Rokeby, also known as La Bergerie, is a historic estate and federally recognized

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains historic building, older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal p ...

located at

Barrytown Barrytown (originally known as Seventeen Mile Beach and Fosbery) is a town in the West Coast Region, West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island. Barrytown sits on and is north of Runanga, New Zealand, Runanga, on the Barrytown Flats. Puna ...

Dutchess County, New York Dutchess County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 295,911. The county seat is the city of Poughkeepsie. The county was created in 1683, one of New York's first twelve counties, and later o ...

, United States. It includes seven contributing buildings and one contributing structure.

History

The original section of the main house was built 1811–1815. Construction was interrupted by the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

when

John Armstrong Jr. John Armstrong Jr. (November 25, 1758April 1, 1843) was an American soldier, diplomat and statesman who was a delegate to the Continental Congress, U.S. Senator from New York, and United States Secretary of War under President James Madison. A m ...

(1758-1843), the owner, served as a Brigadier General, Minister to France, and later as

US Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the President of the United States, U.S. president's United States Cabinet, Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's Presidency of George Washington, administration. A similar position, called either "Sec ...

under

James Madison James Madison (June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison was popularly acclaimed as the ...

.La Bergerie/Rokeby
/ref> When the British burned Washington DC in 1814, Armstrong received much of the blame, as he had previously insisted that the British would not attack Washington and failed to properly provide for the defense of the city; he consequently retired to finish building his estate on the

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

in 1815. The Armstrongs originally called their home "La Bergerie," French for "the sheepfold," as they were raising a large herd of

Merino sheep The Merino is a list of sheep breeds, breed or group of breeds of domestic sheep, characterised by very fine soft wool. It was established in Spain near the end of the Middle Ages, and was for several centuries kept as a strict Spanish monop ...

which had been a gift from

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

. In 1818, Armstrong's daughter, Margaret Rebecca, married William Backhouse Astor, Sr. (1795–1875), son and main heir of

John Jacob Astor John Jacob Astor (born Johann Jakob Astor; July 17, 1763 – March 29, 1848) was a German-born American businessman, merchant, real estate mogul, and investor. Astor made his fortune mainly in a fur trade monopoly, by exporting History of opiu ...

. In 1836, William Astor purchased the 728-acre estate from his father-in-law for $50,000. The portion of the property containing the Mudder Kill is said to have reminded Margaret Astor of the glen in

Sir Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...

's epic poem, '' Rokeby,'' and she changed the estate's name from "La Bergerie" to "Rokeby."

Description

Evidence suggests that the overall plan was designed by John Armstrong himself.John Poppeliers (1973) "La Bergerie/Rokeby, River Road, Barrytown Vicinity, Dutchess County, New York: Photographs, Historical & Descriptive Data
Historic American Buildings Survey, National Park Service, Department of the Interior, Washington, D. C. It started as a rectangular, 2-story structure with a

hipped roof A hip roof, hip-roof or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downward to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope, with variants including tented roofs and others. Thus, a hipped roof has no gables or other vertical sides ...

topped by a square, pyramidal-roofed

cupola In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, usually dome-like structure on top of a building often crowning a larger roof or dome. Cupolas often serve as a roof lantern to admit light and air or as a lookout. The word derives, via Ital ...

. The house had a three-bay front facade with five-bay side elevations in the

Federal style Federal-style architecture is the name for the classical architecture built in the United States following the American Revolution between 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815, which was influenced heavily by the works of And ...

. There is a central entrance and interior hall which opens into three rooms on each side, and a curved staircase was located at the back of this hall. The staircase returned and entered a rectangular hall with a large skylight (known as a

clerestory A clerestory ( ; , also clearstory, clearstorey, or overstorey; from Old French ''cler estor'') is a high section of wall that contains windows above eye-level. Its purpose is to admit light, fresh air, or both. Historically, a ''clerestory' ...

