Would you believe that even ruins can whisper tales of beauty and happiness? That’s exactly what Belvoir Manor does. The name Belvoir translates from French to “beautiful to see”. George Washington considered it one of the most beautiful seats on the river.
Belvoir Manor was once the estate of the prominent Fairfax family. It sat on the west bank of the Potomac River. This was between Accotink Bay and Dogue Creek. Belvoir was four miles downstream from Mount Vernon. Young George Washington developed lifelong friendships here. He made important social connections. He also experienced some of the happiest times of his life here at Belvoir.
In 1741, Colonel William Fairfax moved his family into their new home. George Washington described the Belvoir mansion house as being made of brick. It was two stories high. The mansion had four convenient rooms and a large passage on the lower floor. Five rooms and a passage were on the second floor. A servants hall and cellars were below. Convenient offices, stables, and a coach house adjoined. There was also a large, well-furnished garden. It stored a great variety of valuable fruits in good order.
When Lawrence Washington married Ann Fairfax in 1743, eleven-year-old George Washington became a welcome guest at Belvoir. He became a steady foxhunting companion. His companions were the Colonel and his resident cousin, Lord Thomas Fairfax. When Colonel Fairfax died at Belvoir in September 1757, George Washington attended the funeral. William Fairfax was interred beside his wife Deborah on the grounds of the Belvoir estate.
After Colonel Fairfax’s death, his eldest son George William Fairfax inherited Belvoir. He and his wife Sally frequently hosted the Washingtons. This happened after George and Martha married. They settled next door at Mount Vernon in the spring of 1759.
On July 9, 1773, George and Martha Washington visited the Fairfaxes at Belvoir for the last time. George William and his wife were returning to England. They intended to pursue a complex inheritance suit. They left Washington with power of attorney. He was to oversee their interests in Virginia.
By the following January, George William didn’t expect to return to Virginia. He gave Washington instructions regarding the sale of the furniture at Belvoir. At the auction on August 5, 1774, Washington spent £169. He purchased a variety of items. These included furniture, carpets, curtains, candlesticks, and “a bust of the Immortal shakespear.” Following a second sale in December, the house was rented to the Reverend Andrew Morton for seven years.
In 1783, the mansion at Belvoir was destroyed in a fire. Two years later, Washington viewed the site. He informed his old friend George William Fairfax of the state of the once beautiful home. He reported that the whole Belvoir estate was or soon would be a heap of ruin.
Washington said that he was obliged to fly from Belvoir. He came home with painful sensations. He was sorrowing for the contrast between what was and what had been. Though time and fire have taken their toll, Belvoir’s legacy of beauty and friendship remains. It reminds us that even in ruins, the happiest moments can leave an indelible mark.