Brightly Bed and Breakfast

The patent to the land on which Brightly stands was issued in 1715. Brightly is a charming Greek Revival home built in 1842 by Dr. George Harris. It faces Rt. 6 which is said to have been used by the Iroquois Indians on their way to the river. It is thought to be the third structure occupying the site, the first two having burned. Many bricks and beams were salvaged and used in the present house. It is distinguished by high ceilings, a full English basement, 12" thick, brick walls, and molding copied from the Egyptian building at the Medical College of Virginia. It is surrounded by eight dependencies.Dependencies include the tobacco curing barn, grainery, pump house and windmill, a 4-hole privy, two-story pegged barn and a pair of slave houses connected by a common chimney serving 4 fireplaces- one for each room. The cook's house has been renovated for guest accommodations.

In March 1727, the General Assembly of Virginia ordered the division of the Henrico Shire.  Sir William Gooch, for whom the county is named, arrived from England shortly thereafter and was named Royal Lt. Governor.  Goochland originally covered a vast amount of land on both sides of the James River extending beyond the Blue  Ridge Mountains. 

At the time of its founding, Goochland was a frontier area and offered a site for large plantations and estates.  Tuckahoe Plantation, the boyhood home of Thomas Jefferson, is the oldest recorded river plantation in the county.  Coal was mined in the eastern section of the county and gold in the west. Tobacco and wheat were the major crops.  By 1840, the Kanawha Canal, an idea conceived by George Washington, paralleled the James River through Goochland and made the James navigable to the ocean. Only relics of the canal exist today, but historic homes of the era, such as Brightly, remain.

Built in 1842, Brightly is a charming Greek Revival home surrounded by nine dependencies in the style of a working farm of this era. In the heart of Goochland County, we are convenient to your friends, relatives, and activities. Brightly is surrounded by beautiful gardens and fields. For early risers a walk on the farm is a wonderful way to start the day. You can stop and sit by one of the two ponds. You might catch sight of a great blue heron, deer grazing by the water's edge, or our resident flock of wild turkeys. We are located between Richmond and Charlottesville, just off Interstate 64, making day trips to historic sites and museums in both areas an easy addition to your itinerary. Visit the city but stay in the country!

From the west:   Take 64E to exit 159 (Gum Spring).  At the top of the ramp, turn right onto Rt. 522 S.  Go about 7 miles on 522 to the light at the junction of Rt. 6. Turn left and go through the Village of Goochland.  Look for our white brick entrance pillars on the left 0.1 mile past the Ford dealer.

From the north and east:   Take 64W to exit 167 (Goochland/Oilville).  At the top of the ramp, turn left onto Rt. 617.  Go 0.5 mile to the light.  Turn right onto Rt. 250 W. Go 0.6 mile and turn left on Rt. 632 toward Goochland.  Go about 5 miles until the road ends at the junction of Rt. 522. Turn left and go 0.2 mile to the light at the junction of Rt. 6.   Turn left and go through the Village of Goochland.  Look for our white brick entrance pillars on the left 0.1 mile past the Ford dealer.
 
From the south: Take 95N to exit 62 (Rt. 288N).  Continue on Rt. 288N for about 25 miles. Get off at the Goochland (Rt. 6W) exit.  Follow Rt. 6W for 14 miles.  You will come to a traffic light.  Look for our white brick pillars on the right 0.5 miles past this light.