Page 431 [431]
OCR
REDLANDS sy DLANDS, belonging to the Misses Polly Coles sa and Sally Randolph Carter, is situated in Albeiy | Za marle County on a high hill at the southern end SND, be : ; Set) | Of a range of mountains known as Carter's MounVI tains; on the northern end of this little range of It is rather interesting that there are marked similarities between the interior plans of these two houses, a fact to be accounted for by the intimate friendship which connected the original owners and their families. Redlands, on its high hill, overlooks a fair and smiling country which stretches on one side to the ever beautiful and poetic curves of the Blue Ridge, and spreads on the front to the far extended, rolling, wooded plateau, which for thirty miles or more stretches its length through Albemarle and Fluvanna counties. It overlooks the “Big Woods,” home of the partridges and wild turkeys, and, with its far extended sweep and beauty, seems to challenge the imagination of all who see it through the blue, sunlit, misty veil peculiar to these foothills. The house was built in 1789 by Robert Carter, son of Edward Carter, of Blenheim, the younger brother of Charles Carter, of Shirley, and grandson of Robert Carter, of Corotoman, who was known as ‘‘King Carter.” Robert Carter inherited the southern portion of his father’s large landed estate in Albemarle County, and on his marriage to Miss Mary Eliza Coles (known to her family and friends as Polly), of Enniscorthy, he began the erection of the dwelling. Together they laid out the lawn and garden and the latter still retains the original plan on which it was designed in 1798. Like many Virginia and English gardens, that at Redlands was a combination of vegetable and flower garden; it was and 1s laid 1268]