) on the second floor. The four front bedrooms were accessed from this hall. There was originally a second straight staircase that led from grade to an elaborate door with sidelights on the second floor which was open to the main hall. Due to later alterations, this feature is now completely enclosed. On the other side of the door there is now a small vestibule, an arched passage, and a small flight of stairs descending to the main staircase. It features a

Palladian window Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Republic of Venice, Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetr ...

on the southeast face of the second story. A -story addition constructed of

fieldstone Fieldstone is a naturally occurring type of stone, which lies at or near the surface of the Earth. Fieldstone is a nuisance for farmers seeking to expand their land under cultivation, but at some point it began to be used as a construction mate ...

was built about 1816. In the mid-19th century William Backhouse Astor enlarged the house from 20 rooms to 48, in brick with

brownstone Brownstone is a brown Triassic–Jurassic sandstone that was historically a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States and Canada to refer to a townhouse clad in this or any other aesthetically similar material. Ty ...

trim, with a semi-octagonal tower on the west side, a north wing, and a third floor throughout the building. Numerous additions were made between 1857–1858. These include the front columned veranda and brownstone

Renaissance Revival Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th-century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of ...

staircase. The

mansard roof A mansard or mansard roof (also called French roof or curb roof) is a multi-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterised by two slopes on each of its sides, with the lower slope at a steeper angle than the upper, and often punctured by dormer wi ...

, tower, and service wing were also additions from this period. The spectacular

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

library contained within the tower is reminiscent of the work of

Alexander Jackson Davis Alexander Jackson Davis (July 24, 1803 – January 14, 1892) was an American architect known particularly for his association with the Gothic Revival style. Education Davis was born in New York City and studied at the American Academ ...

. Architect and Chanler family friend

Stanford White Stanford White (November 9, 1853 – June 25, 1906) was an American architect and a partner in the architectural firm McKim, Mead & White, one of the most significant Beaux-Arts firms at the turn of the 20th century. White designed many houses ...

was hired to enlarge the west drawing room and to install the clerestory in 1895. A sun porch was added in the 1920s."Inside Rokeby House," ''The New York Times,'' July 22, 2010, p. D1.
/ref> The landscaping was improved about 1846 by Hans Jacob Ehlers, who removed a nearby hill to permit a view of the Hudson River. In 1911 the

Olmsted Brothers The Olmsted Brothers company was a Landscape architecture, landscape architectural firm in the United States, established in 1898 by brothers John Charles Olmsted (1852–1920) and Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. (1870–1957), sons of the landscape ar ...

enlarged the flower gardens and planted an apple orchard. The property also includes a pair of clapboarded wood-frame barns, additional stables (built about 1850 and destroyed by fire), greenhouse (converted to a garage in 1910, then to a residence in 1965), the square brick gardener's cottage, and a -story

gatehouse A gatehouse is a type of fortified gateway, an entry control point building, enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a town, religious house, castle, manor house, or other fortification building of importance. Gatehouses are typically the most ...

. Additionally, there is a brick stable designed by

McKim, Mead & White McKim, Mead & White was an American architectural firm based in New York City. The firm came to define architectural practice, urbanism, and the ideals of the American Renaissance in ''fin de siècle'' New York. The firm's founding partners, Cha ...

, and a private docking facility. ''See also:''

Residents

John Armstrong Jr. lived at Rokeby following his retirement in 1814 until his death at home in 1843, and is buried in the cemetery in Rhinebeck. William and Rebecca Astor's daughter Emily married

Samuel Cutler Ward Samuel Cutler Ward (January 27, 1814 — May 19, 1884), was an American poet, politician, author, and gourmet, and in the years after the Civil War he was widely known as the "King of the Lobby." He combined delicious food, fine wines, and good ...

, brother of

Julia Ward Howe Julia Ward Howe ( ; May 27, 1819 – October 17, 1910) was an American author and poet, known for writing the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" as new lyrics to an existing song, and the original 1870 pacifist Mothers' Day Proclamation. She w ...

. Their daughter, Margaret Astor Ward (1838-1875) married

John Winthrop Chanler John Winthrop Chanler (September 14, 1826 – October 19, 1877) was a New York lawyer and a U.S. Representative from New York. He was a member of the Dudley–Winthrop family and married Margaret Astor Ward, a member of the Astor family. Early li ...

