Canterbury

CANTERBURY

Property Description

Canterbury is situated on a bluff high above the James River in Richmond, Virginia’s celebrated Windsor Farms.

The house enjoys a secluded park like setting on ten wooded acres. Designed in the early 1930’s by renowned New York architect William Lawrence Bottomley – he was responsible for twenty-one elegant residences in Richmond – the house exhibits the Georgian Revival character and impeccable brickworkhe was well known for.

In 2009, the property was acquired by a young family with some experience withhistoric properties. Madison Spencer was brought on board as architect at the outset given his experience with several other Bottomley renovations. Suzanne Kasler was engaged as well for decorating. Will Rieley, a Charlottesville based landscape architect, joined the team to guide the restorationof the gardens. The mantra “What would Bottomley do?” coupled with considerations of living without the benefit of live-in staff as the house was originally configured for necessitated some new approaches.

Seamless merging of modern and antique by resurrecting traditional brick detailing, plastering and fabrication technologies was required. We are fortunate here in Virginia to havea phenomenal cache of talented trades well adapted to historic restorationand modern construction. Alterations involved relocationof the kitchen toaccommodate a family, a dining area,rearrangementof the second floor bedrooms, and conversion of an attic withstaff bedrooms into abedroom suite and playroom.

In the basement boiler rooms were transformed into a wine vault and art room. Due to some awkward constraints with the existing principal stair, a new elliptical stair and hall was devised crowned by an elegant leaded glass skylight. One would never know that this was not the original condition due to the clever reliance upon period Georgian Revival detailing on Spencer’s part.

In all respects, Canterbury was a joyous rescue of an important Virginia estate.