General Info

Scotchtown is best known as the home of Patrick Henry during the tumultuous years leading up to the American Revolution. It was at Scotchtown that he formulated the ideas of his famous “Liberty or Death” speech and it was from the house that he rode to St. John’s Church in Richmond on March 23, 1775 to deliver it. Built around 1720 by Charles Chiswell, Scotchtown is architecturally unique. It features eight large rooms and a central passage below a large, undivided attic. The house is surrounded by reproduction outbuildings and gardens. Scotchtown was acquired by Preservation Virginia in 1958. The house has been restored to its appearance during Patrick Henry’s life and is open for tours seasonally. Visitors can explore the grounds, listen to a cell phone tour, enjoy the birding trail, shop in the museum store, or participate in one of the site’s many hands-on classes and special events.