Brandywine Meadows Farm/ Radley Run Country Club Walking Tour

A walk back in time to the grandeur of a Quaker farm turned Fox-hunting estate in the picturesque Brandywine Valley.

Brandywine Meadows Farm/ Radley Run Country Club Walking Tour

West Chester, Pennsylvania 19382, United States

Created By: Sarah Mims

Tour Information

The buildings currently under the stewardship of Radley Run Country Club collectively occupy a unique niche in Chester County’s history. Three of the buildings (the Samuel Painter, Jr. House, the Springhouse/Lye House, and the James Painter House - the original part of the Mansion House) were standing and in use during the Battle of the Brandywine in 1777 and almost certainly witnessed some of the significant events surrounding the battle. Two of the buildings (the Kennelman’s and Huntsman’s Houses) are significant components of the early 20th century transformation of the property from a working dairy farm to a country estate that headquartered one of the county’s most prestigious fox hunts. And while the Forebay Stone Barn (Clubhouse) has undergone many alterations during the last half-century, Charles Mather’s early twentieth century conversion of the barn to a stable for hunting horses still is very much in evidence at the east lower entrance.

Radley Run Country Club’s buildings are steeped in history. Currently, the Club’s real property consists of five primary buildings and one stabilized ruin, each of which has historic value.


Tour Map

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What You'll See on the Tour

The original barn on the property was built in the 18th century and supported early life of the Painter family. The early fulling mill and weaving equipment created finished materials that were stored in the early barn until they were loade... Read more
Charles Mather was originally Master of the Radnor Hunt and one of the outstanding fox hunting enthusiasts of the country. Partly due to a disagreement with Radnor Hunt’s decision to change their hounds from English to American he purchas... Read more
The dimensions of the northern core of the Springhouse/Lye House (18 by 15 feet) roughly correspond to those noted in a 1750 tax assessment for a springhouse on the Samuel Painter property. This springhouse core is a banked one story struc... Read more
The Collier/ Forsythe house is a 2-and-one-half story, 8-bay dwelling with a wood-framed gable roof. The original core of the home is the 3-bay section on the right end which was constructed in 1738 by James and Mary Collier. The property w... Read more
By the mid 19th century many Chester County farms had converted into the dairy business. With the introduction of the railroad and the introduction of the cream separator, creameries sprang up throughout the rural areas. These creameries we... Read more
Based on tax assessments for 1748 and 1750 that show a dramatic increase in Samuel Painter's tax rate, it is almost certain that in 1749 Samuel and his wife Esther built the small stone house now located at the intersection of present day ... Read more
The James Painter House was constructed in several episodes, with the original house built in 1770 by James Painter (one of three sons of Samuel Painter) and his wife Jane. The original house measured 30 by 30 feet, was two stories in heigh... Read more
In 1901, Philadelphia Architect Charles Barton Keen designed Mather’s additions to the property including the Formal Gardens that were built over the area of Painter’s Carriage House. The stone columns and retaining wall carry the arc... Read more

 

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