Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 01/16/1973
NRHP Listing Date 04/11/1973
NRHP Reference Number 73002044
Joseph Foster, a native of Newport, England, was the first owner of this T-shaped manor house built in New Kent County close to the Pamunkey River. Although the loss of New Kent’s early records inhibits precise dating, the house probably was constructed between 1685 and 1690 when Foster represented New Kent in the House of Burgesses. Foster’s Castle shares with nearby Criss Cross and Bacon’s Castle in Surry County the distinction of being Virginia’s only remaining Stuart-period manor houses fronted by enclosed porches with chambers above, a feature typical of post-medieval English houses. Most of Foster’s Castle’s original interior was replaced in the early 19th century, and the one-story walls on the main body of the house were raised to two stories in 1873. Despite these changes, the surviving wall sections constitute a significant document of Virginia’s oldest architecture.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: March 17, 2021
