Rockwood Mansion

New Castle County · dedicated 2006 · 610 Shipley Road, Wilmington

Rockwood Mansion was completed in 1854 as the retirement home of Wilmington native Joseph Shipley. Shipley amassed his fortune as a merchant banker while living in Liverpool, England. Joseph Shipley hired Liverpool architect George Williams to design a Rural Gothic style home similar to Shipley’s country house in England. The gardens of Rockwood were designed to imitate nature. The rolling lawns, curving paths, and placement of trees were carefully planned to resemble an English country estate. In 1891 Joseph Shipley’s great-nephew Edward Bringhurst Jr. inherited the estate and moved into Rockwood with his family the following year. The Bringhurst family extensively redecorated the interior of the Mansion. Members of the family inhabited the Mansion until 1972 when New Castle County obtained ownership. Rockwood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

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