Castle Hill: its name resonates with a qualitative storybook. An eighteenth- and nineteenth-century treasure, completely renovated and updated to twenty-first century splendor, with a high level of exigence. The mansion, its magnificent gardens, and its extensive grounds offer an unparalleled combination of historic charm and modern sophistication. Nestled in Virginia’s wine and horse country on 600 protected acres that look out upon the Southwest Mountains, Castle Hill offers spectacular views and a secluded refuge, yet is located within minutes of Charlottesville and World Heritage sites like the University of Virginia and Monticello.

With 9084 square feet, the numerous rooms are all very comfortable, large living room, lounge, boudoirs, music room, library, formal dining room, fully equipped kitchen, back kitchen, lingerie, 10 fireplaces, the 5 bedrooms are all en suite and the master has its own living room. The fabrics and materials are of high quality, very cozy and mostly personalized.

The historic gardens at Castle Hill, which have delighted visitors for two and a half centuries, have been lovingly restored. In front of the manor house a greensward, shaped like a “lady’s slipper,” is surrounded by boxwood planted by King George II’s gardener. A terraced garden, ideal for outdoor entertainments, features stone buildings, period statuary, arbors, and topiary. Other amenities include a pool and a pool house with mountain views, a cozy guest cottage with 3 additional bedrooms, a ten-stall horse barn, historic outbuildings, a venerable plantation bell, and picturesque white-board fencing. 

History was made at Castle Hill. George Washington trod its hallways and James Madison danced in the parlor to the fiddle playing of Thomas Jefferson. The Rives family, who owned the house for generations, included renowned statesmen, equestrians, and the acclaimed novelist and seductress Amélie Rives, who married an Astor and scandalized polite society with her writing. Katharine Hepburn visited Castle Hill to pay homage to Amélie, as did William Faulkner, Louis Auchincloss, and other literary luminaries.

With its modern conveniences Castle Hill is a unique, luxurious home of today, yet it truly recaptures the beauty, the charm, and the tranquility of the past.