 | A history of Caroline county, Virginia |  |
GAY MONT
The following description of this interesting old estate is
taken from Mrs. Sale's remarkable book Historic Gardens of
Virginia. "Gay Mont lies on a high hill overlooking the Rappahannock
The estate was originally a part of the Miller grant and comprised
about two thousand acres. It later became a part of the Catlett
estate and was purchased from this family in 1790 by John
Hipkins, of "Belle Grove," on the opposite bank of the Rappahannock
in King George county. At his death the place was
left to John Hipkins Bernard, grandson of John Hipkins.
The original house comprised only the central, or two-story
portion of the present building and was erected about 1725.
Two wings, one at either end, were added in 1798, and the
octagonal music room at the back in 1830. The latter opens on
a small porch, from the steps of which one can look down the
central garden walk to the sun dial.
John Hipkins Bernard was born January 10, 1890 and was
educated at Charlotte Hall, St. Mary's county, Md. He was a
grandson of William Bernard who was a nephew of Sir John
Bernard who married the granddaughter of Shakespeare. Upon
reaching his majority he went abroad for several years and on
his return brought with him many things for his home, including
landscape wallpaper—then a novelty in France—for the Gay
Mont hall, parlor and dining room. The paper in the hall shows
brightly colored Italian scences, that in the parlor represents the
Bay of Naples in soft grey tones, while that for the dining room
pictures mythological characters in sepia. He also brought over
two English gardeners who remodeled the grounds and garden
into their present form. That a rose garden antedated their
arrival and was a feature of the place from its beginning is apparent
from the original name "Rose Hill" which Mr. Bernard changed
to "Gay Mont" in honor of his bride, Miss Jane Gay Robertson,
daughter of William Robertson and Elizabeth Bolling. John
Hipkins Bernard and Jane Gay Robertson were the parents of
six children, the youngest of whom, Helen Struan, married Philip
Lightfoot Robb in 1865, and had issue whose descendants own
Gay Mont to this day. The founder of Gay Mont also owned
lands in Alabama, Arkansas and Texas, and was a wealthy man
for his time. He was prominent politically and represented
Caroline, King and Queen, King William, Hanover and Essex
counties in the State Senate in 1828-30. He died in 1858, and
with his wife is buried at Gay Mont.
The portico at Gay Mont is supported by six large pillars with
balustrades between, and is enclosed at each end by the wings.
are plaster busts of Washington, Franklin, Shakespeare, Milton,
Scott, Byron, Napoleon and LaFayette.
In front of the portico is the driveway, and beyond are three
terraces, each three hundred feet in length. The last terrace,
twice the depth of the first two, broadens out at its base into a
semi-circle at either end and has a border of roses its entire length.
Between the second and third terrace there is a small formal
garden, in the shape of a circle, consisting of four plots separated
by gravel walks, with a fountain in the center surrounded by
conch shells and ivy. This little garden was christened "The
Beauty Spot" by which name it is still known. Water supplying
the fountain was brought in lead pipes from a reservoir in the
rear of the house and after the War between the States, when
ammunition was scarce, the lead from the pipe was made into
"slugs," and used instead of shot by the huntsmen of the family.
In connection with the fountain there is an amusing story
told of a small dog which had been trained to turn the wheel
which supplied the water. He would sit on the lower terrace
overlooking the avenue, intently watching for visitors, and on
seeing them approach would dash to the wheel and work violently
in order to have the fountain spraying freely by the time the host
greeted his guests at the front door.
At either end of the house there is a circular rose garden
surrounded by box bushes. Formerly this box was kept neatly
trimmed, but it has long been allowed to grow at random and
has now assumed the form of great, round masses, higher than a
man's head.
At the back of the house, separated from the lawn by trees
and shrubs, is the garden proper, consisting of a gravel walk,
three hundred feet long, parallel to the lawn, the three lateral
walks, ending in a wide terrace. Mr. Bernard is said to have
brought shiploads of gravel from Bermuda for these walks, as
well as conch shell for the fountain. The walks were bordered
with shrubs—pyrus, japonica, forsythia, spirea, in all varieties,
lilac, snowball, weigela, althea, syringa, mock-orange and others.
These were trimmed to form arches over the paths. Between
the walks were formal gardens laid out in shape of diamonds
and filled with many old-fashioned flowers. Peonies seemed to
have been the favorite centerpiece. On either side of this flower
garden, separated by walks, were two large squares devoted to
of althea, encloses the whole garden.
