As part of the St. Margaret’s School in Tappahannock, the Brockenbrough-McCall House is a slice of architectural beauty on a multi-faceted, graceful campus. On its own, however, it is so much more than that. It has been the site of colonial uprisings, the home to patriotic men and women who formed our country, was damaged in wars, and even has a resident ghost. Its tale is as rich and beautiful as the building itself.
The story began more than 250 years ago, when Scottish merchant Archibald McCall bought a bluff on the Rappahannock River directly across from historic Mount Airy. The original home dated back to 1690, and George Washington was a frequent visitor, once even forgetting his spurs at the residence after a visit.
McCall was the son of a wealthy businessman from Glasgow, Scotland. His family emigrated to Essex County in the 1750s, and settled in Hobbs Hole, now known as Tappahannock, in 1754. McCall set up a merchant business in town and married heiress Katherine Flood, the only daughter of Dr. Nicholas Flood and Elizabeth Peachey Flood — a well-known and wealthy Northern Neck family. In 1763, when McCall purchased the land, he commissioned William Buckland, to whom he had once loaned money, as the draftsman for his new residence. Buckland, a famed architect, was known for his designs of George Mason’s Gunston Hall in Fairfax, the Hammond-Harwood House in Annapolis, and the interiors of some of the most historic and beautiful homes in Virginia and Maryland. Georgian in style, the new house was a two-story, L-shaped dwelling, built over the original brick cellar. A wide central entrance hall was flanked by two rooms and three end-chimneys. A beautiful wood staircase led to additional rooms upstairs, all made light and airy by the high ceilings and abundant windows.
The family business prospered. However, while McCall loved the land where he had made his home, his loyalties were divided between the crown and the colonies. McCall caused conflict when he sided against Westmoreland County and Essex County patriots during the Stamp Act crisis. In 1766, an angry mob stormed the house, throwing stones through its windows and assaulting McCall, who insisted on collecting the unpopular British tax placed on stamps and other paper documents. McCall was tarred and feathered, and the insurrection is believed to be one of the foremost demonstrations against the Stamp Act and taxation without representation, which led to the American Revolution a decade later.
Despite the turmoil, the family remained in residence. In 1767, Katherine died during the birth of the couple’s second daughter, Catherine McCall. With two young children in a country fraught with political upheaval, McCall decided to send his daughters overseas to a school in Scotland. In 1770, a changed man, he added his signature to a non-importation decree.
With war looming, McCall decided to travel to be with his young daughters, who were alone across the ocean. Settling his affairs, he left his business in the hands of William Sheddon, who was charged with managing McCall’s stores in Richmond and Essex counties. During what was planned to be a short visit to his daughters, one of whom died in London, McCall ended up remaining in Britain for the duration of the Revolutionary War, unable to gain permission for his return to Virginia.
After his departure, McCall was accused of colluding with Lord Dunmore, Virginia’s royal governor, by providing food to Dunmore’s troops before departing for Great Britain. He was quickly exonerated when it came to light that he had, in fact, been helping Col. John Fleet, a known patriot. In a twist, it was Sheddon who was forced out of the region as a traitor and sympathizer. This left McCall in a quandary, with only his cousin, George McCall, of Tappahannock, to manage the estate.
The layover put both his estate and the inheritance of his daughter, Catherine Flood McCall — who was the heir of her maternal grandfather — in jeopardy. McCall returned to Virginia with his daughter when peace was restored. He was on the first boat to sail from England to the newly constituted United States after the war. Eventually, he ceded most of his property in Essex and Richmond counties to a business partner in London. His daughter secured her inheritance of two plantations, and they retired to Richmond.
