Athlone Farm is directly off Hwy 151, a designated Virginia scenic highway. The property has beautiful grounds & historic outbuildings. Conveniently Located to breweries, hiking trails, Crabtree Falls, the Virginia Blue Ridge Railway Trail, vineyards, area Colleges and Universities, and more.
NOTE: This listing is for rental of Athlone Farm’s historic Cottage. Athlone’s 6500-square foot home is also available for rent. The House sleeps up to 18 people and is perfect for families, retreats, and other special events. Go here for details: https://www.vrbo.com/3354530
ATHLONE’S STORY:
Athlone’s lands first became a working Virginia farm sometime between 1751 and 1815. The Athlone Farm Homestead, together with its spacious home and 10 historic outbuildings, sits on 31 acres of the estate and reflects the lifestyles and activities of Virginia’s farmstead developments during the second half of the 19th century.
ATHLONE’S COTTAGE:
Athlone Farm’s 19th century brick kitchen is located in the rear yard of the house. It’s where our forefathers cooked large meals away from the main house for fear of fire. It is a charming, hidden gem perfect for couples, honeymooners, anniversaries, and for those seeking unique travel destinations.
The Cottage is a one story, 800 square foot brick building with a distinctive living room, well-equipped kitchen, full shower/tub bath, charming bedroom, and a tiny, quiet reading loft. It offers wireless internet service and streaming TV.
The Cottage’s comfortable living room features a full-sized sleep sofa and a huge brick fireplace. (The steps to the reading loft are steep and not suitable for small children.)
The Cottage can sleep up to 4 people (including the full-sized sleep sofa in the living room) and features a small, private outdoor patio. There is ample paved parking and self-check-in. We offer excellent amenities to all guests.
ATHLONE’S GROUNDS:
Athlone’s setting is rural, peaceful and quiet, but also extremely well located to take advantage of numerous area activities—hiking and biking trails, local breweries and wineries, restaurants, historic sites, and colleges and universities. (See below for details.)
For early risers, there is nothing more peaceful than sitting on the patio with a cup of coffee, watching the sun come up in the East, while the cows graze in the pasture.
Cottage guests can also enjoy easy outdoor grilling at the back of the house’s shared grill. The family’s striking brick and iron memorial garden also offers shared patio visits and a gas firepit for late night story telling.
ATHLONE’S HISTORIC OUTBUILDINGS:
Athlone Farm features 10 unique historic outbuildings that date from the early 1800’s to 1940:
-- The property’s original, early 19th century brick kitchen (this listing).
-- The original fieldstone ash house, where cooking and other ashes were stored for use in making soaps and starting new fires.
-- Three late-nineteenth-century hay barns, some made from hand hewn posts and logs.
-- A late-nineteenth-century frame smokehouse.
--A framed corncrib, with a steep-pitched roof and slanted sides, allowing rain to run off away from the building to keep the corn dry.
-- A stable and a feed barn.
-- “Jenny’s House,” a single room, rustic wood structure.
NOTE: For your safety and in compliance with our insurance coverage, we are unable to grant you access into Athlone’s secured historic outbuildings. In addition, the fenced livestock in our fields are valuable and part of a private agricultural operation. They should not be disturbed or approached.
ATHLONE FARM IS CONVENIENTLY LOCATED:
-- 3 miles from the Rose Mill trailhead of the Virginia Blue Ridge Railway Trail
-- 4 miles from the Winton Country Club golf course
-- 5 miles from Saunders Brothers Farm Market
-- 9 miles to the Town of Amherst
-- 11 miles to Loose Shoe Brewing Company and Trapezium Brewing Company
-- 11 miles to Sweet Briar College
-- 18 miles to hiking at Crabtree Falls
-- 22 miles to Wintergreen Ski resort
-- 28 miles from Liberty University and Lynchburg College
-- An easy drive to areas of major interest including Monticello, Appomattox Court House, Charlottesville, Natural Bridge, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Longwood University as well as to scenic byways, the James River, local wineries, breweries, distilleries, restaurants and other historic homes and sites.