Whitehall Museum House
Encyclopedia
Whitehall Museum House is the farmhouse modified by Dean George Berkeley
, when he lived in the northern section of Newport, Rhode Island
that comprises present-day Middletown, Rhode Island
in 1729-31, while working to open his planned St Paul's College on Bermuda
. It is also known as Berkeley House or Bishop George Berkeley House and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1970.
arrived by ship in the harbor of Newport, Rhode Island
on Thursday, 23 January 1729. The Rev'd James Honyman, minister of Trinity Church, Newport, Rhode Island welcomed Berkeley and the group that accompanied him, inviting him to stay in his home in Newport until he could find accommodation elsewhere. In February 1729, Berkeley purchased a 96 acres (388,498.6 m²) farm with a small house on it, adjacent to Honeyman's own farm. Berkeley enlarged the house to his own design and named it "Whitehall
," as he wrote "in loyal remembrance of the palace of the English Kings from Henry VIII
to James II
. During the period he lived in this house, he wrote his book Alciphron and occasionally preached for Rev'd Honeyman at nearby Trinity Church and for Rev'd James McSparran
at the St Paul's Church, Wickord (The Old Narragansett Church
). In Newport, he founded the Philosophical Society, which eventually developed into the Redwood Library. Berkeley wrote to his friend Thomas Prior of Dublin, Ireland that Newport 'exhibited some of the softest rural and grandest ocean scenery in the world'.
While living at Whitehall, his wife, Anne gave birth to their eldest son, Henry, and to a daughter, Lucia, who died in infancy and was buried in the churchyard at Trinity Church on 5 September 1731. On his departure in September 1731, Berkeley donated his library and the Whitehall property to Yale University
, with the stipulation that the income from the property would be used to support three scholars at Yale.
After his return, Berkeley commissioned the London organ-maker, Richard Bridge
to provide an organ to Trinity Church, which was installed in 1733.
By 1743, the Whitehall farmhouse was being operated as an inn. The traveler Dr. Alexander Hamilton described a visit to the inn during that year in his Itinerarium, when he was served by a daughter of the proprietor, a grandfather of the future artist Gilbert Stuart
. Yale University leased the property for many years as an inn, but, by the late nineteenth century, it had fallen into derelicit condition. In 1899, the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
obtained a 999-year lease on the property, and in 1936, commissioned the noted restoration architect Norman Isham
to restore two rooms.
The Colonial Dames
in Rhode Island maintain the house and garden, which is furnished with period pieces and opened for tours on a limited basis during the summer months, when it is also used by acoomodation for scholars specializing in studies on Berkeley.
George Berkeley
George Berkeley , also known as Bishop Berkeley , was an Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called "immaterialism"...
, when he lived in the northern section of Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
that comprises present-day Middletown, Rhode Island
Middletown, Rhode Island
Middletown is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 16,150 at the 2010 census. It lies to the south of Portsmouth and to the north of Newport on Aquidneck Island, hence the name "Middletown."-Geography:...
in 1729-31, while working to open his planned St Paul's College on Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. It is also known as Berkeley House or Bishop George Berkeley House and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1970.
History
George BerkeleyGeorge Berkeley
George Berkeley , also known as Bishop Berkeley , was an Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called "immaterialism"...
arrived by ship in the harbor of Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
on Thursday, 23 January 1729. The Rev'd James Honyman, minister of Trinity Church, Newport, Rhode Island welcomed Berkeley and the group that accompanied him, inviting him to stay in his home in Newport until he could find accommodation elsewhere. In February 1729, Berkeley purchased a 96 acres (388,498.6 m²) farm with a small house on it, adjacent to Honeyman's own farm. Berkeley enlarged the house to his own design and named it "Whitehall
Palace of Whitehall
The Palace of Whitehall was the main residence of the English monarchs in London from 1530 until 1698 when all except Inigo Jones's 1622 Banqueting House was destroyed by fire...
," as he wrote "in loyal remembrance of the palace of the English Kings from Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
to James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
. During the period he lived in this house, he wrote his book Alciphron and occasionally preached for Rev'd Honeyman at nearby Trinity Church and for Rev'd James McSparran
James McSparran
James McSparran QC , was an Irish nationalist politician.McSparran was born in Glasgow to an Irish family He studied at St Mungo's Academy, Glasgow, then St Malachy's College in Belfast, Queen's University of Belfast, and the National University of Ireland.McSparran was appointed to the Irish Bar...
at the St Paul's Church, Wickord (The Old Narragansett Church
Old Narragansett Church
Old Narragansett Church, also known as Old St. Paul's Church and St. Paul's Episcopal Church, is a historic Episcopal church located at 60 Church Lane in Wickford, Rhode Island and is purported to be the oldest Episcopal church building in the Northeast.-History:The church congregation was founded...
). In Newport, he founded the Philosophical Society, which eventually developed into the Redwood Library. Berkeley wrote to his friend Thomas Prior of Dublin, Ireland that Newport 'exhibited some of the softest rural and grandest ocean scenery in the world'.
While living at Whitehall, his wife, Anne gave birth to their eldest son, Henry, and to a daughter, Lucia, who died in infancy and was buried in the churchyard at Trinity Church on 5 September 1731. On his departure in September 1731, Berkeley donated his library and the Whitehall property to Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, with the stipulation that the income from the property would be used to support three scholars at Yale.
After his return, Berkeley commissioned the London organ-maker, Richard Bridge
Richard Bridge
Richard Bridge or Bridges was a leading English organ-builder of the eighteenth century. In 1748 he was living in Hand Court, Holborn, London.-Works:...
to provide an organ to Trinity Church, which was installed in 1733.
By 1743, the Whitehall farmhouse was being operated as an inn. The traveler Dr. Alexander Hamilton described a visit to the inn during that year in his Itinerarium, when he was served by a daughter of the proprietor, a grandfather of the future artist Gilbert Stuart
Gilbert Stuart
Gilbert Charles Stuart was an American painter from Rhode Island.Gilbert Stuart is widely considered to be one of America's foremost portraitists...
. Yale University leased the property for many years as an inn, but, by the late nineteenth century, it had fallen into derelicit condition. In 1899, the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America is an American organization composed of women who are descended from an ancestor "who came to reside in an American Colony before 1750, and whose services were rendered during the Colonial Period." The national headquarters of the society is at...
obtained a 999-year lease on the property, and in 1936, commissioned the noted restoration architect Norman Isham
Norman Isham
Norman Morrison Isham was a prominent architectural historian, restorationist, author, and professor at Brown University and RISD.-Biography:...
to restore two rooms.
The Colonial Dames
The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America
The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America is an American organization composed of women who are descended from an ancestor "who came to reside in an American Colony before 1750, and whose services were rendered during the Colonial Period." The national headquarters of the society is at...
in Rhode Island maintain the house and garden, which is furnished with period pieces and opened for tours on a limited basis during the summer months, when it is also used by acoomodation for scholars specializing in studies on Berkeley.