinctive chandeliers will be hung from the ceiling and you may decorate the entire event space according to your personal taste and desires.
At the end of the Civil War, Winterham served as a Confederate hospital, and blood stains can still be seen here and there in the floors. Thomas Jefferson, a son of the owner, was mortally wounded in the battle of Newmarket at age 17. His photograph serves as the “icon” for the Virginia Military Institute Museum. He is buried at VMI beneath the statue entitled, “Virginia Mourning Her Dead” sculpted by his roommate, Moses Ezekial.
Winterham is the only wedding venue we are aware of that also serves as an art gallery (Hadfield Fine Arts, LTD). Visitors delight in browsing through a diverse collection of paintings and prints from different cultures, periods and styles. Some guests like to purchase framed art items for their homes, or as gifts, or as a warm memory of their attendance at a special “Winterham Wedding.”
Winterham Manor House is proudly owned by Dr. Gary and Kathy Hadfield.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Spacious Rooms
Our rooms offer the elegance, class and comfort you have been looking for your whole life. Come spend your wedding weekend with us. The Manor House can sleep up to 22 guests. There is a separate entrance for the Groomsmen to the Garden Suite which includes a living room, with flat screen tv, small kitchen and bedrooms and baths. Your bridal party can enjoy separate bedroom and bath dressing areas on the second floor.
Ceremony Sites
Gorgeous lake view with Versailles Pavilion,
the Manor House Façade, the Lovers Tree and the Garden Gazebo.
Where History Meets Elegance
Winterham Manor House Wedding & Event Venue in Amelia County, Virginia, servicing the Richmond area, is a fine Italianate Jefferson family home built in 1855. It has been restored by Dr. M. Gary Hadfield and his wife, Kathleen, and was opened in 2003 for bed and breakfast, weddings and special events.
Winterham Manor House began in the early 1700’s when Edward Booker patented 2,000 acres from the crown. By the 1750’s there was a home here. The original Winterham, predating the present structure by 100 years, probably burned. Edward’s descendant, Otelia Booker, married John Garland Jefferson, II, a cousin of Thomas Jefferson. They had the present home built around 1850.
We purchased Winterham in 1999 after it had been abandoned for over twenty years. All of the plaster and lath had been removed, leaving only the skeleton of the rooms inside-no heating, electrical wiring, or plumbing. Foundations were crumbling and the metal roof was rusty. Nevertheless, we could envision it commanding the hilltop again, so we forged ahead with architects and contractors, careful to document each step of the way.
After this long labor of love, we are pleased to now share this historic property with the public as a wedding venue, special events center, and Fine Arts and Antiques Gallery. We hope that our dedication to preservation will encourage others to value and preserve our priceless legacy from past generations.
Winterham Manor House is the perfect place to hold weddings, corporate events, family reunions, birthday parties, showers and vacation getaways. This antebellum, Nationally Registered Jefferson family home is filled with fine arts and antiques. Enjoy its outdoor verandas, patios, flower gardens, century old trees and Hospitality Fountain.
The lawns sweep down to a 15-acre lake with 300 acres of nursery plantings gracing the hills bey.
After a three-year hiatus, and now under new management, Winterham Manor House is ready to host your wedding, special event or come spend a couple of nights at our B&B.
MISSION STATEMENT
Winterham is designed with you in mind to provide you with the wedding experience you always dreamed of. We work hard to make sure our grounds are beautifully maintained to create a place that is truly magical. We've tailored each room, our hospitality and amenities to make your stay as enjoyable and relaxing as possible. We hope that our attention to detail and desire to pamper you shines through each and every moment of your stay.