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Voted
the best B&B by the readers of the An Old-Virginia Christmas....
Christmas Candles twinkle in the many windows o£ towering Linden House Plantation and gently lit the Essex County countryside. History of Linden House Plantation Fortunately, Linden was spared when Northern gunboats on the Rappahannock pounded the Essex County shores during the Civil War. This area of Virginia is called the "Land of Independence" because it is where the ideas of freedom were first voiced. It is the land of George Washington, James Monroe and James Madison, all three born in an area just across the Rappahannock River in an area known as the Northern Neck. 
Also prominent in the area was the Lee family of Stratford Hall. Four generations of Lees were born here including Richard Henry and his brother Francis Lightfoot, the only brothers to sign the Declaration of Independence. In 1807 another Lee was born, Robert E., who was destined to become the commanding officer of the Army of the Confederacy.A well-known area historian, Rev. Ralph Fall, who is a former rector of nearby Vauter's Church, notes that Buckingham Browne of London, England, came to Virginia in August of 1703 with his wife, mother and daughter. In 1719 he received a 1,265-acre grant in Essex County and "settled there where he lived out his days." This property that would become Linden was called an inland farm. According to the Virginia Landmarks Register, the present house was completed circa 1750 for Lewis Brown(e) who inherited the property from his father Merriday (Meredith) Brown(e), a planter and watchmaker. Merriday had donated two acres of land to Bishop Asbury for a Methodist meeting house. Fronted by the ancient linden trees that gave it its name, Linden found time more and more unkind as the 20th century reached the halfway mark. By the early 1970’s, the house was vacant; by the 1980’s, the exterior was seriously shabby, the interior had been partially gutted, although much of the early woodwork, including mantels, staircases and pine flooring, remained. The Restoration It was a daunting task, both outside and in. The grounds were devoid of landscaping, except for remnants of a terraced garden. Ken planted 650 trees and shrubs the first year. The couple's next project was a stable and fencing so they could bring their animals to Linden. In 1992 they built the Carriage House with a large ground-level porch overlooking the rolling pastures. Since Linden is a house of many stairs, the ground level accommodations at the Carriage House are convenient for the physically challenged. The next addition, in 1999, was the ballroom, designed for weddings, group seminars and other special events. It has an attached brick patio and fountain. 
Other amenities on the property include six porches, a gazebo surrounded by azaleas, walking trails, a stocked fishing pond and gardens. A terraced lawn with a path lined with boxwood leads to a pergola where weddings take place. The idea of a bed and breakfast had been a dream for several years before they found Linden House. They had lived on a farm so they needed enough land to bring their animals with them. It was on a trip to see their daughter in Williamsburg that they first saw the plantation. It had been sitting empty for more than 30 years and they knew it would take considerable talent to bring this two-and-a-half-century old home back to life.More than three tons of plaster and 185 gallons of paint went into the project. It also took years of restoration, numerous trips to area estate sales for furnishings and many family heirlooms to complete Linden House. The result is one of the finest bed and breakfasts in a historical setting that exists in the area. Today, the accommodations at Linden House Plantation are a mix of luxury, history and hospitality - down to the most minute details. The rooms, all with private baths and refrigerators, are furnished with 19th century antiques and reproductions.
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