In 1813, the home was purchased by Dr. Austin Brockenbrough, son of Dr. John Brockenbrough, who served the Navy as a surgeon and was one of Tappahannock’s leading physicians. Austin Brockenbrough served in Washington’s First Virginia Regiment during the French and Indian War. The doctor and his wife, Francis Blake, kept the home as their town residence. During this time, the Brockenbrough family was deeply involved in the country’s formative political foundation, serving as leaders both locally and nationally. Austin’s brother, William, served in the House of Delegates and was appointed Judge of the General Court of Virginia at age 31. Austin’s brother, John, was also a physician. He was, however, better known as President of the Bank of Virginia from 1811-1843, a powerful member of the Essex Junto (a faction that supported the policies of Federalist Alexander Hamilton), and a builder of the White House of the Confederacy. Austin himself was in the 6th Regiment of Virginia during the War of 1812, served in the Virginia House of Delegates, and was a prominent local physician, much like his father. Austin’s son, Capt. Austin Brockenbrough, Jr., was killed at the Battle of Gettysburg. Their youngest son, Benjamin, inherited the house after Austin died in 1858.
Benjamin Brockenbrough. Courtesy of Essex County Museum
Benjamin Blake Brockenbrough and his wife, Annie Mason, lived at the home for many years. They remodeled a small room at the back of the house into a lovely chapel. Now an office, the room boasts a stunning view of the Rappahannock River. In 1865, the home was loaned to Benjamin’s cousin Judith White Brockenbrough McGuire and her husband, the Reverend John P. McGuire. Judith, an author who published three books, Travels in Europe, General Robert E. Lee: A Christian Soldier, and Diary of a Southern Refugee, opened a school at the house, which ran until 1875. Benjamin Blake moved back to the residence in the 1880s and was the last Brockenbrough to live there. Upon his death in 1921, it was willed to his nephew, Judge Joseph Chinn. In 1927, it was bought by the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia to be used as the second building of the burgeoning St. Margaret’s School.
Over the centuries, the additional edifice was built upon, with rooms added to the front and back, as well as a front porch uniting the two wings. The house is Flemish bond brick encased in wood. The front portion of the roof is metal and painted slate gray. A classical cornice with scrolled modillions — ornate horizontal brackets which wrap around the entire building. A particularly unusual feature is the north chimney’s rounded plan that regularizes window spacing and provides room for the wood frame’s corner bracing.
Colonial era. Courtesy of Essex County Museum
Despite the renovations, the Brockenbrough-McCall House still feels remarkably original to its eighteenth-century roots. Standing in the hall, you can almost hear the echoes of the generations who have lived and worked in the Pre-Revolution house. Looking toward the river, the old chapel is opened, with just a step down as the demarcation. Much of the original woodwork designed by Buckland still remains. The black slate at the foot of the fireplaces is believed to have been from the original McCall quarry in Scotland. The exquisite colonial workmanship includes hand-hewn wood timber, hard-planed ornamental woodwork, and a full English basement. The current U-shaped plan was completed in the Federal Period, and an additional fireplace was added. The colonial stairs in the entry hall have lovely end scrolls and turned balusters, while the rear enclosed porch features intricate moldings and a multitude of windows. The west porch was added in the Victorian Era, and a modern south wing, with a kitchen and other amenities, was added in the 1900s.
In its time, St. Margaret’s has used the Brockenbrough-McCall House, known as “B” house, as a dormitory, infirmary, staff housing, and most recently, offices and meeting rooms. The school undertook a massive historic restoration project in 2004 with the help of Calder Loth, Senior Architectural Historian from the Department of Historic Resources, Jody Lahendro, Architect PC and Henderson Construction. The school hired Jody Lahendro to draft a conditions survey, which is a map for current and future restoration with a keen eye on preservation.
The historic building now serves as a “living classroom,” complete with a cannonball from when the house was bombarded by artillery during the War of 1812. It also contains portraits of the owners and of course, one of its original occupants, Catherine Flood McCall, who died a spinster. Known by legend as “The Grey Lady,” it is said that the sounds of her swishing skirts and soft footsteps are heard throughout the house. It is understandable that she has stayed on when surrounded with such elegance and beauty as is presented by the historic Brockenbrough-McCall House.
The House & Home Magazine extends its deepest appreciation to David Jett and The Essex County Museum, and Cathy Sgroi and Louise Velletri of St. Margaret’s School for their invaluable assistance in the research of this article.