Down the James

Many apologies for that last post - in my defence, Colin did ask. Today went on a tour day - through Richmond and down to the James River. Accompanying me today was Naomi Wulf from the Sorbornne Nouvelle in Paris - what better way to clear up any problems I had with understanding the American constitution than to take a professor with me to explain? She was very patient and slowly pennies are beginning to drop - but I shall not start to discuss now. Not after that last post.

We first went to Richmond - I wanted to see inside the Virginia State Capitol. The Assembly had began meeting in this building in 1788 when Alexander was in Richmond, so he would have seen it being built as the corner stone was laid in 1785. Designed by Jefferson whilst he was in Paris and inspired by the Maison Carree in Nimes.

In the centre of the building is the Rotunda and in the centre of that is a statue of Washington. Jefferson sent Jean-Antoine Houdon to Mount Vernon in 1785 to meet with Washington. He then took detailed body measurements and made sketches. He coated Washington's face with oil and covered it in plaster to make a life mask. The completed life-sized statue stands at 6 foot 2 and was considered a perfect likeness when made. 

The State Capitol contains the Senate Chamber and the House Chamber - so I presume on days that debates etc are taking place, you can see what is going on.

 Next on to St John's Church - the scene of Patrick Henry's speech in 1775 that lit the torch ... you know the one.

 Very beautiful spot. Little remains of the interior of the original building, except for the top of the pulpit according to the interpreter - who suddenly burst into the speech which I wasn't expecting.

 Here's a weird thing - I took a picture of the top of the pulpit - the bit above the Minister - and when I looked at the picture close up, this face suddenly popped out at me.

 So this face was there in 1755 and heard the speech that lit the torch ...

Then drove further down the St James River to the Shirley Plantation. Very different from the land up around the hills at Monticello - this is cotton and soya beans plantations country - saw cotton in the fields. The Shirley Plantation has been in the same family for 11 generations - you can just see the James River behind the house. Had a tour of the ground floor - some very nice pieces of furniture and family portraits, amazing floating staircase and loads of pineapples everywhere - even one on the top of the building. All done up again around the time of Alexander's first visit - and the time that Lord Dunmore was Governor. As Colin pointed out, Dunmore must have felt at home after building the Dunmore Pineapple in Scotland before he came to Virginia - although I see that some historians suggest he did not build the pineapple until after he returned from Virginia, which would make more sense. Maybe this was the pineapple that inspired him?

This is one of the outhouses to the Shirely plantation. The inside of the house was definitely the highlight.