Evening star., 1938-03-22

they helped to build. This is Strst-
ford Hall. the ancestral home of the
Lee family.
Thomas Lee was the builder of
Stratford Hall. His grandfather,
Richard Lee, was living on his estate,
Paradise, at Gloucester Point, which
later was known as Yorktown as early
as 1647. His son, the second Richard
Lee. was born at Paradise about 1647.
He was sent to England to school, and
being a quiet, peace-loving person,
wished to remain there. but his father
insisted that all his sons be Virginians.
He finally returned and at his fathers
death inherited his plantation, Ma
tholic, in Westmoreland County
about 20 miles distant from the pres
ent Stratford Hall. He succeeded also
to his fathers official position.
The second Richard Lees son,
Thomas. was truly a Virginian. His
grandfather had been born in Eng
land; his own father, though an
ardent colonist, was in spirit an Eng
lishman; but the young Thomas was
resourceful and adventurous, loved the
country in which he lived and before
he was 20 years old had made himself
known and beloved in Westmoreland
County.
In his fathers will Thomas Lee had
been left great sections of land, but
most of it was in lowland country.
There was a supposition at the time
that dampness close to the river was
responsible for many illnesses. Thomas
Lee, who knew every inch of the
Northern Neck intimately, had discov-
cred point of land perched on high
bluffs above the river, and it was at
this place he wished to build his
home. This plantation was owned by
the widow of Thomas Pope. who re-
sided in England. For some years
Thomas Lee negotiated to purchase
the property. but it was not until
1716, after year spent in England,
that he was successful. When he
returned "the Gifts" as the planta-
ton was called, was his and he went
to Williamsburg for the meeting of
the Burgesses as the representative
of Westmoreland County, having ar
ranged his affairs at Matholic and
the Cliffs to his satisfaction.
In Williamsburg he was entertained
by the Ludwell family at their beauti-
full home, Green Spring. The Lud-
well and Lee families had been friends
and political associates for three gen.
erations. Hannah Ludwell, the Sec
ond daughter of the house, was 19
and most attractive. In May of 1922
Thomas Lee and Hannah Ludwell were
married and went to live at Matholic
until they could build their own house.
They lived there for seven years,
during which time four children were
born. All of this time they were
building their new home, which they
had named Stratford Hall, on the
site of the old Cliffs manor house.
THE site chosen for the house was
removed about mile from the
shore of the Potomac. away from the
damp and chill of the river front;
away from surprise attacks by Indians
or bands of wandering pirates, and
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which each year at flood time were
swallowed up by the raging river.
Hannah Lee must have watched the
building of her house with satisfac-
ton, as she realized how safe she and
her growing family would be when
1t was complete. The work went on
for nearly 10 years. Bricks for the
massive walls were made of local clay
not far from the main house. Lime
for the plaster was burned from Po-
tomac oyster shells. Stones for founda-
tions were quarried near by, and lum-
Der for the delicate carvings and
great structural timbers were cut in
the adjoining forests Much of the
stonework for the house, tools and
utensils of iron and steel were i'm
ported from England.
The plan of Stratford is quite differ
ent from any other Virginia home,
though not unlike the plan of the Cap
itol at Williamsburg. 1t is an H
shaped structure, with a large main
hn1