Located on
the picturesque waters of the Albemarle Sound in northeastern NC, Edenton is
often referred to as “the prettiest little town in the South.” Smithsonian.com lists Edenton as one of the
20 best small towns to visit and Coastal Living Magazine has featured Edenton
as their Dream Town As the first
capital of colonial North Carolina, Edenton has a rich historical past with
well preserved architecture and many notable historic sites. Our town embodies
small town Southern charm at its best, with friendly people, charming homes,
and incredible scenery that combine to capture your soul. The Atlantic Ocean
and Outer Banks of North Carolina are approximately an hour away, and 3
airports are easily accessible (Norfolk, VA – 1.5 hrs, Greenville, NC - 1.25
hrs, and Raleigh, NC – 2.25 hrs.) Edenton offers a municipal airport with a
6,000’ runway.
the charlton house was built between 1761 and 1769 for
jasper and abigail slaughter charlton.
charlton was a lawyer and active in revolutionary politics, and his wife
is believed to be the first signer of the edenton tea party resolutions. the warren family purchased the home in 1899,
and it remains in family ownership today.
extensive renovations were made by the warrens begin ning in 1958, and
the house remains mostly unchanged today.
many believe this home to be the site of the famed 1774 edenton tea party,
an idea now under consideration.
according to noted historian tom butchko, “the handsomely
finished georgian style interior has one of the few original central-hall plans
in a gambrel roof house in the state ….
molded wooden cornices, raised-panel doors, and mitered surrounds
further distinguish the interior.”
research has been done on the house by reid thomas, of the
nc department of cultural resources, that has helped determine which portions
of the home are original – which are likely modifications – albeit very early
ones – and interesting original features that remain – such as strikingly wide
original floorboards, the timeworn stairs, and a big cast iron front door lock. some architectural elements of the home were
repurposed during the renovations: for example, fluted pilasters from the front
porch were incorporated into the paneling surrounding the small sitting room
fireplace.
the center hallway is flanked by formal dining and sitting
rooms. from the sitting room, one steps down into a large, well-proportioned
living room is highlighted by a large fireplace added by the warrens in
1958. the mantel and paneling were found
in an old neighboring perquimans county home that perhaps belonged to one of
st. paul’s episcopal church’s first vestrymen.
there are 3 fireplaces
downstairs, all reworked with period appropriateness by an accomplished local
mason during the late 1950s. the kitchen
is behind the dining room, and a string of small pantries became a first-floor
master suite. the second floor features
east and west side bedrooms – each with a fireplaces (now closed) – and a hallway
and full bath between them.
in the backyard, there are 4 outbuildings, most of which
were built or placed in the 1930’s.
though some are indeed historic, none are original to the site. used in
most recent years as storage, there is ample opportunity to convert the
outbuildings into finished usable spaces.
the deep backyard is accented by mature trees, established plantings and
lovely brick walkways designed during the 1950s.
slight renovations in 2003 added a half bath and small
laundry room and reconfigured the master bathroom. a new copper roof was installed around 2001.
the charlton house is one of downtown edenton’s most “unspoiled
” historic homes, free from the marks of passing design trends. the property retains a sense of authenticity
that feels both rare and refreshing, and still speaks clearly of its history.
situated just 2 blocks from both the waterfront and the
downtown shops and restaurants, this property exemplifies the very best of
downtown historic edenton. after 125
years of being cared for by the warrens, the charlton house awaits its next
steward. come explore this historic gem
