Stoneleigh, the former abode of Governor

Thomas B. Stanley Thomas Bahnson Stanley (July 16, 1890 – July 10, 1970) was an American politician, furniture manufacturer and Holstein cattle breeder. A Democrat and member of the Byrd Organization, Stanley served in a number of different political offices ...

, began its construction in 1929 and it was completed in 1932. It was built in the

Tudor Revival Tudor Revival architecture (also known as mock Tudor in the UK) first manifested itself in domestic architecture in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the 19th century. Based on revival of aspects that were perceived as Tudor architecture ...

-style and crafted out of stone from the nearby Smith River. Stanley inhabited this 25-room mansion until his death in 1970, after which his children took ownership. They donated the house to

Ferrum College , mottoeng = Not Self, But Others , established = , type = Private college , president = David L. Johns , city = Ferrum, Virginia , country = U.S. , c ...

in 1980 In 1993 Bill and Barbara Topa had plans on making Stoneleigh into a four-star lodging and dining facility when they purchased the home in 1993. The Topas' plan did not get completed, and in 1998 Kevin and Whitney Witasick bought Stoneleigh for 800,000. The couple's ownership of the estate was cut short when Mr. Witasack was charged with tax evasion, tax perjury, and failing to file a tax return when he lied about using the home for business purposes. In 2010, Stoneleigh was again sold but this time to Citimortgage, a New York mortgage company, for 1.12 million dollars. When Citimortgage purchased the grounds, a North Carolina liability company filed a lawsuit against the New York company, claiming they breached contracts with the company to buy the Estate. The estate went up for auction on September 27, 2014. It is now privately owned but operated as a bed and breakfast, and can be rented in its entirety.

References

{{National Register of Historic Places in Virginia Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia Tudor Revival architecture in Virginia Houses completed in 1932 Houses in Henry County, Virginia National Register of Historic Places in Henry County, Virginia Ferrum College