Whitby

Whitby Castle, located in Rye, New York, was completed in 1854. The home was originally built for William P. Chapman, who was a stock and commodity broker in New York City. Whitby was designed by noted 19th century architect, Alexander Jackson Davis. Whitby received its name after the ruined medieval abbey in North Yorkshire, England.

Whitby Castle is located in the Boston Post Road Historic District. The home was completed in 1854 by William P. Chapman, who was a stock and commodity broker in New York City. Chapman had seen his neighbors Greek Revival houses so he hired architect, Alexander Jackson Davis to design him a home in the Gothic Revival style.

Compared to the other houses in the Boston Post Road Historic District, Whitby is a stark contrast to the Greek Revival style seen in Lounsberry. To quote Gray Williams from his book Picturing our Past, "The house, completed in 1854, contrasted dramatically with the neoclassical mansions next to it. It was constructed of dark local stone, and its trim was painted in rich earth tones. Instead of a tall, pillared front entrance, it had a single-story, arched porte-cochère. Most conspicuously both its structure and its ornament were drawn from medieval England, not from Ancient Greece." Along with these aesthetic differences, Whitby was designed with a tall tower typical of the Gothic Revival style.

In the 1870s Chapman sold the 40 acre Whitby estate to Joseph Park. By 1920, Whitby had been adapted as the City of Rye Golf Club. The Golf Club includes a Caretakers House, Pool House, golf cart garage, and a maintenance building.

There are several examples of architect Alexander Jackson Davis works in Westchester County. In 1838, Davis designed Lyndhurst in Tarrytown for the Mayor of New York, William Paulding, also in the Gothic Revival style. Davis also worked in many other styles including classical and Italianate, and there are examples of his work throughout the United States.

1. Williams, Gray. Jackson, Kenneth T.. Picturing Our Past National Register Sites in Westchester County. New York. 2003.
2. Whitby Castle at Rye Golf Club, Lessings Hospitality Groups. Accessed June 8th 2020. https://www.lessings.com/corporate/weddings/venue/whitby-castle.
3. Lyndhurst for George Merritt, Tarrytown, New York (west [rear] elevation and plan), THEMET150. Accessed June 22nd 2020. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/388433.
4. Alexander Jackson Davis, Britannica. Accessed June 22nd 2020. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-Jackson-Davis.