rosewell ruins

Rosewell is quite unique in the fact that it is a site of maintained ruins versus a building one could walk through. Amazing history involved with this site and my wife and I have visited on a couple of occasions. However, our latest visit was a ghost walk back in October. It was very enjoyable and some of the stories told we had not heard before, plus the tour of the grounds was at night. Very interesting and highly recommend a visit.

Rosewell plantation is a great place to visit but there is misleading and conflicting info out there about how it is currently operating. We live right next to Rosewell and went there today with our kids. There may not have always been a fee to enter but the posted fees are currently $4.00 per adult and $2.00 for kids 12 and under - infants/toddlers are free. Posted both in the visitor center and at the gate to enter the ruins. However, we went today and were charged $3.00 per child instead of the posted $2.00- not sure why but did not question as they are usually closed in winter (did not know that either) but we were just lucky and there was a caretaker there. They could have turned us away but they did not so we did not hesitate about the fee. The site is apparently closed during the winter months and this is posted nowhere. So if you are planning on going, best to call ahead and make sure that it is open and inquire on fees, etc. so there are no surprises. It is a very interesting place to visit and our kids ages 10 and 12 really enjoyed it. The caretaker was nice and very knowledgeable and you could tell that she really cared about the place. My only disappointment was that the hours/fees, etc. are misleading as they are not posted on the foundation's website at all. For us, it would not have been that much of an inconvenience to return home if we could not see the ruins, but I could see how visitors coming from a long distance could be upset if they came a long distance only to have unexpected fees or closed doors during posted open hours.

Great place to visit and take in the history. Go during October and enjoy the Haunted Trails and ghost stories

Rosewell is the ruin of an old house that burnt down in the early 1900s. The visitor's center has a good display and short movie about the property's history. You drive to the ruin from the visitor center. You have the freedom to walk around and explore yourself. There is also a wooded trail to the old ice house site. This is a very good site to practice photography.Do be careful when coming to the site. You are literally driving on a one lane dirt road surrounded by soybean fields. It is easy to run into a ditch. Also, if you and another car are coming, one of you is going to have to back up. There is no room for error. Even the wooded trail to the ice house was sketchy. A branch actually fell on me. I would not bring young children here.The visitor center has restrooms with a small gift shop. The gift shop did not have typical items such as key chains and magnets. It has mostly books and print outs. There is no food for purchase. The admission as of August 2014 is $4 for an adult.

Very incorrect information in previous reviews, complaining the State of Virginia is charging $4.00 to enter this site...wow, the person was completely wrong and apparently did not even listen to the very complete explanation which was given at the site itself. So ignore this review.In fact, the site is fantastic, the historical explanations excellent, the gift shop fun and you could spend all day taking photographs. It is open every day except for Fridays and a few holidays. We loved it!!You do have to have a sense of the past, the way things change and remain the same, and an imagination. So if you don't have those, go to Disneyland.

I enjoyed looking at the ruins -- actually, more intact than I had imagined. The info posted at the site is helpful.

Went to see this attraction only to find out it doesn't open back up until April 1st. After reading signs on the visitors center they charge $4 per adult and $2 for children. It's a burned out shell of a house why is the state of VA charging? There's no upkeep. oh wait you built a visitors center and now you have to pay for that upkeep. Shame on you VA! Ridiculous!

Have been there several times but mainly to plant and restore the landscape. It is very erie and haunting. I really don't know the history. Just that we volunteered to clear out a lot of bush and help make it more presentable to visitors. There is a book about haunted places in Gloucester wonder if this is one of them.

We just like beautiful ruins. There is a visitor's center where you stop first. A video is presented. You can get from them a paper and take yourself on a self-guided tour of the ruins. If the weather is nice it's a good place to have a picnic under the shade trees.

I had not been back to Rosewell in many years. A lot of changes have been made to the grounds which were filled with brambles years ago. The ruins have been shored up and stabilized. The grounds are mowed. And there is a path to Carter's Creek. If you like colonial history, don't miss visiting. The ruins are quite haunting, harkening back to a grand time in Virginia history,

The trip to the ruin was a spur of the moment decision and glad we did it. It's not near the highway but don't get worried as you wander through the countryside. The visitor's center is nicely done with a short video and displays of the ruin. After the visit to the center, we continued down a dirt road to the ruin. There are partial walls of the original house with Virginia creeper vines growing throughout the ruin. It was interesting to imagine what life would have been like when the house was in its previous glory.

after living in this area for over 15 years, this was my first visit to the ruins. the visitor center was clean and orderly and the docent there was knowledgeable and polite.the ruins were screaming of spirits past- would love to visit after dark we took a picnic lunch and had a quiet, reflective, 2 hr visit. (your on your own time with no one hustling you along.i will return many times to this wonderful age old site. .

We have tried twice to visit Rosewell, but the opening day has changed, unbeknownst to their website. They need to let the public know of changes. I have not been there since the '60s, but I recall that it was a good site to explore.

My review of the Rosewell Ruins is somewhat mixed since on one hand there is no other place like this anywhere but in summary - it is a nearly three hundred year old building that is falling apart.Hmmm...I guess if you have at least a mild interest in history, an adventuresome spirit, an interesting in architectural photography, or just looking for something different - the Rosewell Ruins are for you! The area surrounding the ruins is quite large and kids can run around and enjoy some freedom. There is one particular area in the north-west corner of the building that goes underground into a cold-cellar or sorts - pretty cool.Since you are in the area make sure to follow the path on the southern end of the building going through the woods - after a hundred yards or so you will be on the shore of the York River. I have visited twice and park at the park office and walk down the road a quarter mile to the ruins. Not sure when they are open but the few times I have been there the office has been closed.Hey, this local attraction may not be for everyone but I would advise to read up on the history of the Rosewell Ruins prior to visiting and have a good time - there is nothing else like it!

Rosewell ruins is in Gloucester VA. We went on a off the beaten track excursion. We love that. This is a great place to find. Not easy to find, but if you like to find wonderful, historical places, it's wonderful. We do it all the time. Who wants to the key attractions, been there, done that. Let's do an adventure! This was great. The visitor museum had the best guide & so, so informative. Not alot, but satisfied the curiosity seeker. The ruins were amazing...could something like that exist? & is maintained. Nice side trip!