History of Crowfield

Crowfield Plantation, located on the headwaters of Goose Creek, has a rich history dating back to its original grant to John Berringer in 1701. By 1721, it was sold to Arthur Middleton, a member of the Royal Assembly, who passed it on to his son William Middleton in 1730. William Middleton, inspired by Crowfield Hall in England, built a grand two-story brick house and established a thriving plantation growing rice and indigo, raising cattle, making bricks, and creating an elaborate formal garden. During the American Revolution, Rawlins Lowndes acquired Crowfield, describing it as "that elegant most admired seat." Sadly, the historic house was largely destroyed in the Charleston earthquake of 1886. In the 1930s, the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, now Westvaco Development Corporation, acquired the 2,850-acre plantation for its pine timber. By the 1970s, Westvaco transformed the property into a vibrant residential community and golf course. Today, the remnants of the plantation house are preserved by the CPCSA under a conservation easement, ensuring ongoing archaeological study and protection.