Near Lancaster in Lancaster County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Barford

Photographed By J. J. Prats, September 5, 2009

1. Barford Marker

Inscription. Located one mile south on land lying between the eastern and western branches of the Corotoman River. It is the site of Barford, the dwelling of Captain Thomas Carter who was living there by 1674. A gift from his father-in-law, Edward Dale, the property remained in the Carter family until 1782 when it was sold to Colonel James Gordon, Jr. by Edward Carter, great-grandson of Captain Thomas Carter.

Erected 1986 by Department of Conservation and Historic Resources. (Marker Number J-90.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Notable Places. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1674.

Location. 37° 43.5′ N, 76° 28.743′ W. Marker is near Lancaster, Virginia, in Lancaster County. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3709 Merry Point Rd, Lancaster VA 22503, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Major Edward Dale (approx. 2.2 miles away); Confederate Memorial (approx. 3.2 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 3.2 miles away); World War I Memorial (approx. 3.2 miles away); White Marsh Church

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(approx. 4 miles away); St. Mary’s White Chapel (approx. 4.2 miles away); Queenstown (approx. 4.3 miles away); Corotoman (approx. 4.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lancaster.

Regarding Barford. Thomas Carter "of Barford" refers not to Barford Plantation in Virginia, but to the home town of his Carter ancestors: Barford, in Bedfordshire, England. His ancestors going back to at least 1425 owned property in BARFORD. The Barford Plantation was named for their ancestral property in England.

Additional commentary.
1. The site of the Barford plantation?
This could not possibly be the site of the Barford plantation. The earliest reference to "Barford" is the Prayer Book discovered by Mrs. John Scarlett Smith stating that "Thomas Carter of Barford in ye county of Lancaster... married Katherine Dale". Edward Dale gave them the land in 1674, four years after they were married. He was already "of Barford" when he was married so the Dale land could not have been the Barford plantation.

Also, Thomas Carter of Barford was never "Captain" of anything. Captain Thomas Carter

Photographed By J. J. Prats, September 5, 2009

2. Barford Marker

was his uncle.

Editor's Note: Thank you for your interest in the Historical Marker database. I regret we cannot confirm the history behind the marker, as we have no affiliation with the organization who researched and erected it.

— Submitted January 14, 2011, by Jeff Carter of Peachtree City, Georgia.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 27, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 6, 2009, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 4,660 times since then and 248 times this year. Last updated on February 24, 2019, by Christy K Robinson of Phoenix, Arizona. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 6, 2009, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.