By Will Slater

South of Loudoun County and two hours northeast from my house, in a rural area of Fauquier County, lies Rose Hill Farm, which consists of 350 acres on the north side of Route 50. This is the Slater family farm. On the south side of Route 50, you will find another 300 acres of land belonging to my grandfather’s (Thomas Slater) brother, Bob Slater. On Bob’s piece of land is where you’ll find Slater Run Vineyards. The vineyard has been open since 2010 and is highly regarded in the northern part of Virginia. The winery represents the 300-year tradition of farming of the Slater family along Goose Creek in Fauquier County. 

Slater Run Vineyards. Photo credit: Trip Advisor.

The farm has been in my family for over 300 years, dating back to before the American Civil War, and some battles from that war were fought on our land. In fact, there is a stone wall that separates our property from Route 50 which was constructed during the Civil War and has stood ever since. Parts of the wall have fallen due to storms, but my grandfather is currently in the process of rebuilding pieces of the wall. 

An old photo of a horse jumping over the Civil War-era stone wall on the property. Photo courtesy of the Slater family.

The house itself has a plentiful history behind it. The original section of the house was first constructed in 1820 for settler Amos Denham. After Denham and his wife passed away, the farm was sold in 1853 to my distant relative Thomas Glascock. Attached to this main house is a smokehouse and dairy made of brick, which has been standing since 1820. These are guarded by a 19th century stone wall. The granary was used by Confederate troops as a watchtower so they could spy on the movement of the Union soldiers from far away. Union troops burned some of Glascock’s barns because that was where some Confederate troops were lurking; however, after the war the farm was recovered by 1870. Since then, the farm has been in my family and has been passed down from generation to generation. Rose Hill Farm has been in the Slater family for eight generations.

The 1820 farmhouse as it looks today. Photo credit: Will Slater.

Rose Hill is a place that we try to visit whenever we can. Due to my family’s busy schedule and the fact that it lies two hours away from our house, it is tough to make it up every weekend. My grandfather, on the other hand, goes up every weekend to check on the cows and to complete other duties that need to be accomplished around the farm. 

When my family makes the trip, about once every three weeks, we have a plentiful amount of activities waiting for us. Our tasks vary depending on the time of year. In the winter months, we spend the large majority of our time out deer hunting. However, in the spring, fall, and summer months, you will find me and my brothers Sam (‘28) and Jake (‘26) out fishing, swimming, or climbing hay bales in the barn. 

I’m very appreciative of the role that Rose Hill Farm has played in my life so far. I have made endless amounts of memories while being at the farm, and will make many more in the coming years. Due to the farm’s lack of cell service, it is easy to get lost in nature and enjoy your surroundings and the people around you. I appreciate the fact that the farm gives me something to do rather than sit in just the house. Although the house itself is very historic and contains lots of stories, there is so much more to do when you get out and go explore a bit. It is nice to have a place such as Rose Hill to escape to for the weekend.

When COVID-19 hit, my family and I got to spend a plentiful amount of time up at the farm, because there was not much to do around Richmond. This newfound time that I was able to spend at the farm and with my family gave me a greater appreciation for the farm and how beautiful the farm truly is.