Historic Landscapes

What today are deteriorating ruins near a golf course, was once one of the most beautiful plantations in the Low Country.

In 1731, William Middleton, the eldest son of Arthur Middleton, a Barbadian immigrant, began construction of Crowfield in Goose Creek, Berkeley Parish, 12 miles northwest of Charleston.

Crowfield quickly became noted for both the beauty of its architecture and its landscape and gardens. A major influence on the landscape and gardens at Crowfield was William Middleton's need to recreate familiar surroundings and also to provide a diversion.

Middleton had been educated and spent the majority of his life in England and had an affinity for all things English. He viewed himself as an Englishmen first, and a colonist of South Carolina second. Crowfield was named after his aunt's estate in Suffolk, England, furthering evidence of his ties and affinity with all things English.

In 1753, upon the death of his aunt, Middleton inherited Crowfield and made the decision to relocate to England. Middleton retained a portion of his property in the low country in order to support his lifestyle as an English gentleman but never returned. At his English country estate, Middleton would entertain numerous colonists from South Carolina including Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles Drayton, William Henry Drayton, and his nephew, Arthur Middleton.

While William Middleton may have considered himself an Englishmen first, many of his relatives and friends from South Carolina were instrumental in the fight for independence from England. His nephew, Arthur Middleton was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. William Henry Drayton was a representative to the Continental Congress and an outspoken opponent of King George III and England's economic policies.

Over the next two hundred years Crowfield was sold to a series of different owners, who were absentee landlords. The low country climate and vegetation rapidly too their toll on the main house and landscape.

In the 1980's, Crowfield and the surrounding landscape and gardens were purchased by developers.

A golf course and sub-divisions were constructed, with the intent to maintain the ruins of the main house along with the landscape and gardens.

The Chicora Foundation and Michael Trinkley, along with Mary Palmer Dargan and Hugh Dargan conducted a landscape archaeological study of the property. From their study, 15 acres has been preserved as the "Historic Garden Area" and has been nominated to The National Register of Historic Places.