(1826-1877). The house was later home to the Astor Orphans, the children of John and Margaret, both of whom died of pneumonia. They left instructions that their ten children were to be raised at Rokeby. Most of them grew up to become well known in politics or the arts. John Winthrop Chanler's will provided $20,000 a year for each child for life (equivalent to $470,563 in 2018 dollars), enough to live comfortably by the standards of the time. They included: * John Armstrong "Archie" Chanler (1862-1935), who married and later divorced novelist Amélie Louise RivesDonna M. Lucey, ''Archie and Amélie: Love and Madness in the Gilded Age''. New York: Harmony Books, 2007.
. *

Winthrop Astor Chanler Winthrop Astor Chanler (October 14, 1863 – August 24, 1926) was an American sportsman and soldier who fought in the Spanish–American War and World War I. Chanler, a descendant of many prominent American families including the Dudley–Winthr ...

(1863-1926), who served in the

Rough Riders The Rough Riders was a nickname given to the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish–American War and the only one to see combat. The United States Army was small, understaffed, and diso ...

in Cuba Rice, Wallace, editor. ''Heroic Deeds in Our War with Spain: An Episodic History of the Fighting of 1898 on Sea and Shore'', G.M. Hill, 1898.
/ref> and was wounded at the

Battle of Tayacoba The Battle of Tayacoba, June 30, 1898, (also spelled Tayabacao) was an American special operations effort to land supplies and reinforcements to Cuban rebels fighting for their independence in the Spanish–American War. Background On June 25 ...

*Emily Astor Chanler (1864-1872), who died of

scarlet fever Scarlet fever, also known as scarlatina, is an infectious disease caused by ''Streptococcus pyogenes'', a Group A streptococcus (GAS). It most commonly affects children between five and 15 years of age. The signs and symptoms include a sore ...

* Elizabeth Astor Winthrop Chanler (1866-1937), who married author

John Jay Chapman John Jay Chapman (March 2, 1862 – November 4, 1933) was an American writer. Early life Chapman was born in New York City on March 2, 1862. He was a son of Henry Grafton Chapman Jr. (1833–1883), a broker who became president of the New York St ...

* William Astor Chanler (1867-1934), soldier, politician and explorer who married actress Minnie Ashley. *Marion Ward Chanler (1868-1883), who died of pneumonia *

Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler (September 24, 1869, in Newport, Rhode Island – February 28, 1942, in New York City) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the lieutenant governor of New York from 1907 to 1908. Early life He was the ...

(1869-1942), politician who married

Julia Lynch Olin Julia Lynch Olin (October 21, 1882 – March 11, 1961) was an American author and Baháʼí who co-founded the New History Society in New York City, and was later expelled from the religion by Shoghi Effendi around 1939. Through marriage, she ...

(1882–1961). *

Margaret Livingston Chanler Margaret Livingston Aldrich, also known as Angel of Puerto Rico ( Chanler; October 31, 1870 – March 19, 1963), was an American philanthropist, poet, nurse, and woman's suffrage advocate and prominent member of the Astor family. She was primari ...

(1870-1963), who served as a nurse with the

American Red Cross The American National Red Cross is a Nonprofit organization, nonprofit Humanitarianism, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. Clara Barton founded ...

during the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

and who married Richard Aldrich (1863–1937) *

Robert Winthrop Chanler Robert Winthrop Chanler (February 22, 1872 – October 24, 1930) was an American artist and member of the Astor family, Astor and Thomas Dudley, Dudley–Winthrop families. A designer and muralist, Chanler received much of his art training in Fra ...

(1872-1930), artist who married and later divorced Natalina "Lina" Cavalieri (1874–1944) *Alida Beekman Chanler (1873-1969) who married

Christopher Temple Emmet Christopher Temple Emmet (1761 – February 1788) was an Irish barrister and poet, born into a well-connected, but politically radical, Ascendancy family. Early life Emmet was born at Cork in 1761. He was the eldest son of Elizabeth (née M ...

. * Egerton White Chanler (1874–1882), who died of a brain tumor As the eldest son, John Armstrong Chanler inherited the property with all its stock, books, pictures, furniture, and personal property, on his twenty-first birthday in 1883, along with $100,000 (equivalent to $2,352,813 in 2018 dollars) for its maintenance, however after his marriage began to disintegrate, he moved to

Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Roanoke Rapids () is a city in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 15,229 at the 2020 census and is the largest community in Halifax County. It is the principal city of the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical ...

