Halfway between the thriving Colonial port of Alexandria and the frontier town of Winchester in the valley of the Shenandoah mountains, lies Middleburg, an overnight resting place for weary travelers making their way west. There, in a sturdy tavern built from local fieldstone, they would find a warm fire, hearty fare and a pint of ale to replenish body and spirit for the road ahead.
Not much has changed
Today not much has changed, neither in the town called Middleburg nor the original stone structure now known as the Red Fox Inn. Weary travelers, or more likely, tired tourists, can still relax before a roaring fire in an 18th century setting replete with low-beamed ceilings, wide-planked floors, and a decidedly Colonial ambience. The Inn’s cozy Tap Room still features local wines and ales, and the dinner menu still follows the seasons with dishes like rack of lamb, filet mignon and crab cakes giving way to venison, quail and other fresh-caught game in the fall.
For those wishing to extend their stay in this area famed for foxhunting and thoroughbred horse racing, the Inn continues to provide a refuge for weary wanderers in timeless rooms and suites adorned with hooked rugs, hand-stenciled walls, working fireplaces, and of course, canopy beds for day or night dreaming.
You wouldn’t be the first to find the setting enchanting. Elizabeth Taylor and U.S. Senator John Warner visited often, as did Jackie Kennedy who frequently stayed at the Inn during hunting season.
National Register of Historic Places
But the Inn’s history goes back much farther than that. In the early days of our Nation, The Red Fox Inn was visited by none less than its first and future president, then an eager young surveyor named George Washington.
During the War Between the States, it was a meeting place for Confederates Jeb Stuart and John Mosby, and at one point served as both a headquarters and hospital for Lee’s Army.
Explore Middleburg
Of course if your interests tend more toward shopping than horses or history, the town offers a delightful array of shops, eateries, inns and emporiums to browse and investigate. In addition to art and antiques, you can find gourmet food and wine, books, gifts, and a treasure trove of unusual items to decorate your home and remind you of your stay.
Don't forget the Virginia countryside
And when you’ve exhausted all that Middleburg has to offer, don’t forget to explore the nearby Virginia countryside for its expansive views and intimate glimpses of rolling estates, pristine pastures, low stone walls, and of course, magnificent horses – all against the backdrop of the beautiful Blue Ridge and Bull Run mountains.
The Red Fox Inn is located at 2 East Washington Street, Middleburg, VA 20117. For more information or to book your stay, call 540-687-6301 or contact the innkeeper@redfox.com
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