Historic Battersea

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Visit our “Tour Destination: Richmond and Petersburg, Virginia” page to see the entire tour of the area’s Save America’s Treasures sites.

Historic Battersea in Petersburg, Virginia.
Photo courtesy Battersea Foundation.

Historic Battersea

1289 Upper Appomattox Lane
Petersburg, VA

Headquarters:
29 W. Bank Street
Petersburg, VA 23803
Phone: 804-732-9882 

Website:  Battersea Foundation

The Treasure:  Completed in 1768, Battersea is an unusually fine example of the Palladian style of architecture, retaining many original details that reflect the highest standards of the time.

Accessibility:  Restoration is still ongoing so the site is not technically open to the public. While restoration is ongoing, public and private tours can always be arranged by calling Battersea’s offices.

Restoration is currently underway at
Battersea. Photo courtesy
Battersea Foundation.

Background:  With this visit to Battersea, we depart Richmond for the nearby City of Petersburg. Located on the Appomattox River, Petersburg has a rich history of its own. It became of considerable geographic importance in the 19th century when the city emerged as a major transfer point for the country’s new rail system. The trains brought money and goods, but they also pegged Petersburg as a constant target for Union forces during the Civil War. The novel and movie Cold Mountain depict one of the major Petersburg wartime events, the Battle of the Crater in 1864.

Meanwhile, in the rural area on the western edge of the city, the Battersea mansion quietly weathered the centuries. Its builder, Colonel John Bannister, was a third-generation Virginian, grandson to the Reverend John Bannister who arrived in Virginia in 1677. Thanks to the Reverend Bannister’s sponsorship by the powerful William Byrd family, the Bannisters were able to establish themselves as important Virginia gentry. As he reached his early 40s, Colonel Bannister undertook the building of a residence appropriate for a fashionable family of the time.

The Chinese lattice staircase at Battersea.
Photo courtesy Battersea Foundation.

Battersea draws upon Palladianism, a style of architecture espoused by the 16th century Italian architect Andrea Palladio that was based on the classical architecture of Rome. Palladianism caught on in Europe in the 18th century and spread to the fashionable areas of the American colonies around mid-century. Drayton Hall in South Carolina is a notable early example of  American-style Palladianism. Thomas Jefferson adopted the style whole-heartedly in his architectural designs, referring to Palladio’s books as his bible.

Battersea offers a sophisticated presentation of the Palladian style, with its classically balanced five-part structure. There’s a two-story central block, radiating out to one-story wings, and finishing with one-and-half-story end pavilions. Everything is properly symmetrical in the Palladian style. Each side of the house even gets its own columned portico. Inside the house, many original architectural details remain in place, most notably an elaborate Chinese lattice staircase.

Notes from the Editor:  The stately look of Palladianism become a defining architectural style in the early years of the United States, gradually shading into neoclassical architecture. This movement’s roots in Greek and Roman styles appealed to the idealists of the young republic, as they openly embraced the leadership of the humble Roman general Cincinnatus as their political ideal. So it should be little surprise that one of the grandest Palladian-style buildings in the country is where the President resides: the White House.

Other Recommended Sites:  There’s plenty to see on your visit to Petersburg! You can enjoy exploring the Petersburg National Battlefield (the crater is still there), the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum on the grounds of Fort Lee, the Siege Museum, and the opulent Center Hill Museum, a 19th century mansion.

Bird's eye view of the Battersea estate.
Photo courtesy Battersea Foundation.

Tour America's History Itinerary

Wednesday’s destination:  Off to southern California!
Friday’s destination:  Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park

© 2012 Lee Price