In addition to the lawns and gardens, a large part of the estate
of Gay Mont was given over to what might be called pleasure
grounds. On the north side of the hill was a deer park of eight
acres, with clumps of beautiful holly and enormous tulip poplars.
Mr. Bernard had a great love of trees and imported many kinds,
not only for the immediate grounds but also for the hill-sides.
Some years ago fifty varieties were counted within a comparatively
short distance of the house, among them a variety of French
chestnut, still vigorous and bearing nuts.
To the south of the hill ran "Golden Vale Creek" the name
given it on an old atlas printed before the city of Washington was
founded. Its waters were dammed to form a pond, and stocked
with fish. Here Mr. Bernard loved to entertain his friends and
it was no doubt, the scene of many gay parties. A large, round
stone table, and a spring enclosed by stone slabs are all that now
remain to mark the spot.
As horseback riding was the favorite pastime of Mr. Bernard's
daughters, he built for them a private road through the woods
and "the long meadows." This road crossed a small creek
seven or eight times by rustic bridges; the upkeep of both road
and bridges was given over to "Uncle Roly" a faithful slave.
"Uncle Roly" loved to tell stories of the past and always ended by
saying, "He had more recollections than he could remember."
He loved to boast that "Ole Missis' flowers was so sweet you
could smell 'em a mile away—just as soon as you turned into
de abenue."
During the War between the States, Gay Mont, from its
commanding position, narrowly escaped having a battery placed
on the hill. This would have made it a target for the gunboats
which shelled Port Royal and vicinity. The officers sent to
place the battery desisted at the earnest entreaties of the women
of the family.
Two of Mr. Bernard's daughters remained at Gay Mont with
their faithful servants during the entire war, thus, no doubt,
saving the place from entire destruction. General Abercrombie,
the Union Commander stationed in Port Royal, showed them
great courtesy and kindness. Many nights these young ladies
sat in a low window holding by the bridle their favorite horses,
"Ariel" and "Empress," to prevent them from being stolen.
released when the owners appeared next day at headquarters
and begged their return. General Abercrombie then sent a
special guard to protect Gay Mont from further interference
while the Northern troops remained in the neighborhood.
The Confederate officers encamped around Fredericksburg,
General J. E. B. Stuart and his staff among them, were frequent
visitors at Gay Mont. General Stuart was very fond of a music
box in the library and would often enter the house unobserved
and announce his arrival by playing some familiar air. A chair
much scratched by his buttons was long kept as a souvenir of
his visit.
Major Duncan McKim, "the Gallant Pelham," and other
officers were dining at Gay Mont the evening before the Battle
of Fredericksburg, when a courier arrived summoning them to
headquarters. So furious was cannonading in that battle that
the big bell over the kitchen and the smaller servants bells which
hung outside the several windows, all rang while the battle was
in progress. Several of the guests of the preceding day were
killed in this battle.
The servants bells attached to the windows at Gay Mont
deserve mention only as relics of by-gone days. Each room
had its bell, rung by means of a cord within, to summon a servant
whenever wanted. One wonders how many servants were required
and where stationed to catch and locate the sounds of
these bells, hung into space from any window in the rambling
old house.
Like many Virginia homes, Gay Mont suffered severely during
the War between the States and the years following, when the
labor necessary for its upkeep could not be obtained. But so
well had the original plans been carried out and moulded into
terraces and other enduring landmarks that today Gay Mont
reflects honor on those who planned and those who carried the
plans to completion.
General Dabney Herndon Maury in his "Recollections of a
Virginian" said: "It was once my delightful privilege to pass
the Christmas holidays with Judge Butler and a company of
bright ladies and gentlemen, old and young, at "Hazelwood"
that old Virginia home of the Taylors, of Caroline. We had a
dinner party every day and every night had its delightful close
in a dance at Gay Mont, or at Port Royal or at Hazelwood.
the table and we young people greatly enjoyed the older people.
I remember a dinner of twenty or more seats, when we young men
and maidens listened with delight to the witty and wise conversation
sustained by Judge Butler, William P. Taylor, of "Hayfield"
and John H. Bernard, of Gay Mont, that cultured trio of gentlemen
of the old school."
| A history of Caroline county, Virginia | |