RED HILL 



EVERAL places in Virginia can claim the honor 

 of having been at one time the residence of Patrick 

 Henry but it was at Red Hill, in Charlotte County, 

 that he spent the latter years of his life and which 

 is his last resting place. 



There are two approaches to Red Hill, one 

 over the highlands, the other through the lowgrounds. The road 

 over the ridge, through the woods, leads to what appears to be 

 the front entrance, as the lawn on the north side is shady and in- 

 viting, being rather densely planted with a row of cedars along the 

 fence, groups of spreading osage orange trees, several locusts, and 

 hedges of tree-box. But the red clay road, like a deep gash in the 

 hill from which the place was named, continues to the right and 

 follows the contour of the lawn, outlined by a hedge of Japan 

 quince, as far as the front gate, which faces south. 



The grounds are not extensive and vehicles stop outside the 

 gates. The front yard is as open to the sunlight as the rear is 

 shaded and secluded. 



Leaving the road, one passes between two stone capped brick 

 posts set in the boxwood hedge which borders the lawn, to uphold 

 a wrought-iron gate. A few feet from this gate stands a sun dial 

 from which extends direct to the house a most remarkable maze 

 of box. 



In front of the house, towards the east, in one of the circles 

 formed by the tree-box hedge, is a large, scraggly, old locust tree. 

 There was once another on the west under which it is said Patrick 

 Henry sat, on a summer day, with a can of water from a "cool 

 spring" and a gourd, playing his fiddle and enjoying the view of 

 the valley to the south. A large cedar and a pear tree are the only 

 other trees on the front lawn. 



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