Where do these stairs go?
The staircase installed at Agecroft Hall is from Warwick Priory, the façade of which was used by Alexander and Virginia Weddell in building Virginia House. Warwick Priory sold piecemeal at auction and the staircase sold separately from the façade that the Weddells purchased. The priory staircase was located while Virginia House was being built in the 1920s and the entire staircase was purchased, but it was far too large for the Weddells house in Richmond, VA. The “leftovers” were offered to T.C. Williams, Jr., during the rebuilding of Agecroft Hall. This staircase is much grander than that which was originally at Agecroft, and it was purchased and installed in the main hallway of Agecroft Hall.
The staircase is made of oak and the newel posts and baluster panels are each carved from one piece of wood. The strap work panel between each post consists of interlaced bands reminiscent of leather thongs. This design became popular mainly in Northern Europe, especially in the Netherlands. One of the newel posts lifts up and reveals a secret hiding place underneath, though we ask that you please not try to lift up the newel posts while on tour!
Portions of the original Agecroft Hall staircase can be seen in the upper level rooms, as parts of the railings were repurposed into radiator covers.
