“Westover” 
after the massacre referred to and that they date 
back to the early days of “Westover.” The house 
grounds are entered through a pair of gates which 
are among the best examples of hammered iron 
work of this kind to be found in the United States. 
An excellent view of this gateway is to be seen from 
the main hallway of the house as it has been placed 
directly in front of it. The gates, which were made 
in England, are supported by two massive stone 
pillars still in good condition. These pillars have 
been surmounted by eagles made out of lead. The 
“Westover,” it remained for his second son to make 
of it what was at that time probably the most noted 
home of the Colonies, since it was not only a salon 
where gathered the gentry and beauty of the South, 
but was a model for the agriculturist while it was a 
resort of the gentleman and sportsman as well as the 
patron of art and literature and had among its 
guests the most noted statesmen of the day. Spa¬ 
cious as was the house and ample as were its grounds, 
“Westover” was not too large for the brilliant com¬ 
pany which so frequently gathered beneath its roof. 
THE DINING-ROOM 
gates themselves are ornamented with the crest of 
the Byrd family which represents the martlet. 
It may be needless to say that the deeply interest¬ 
ing history of “Westover” is brought to mind wher¬ 
ever the visitor treads, either in-doors or out-of-doors, 
the massive walls of the house bringing to mind the 
home of the founder of the Byrd family who at 
“Belvidere” resided in a literal stronghold with his 
wife and children, guarded by a garrison of fifty men 
from the attacks of the savages. “Belvidere” was 
located in what is now the suburbs of the city of 
Richmond. While he built the original house at 
While the younger Byrd spent his childhood in 
Virginia, his education was completed in England 
and on the Continent both in school and by travel. 
When the death of his father in 1704 placed him in 
possession of “Westover,” Colonel Byrd, though 
but thirty years old, had that education and refine¬ 
ment which justly gained for him the title of “Wil¬ 
liam Byrd, Gentleman,” which clung to him until his 
death in 1744. During the forty years which he was 
the master of “Westover,” he gratified his tastes 
by collecting objects of art, not only for the decora¬ 
tion of his home but for beautifying the grounds. 
2 33 
