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You can trace the history of Dunnington Mansion all the way back to 1748, when Richard Woodson bought 1152 acres of land from King George. Now you’ll also be able to take a virtual tour of the historic home on your own. In late January, the Dunnington Mansion Foundation allowed Herald reporter Connor Thompson to walk through the property, filming things as he went. 

You can see the result right here below, with the ability to walk through rooms and get a chance to see things up close. Plus, Foundation director Heather Beach provides commentary during the trip, explaining what you’re seeing. 

Video by Connor Thompson

A bit of Dunnington Mansion history

And for those wondering what we’re talking about, here’s more detail about the property’s history.

Richard Woodson bought the land in 1748 and built the first structure on the property. Then the home, then called Poplar Hill, was passed down through the family before being sold to Capt. John Knight in 1860.

He left the mansion to his daughter and son-in-law, the Dunningtons. It was during this time, in 1897, that the current mansion was built. Dunnington extensively renovated the home, adding on four rooms, a massive tower and stately front entrance. This also changed the orientation of the house, switching from north/south to east/west. The front of the house now faces west.

After their death in 1960, the home was owned by the Bolt family until 2000. Then it changed hands several times after that, from 2000 to 2021. At that point, the Community Development Authority purchased the property to build the Manor Golf Course.  

But the money dried up, part of the property went into foreclosure and a portion was sold. While the golf course was built in 2004, the mansion has sat empty since. Roof problems have allowed nearly 20 years of rainwater to come in and damage many areas of the home.