Melrose, also known as Melrose Castle, is a historic home located near Casanova, Fauquier County, Virginia. The house was built between 1856 and 1860, and is a two-story, five-bay, L-shaped Gothic Revival style dwelling. It features a three-story-octagonal tower in the center bay and castellation along the parapet. The house was enlarged considerably around 1920 through a large addition to the west end for expanded service areas. and Accompanying photo
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
History
Melrose was built between 1856 and 1860 by Philadelphia architect George Washington Holtzclaw for brothers Dr. James H. Murray and Edward Murray. They named it after Melrose Abbey, a castle in their ancestral home of Scotland. Melrose was occupied by Union soldiers during the American Civil War in April 1862, and it later served as a hospital.
The property was first sold in December 1863, and then it changed hands many times. The 9,000 square-foot house and 50-acre wooded lot were listed for sale at $2.2 million in 2017.
Cultural references
A visit to Melrose Castle inspired mystery writer Mary Roberts Rinehart to write her bestselling novel The Circular Staircase (1908).
References