. By agreement of the siblings, Margaret Livingston Chanler bought their shares in the estate during the 1890s. Her grandson Richard Aldrich inherited the estate upon her death in 1963. It is currently owned by the Aldrich family. In 2013, former resident and Astor heiress Alexandra Aldrich (great-granddaughter of Margaret Livingston Chanler) published '' The Astor Orphan'', a memoir set at Rokeby.The Astor Orphan: A Memoir
''Publishers Weekly'', 12/24/2012 The house is currently the home to various artists and writers, including Processional Arts Workshop. It is also the site of the Shoving Leopard organic farm. Ragnar Kjartansson's ' 'The Visitors'' (2012), an approximately hour-long video-performance, was filmed on location at Rokeby. Rokeby was the site of an earlier 2007 piece by Kjartansson, titled ''The Blossoming Trees Performance'', during which he recorded himself as a

plein air ''En plein air'' (; French for 'outdoors'), or plein-air painting, is the act of painting outdoors. This method contrasts with studio painting or academic rules that might create a predetermined look. The theory of 'En plein air' painting is c ...

painter for two days.Ragnar Kjartansson, "The Blossoming Trees Performance," i8 Gallery, 2008
/ref> The estate has also been used by other artists, due to the unique interiors of the main house on the property.

Heritage significance

It was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1975.

Gallery

Photos of La Bergerie by Mark Zeek, 1979. File:SOUTHWEST (FRONT) FACADE, LOOKING NORTH - La Bergerie, River Road, Barrytown, Dutchess County, NY HABS NY,14-BARTO.V,2-8.tif, Front facade of the house, facing north File:NORTHEAST FRONT FACADE - La Bergerie, River Road, Barrytown, Dutchess County, NY HABS NY,14-BARTO.V,2-12.tif, Northeast facade File:La Bergerie, River Road, Barrytown, Dutchess County, NY HABS NY,14-BARTO.V,2- (sheet 8 of 11).tif, The house received a library with tower, mansard roof and service wing in 1857–1858. File:TOWER DETAIL - La Bergerie, River Road, Barrytown, Dutchess County, NY HABS NY,14-BARTO.V,2-13.tif, Library tower File:ASTOR LIBRARY (TOWER) LOOKING NORTHEAST ACROSS ROOM - La Bergerie, River Road, Barrytown, Dutchess County, NY HABS NY,14-BARTO.V,2-44.tif, Library interior File:ASTOR LIBRARY (TOWER) CEILING, LOOKING NORTHEAST - La Bergerie, River Road, Barrytown, Dutchess County, NY HABS NY,14-BARTO.V,2-43.tif, Library tower ceiling. File:DRAWING ROOM, NORTHEAST VIEW - La Bergerie, River Road, Barrytown, Dutchess County, NY HABS NY,14-BARTO.V,2-27.tif, Drawing Room, northeast view. File:DINING ROOM, LOOKING SOUTHEAST - La Bergerie, River Road, Barrytown, Dutchess County, NY HABS NY,14-BARTO.V,2-30.tif, Dining Room, looking southeast. File:FIRST FLOOR STAIR HALL, ENTRANCE - La Bergerie, River Road, Barrytown, Dutchess County, NY HABS NY,14-BARTO.V,2-20.tif, First floor stair hallway entrance. File:La Bergerie, River Road, Barrytown, Dutchess County, NY HABS NY,14-BARTO.V,2- (sheet 1 of 11).tif File:LIGHT MONITOR, SECOND FLOOR, OVER STAIR - La Bergerie, River Road, Barrytown, Dutchess County, NY HABS NY,14-BARTO.V,2-22.tif,

Clerestory A clerestory ( ; , also clearstory, clearstorey, or overstorey; from Old French ''cler estor'') is a high section of wall that contains windows above eye-level. Its purpose is to admit light, fresh air, or both. Historically, a ''clerestory' ...

over the second floor stairway

References

External links

Slideshow showing Rokeby and its residents in 2010.

Aerial views of Rokeby and the estate grounds

Interior Pictures: La Bergerie/Rokeby Mansion Barrytown New York

Life Inside Astor Family's Crumbling Country Manor

Hudson River Shorts: A brief video tour of Rokeby Farm in Barrytown, NY.
{{National Register of Historic Places in New York Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state) National Register of Historic Places in Dutchess County, New York Historic districts in Dutchess County, New York Houses in Red Hook, New York Astor family residences Chanler family