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North Guest House at Mansfield
Plantation
Georgetown, SC
Mansfield Plantation Mirrors
the Majesty of The South
by Maxine Pinson
As
soon as I turn onto the rustic one-and-a-half mile driveway
leading to Mansfield Plantation, I feel like I am being
transported back into another era. Entranced, I drive over brick
bridges and admire virgin woodlands on each side of the road.
Shortly after passing through a handsome gate, embellished with
matching lanterns, I spot the main house. A tunnel of stately,
moss-draped live oaks provides the grand entrance to the old
home and reminds me of a welcoming committee anxiously awaiting
my arrival.
Mansfield Plantation boasts an impressive history. The original
plot of land, 500 acres perched on The Black River, was granted
in 1718. However, it was another fifty years before construction
on the main house began. Over time, Mansfield became one of the
largest and most profitable rice plantations in South Carolina.
Today Mansfield Plantation covers nearly 1,000 acres and is
owned/operated by a descendent of the original Parker family,
John Rutledge Parker, and his wife Sallie. After an absence of
ninety-two years, this amazing property is once again in the
Parker family and I cannot imagine anyone resurrecting Mansfield
in a more splendorous manner than John and Sallie Parker have
done with their combined talents, refined taste, love of
history, and cultured graciousness.
The guest quarters are located in three guesthouses on the
property: The Old Kitchen House, The Schoolhouse, and The North
Guest House. All are within walking distance of each other as well as
to the main house. The Old Kitchen House, circa 1800, was
constructed away from the main house as a fire precaution. It
contains two bed chambers, a private entrance, and it offers scenic
views of the marsh and cypress swamp.
The Schoolhouse was originally built circa 1840 for the Parker
family's children and includes two guest rooms. It also features
a front porch.
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The North Guest House, built around 1930 as a guesthouse for
frequent visitors and hunting groups, is the largest of the three
guesthouses and includes four suites. Though each of Mansfield’s
guest rooms and suites is distinctive with its own charming
attributes, The Man Room is my personal favorite. As found
throughout The North Guest House, the woodwork in The Man Room is
exquisite and the rooms are tastefully appointed with fine
furnishings.
Breakfasting at Mansfield Plantation is always a special
treat. Prepared by innkeeper Kathryn Green, a mini-feast is served
in the formal dining room of the main house. The antique mahogany
table glistens with sterling silver flatware and fine china; candles
glow,
and a fire blazes in the fireplace on chilly mornings. Fresh flowers
or cut greenery, grown on the property and arranged by Kathryn,
provide an artistic centerpiece. The food is both delicious and
attractively presented. Kathryn is a multi-talented individual whose
capabilities never cease to amaze her guests, and her desire to
please is apparent in all she does to make one’s stay at Mansfield
Plantation a memorable one from beginning to end.
I have made more visits to Mansfield
Plantation than any other B&B. Yet, each time I visit, I make a new
discovery that instills within me a yearning to start planning for
my next visit even before I leave. I know of no place where one can
get a better value for their money than at this magnificent old
plantation—a phenomenal place that truly mirrors the majesty of The
South, both the old and the new.
The Man Room
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AT-A-GLANCE |
INN: Mansfield Plantation
LOCATION: 1776 Mansfield Rd.;
Georgetown, SC 29440
TEL: (843) 546-6961; 1-866-717-1776 (reservations)
E-MAIL:
mightymansfield@aol.com
WEB SITE:
www.mansfieldplantation.com
ACCOMMODATIONS: 4 rooms
w/private baths
& 4 suites (located in 3 guesthouses)
BREAKFAST: full gourmet
RATES: $150-$200
(seasonal discounts posted on Web
site) |
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