The History of The Chilton House & Family
Moments in a 400 year old story that continues today.
Coming to America
Mary Chilton Arrives on the Mayflower
In the year 1620, at age 13, Mary Chilton (pictured left) crossed the Atlantic with the crew of the Mayflower. Her father James Chilton died in the crossing, and she was adopted by the leader of the colony, John Alden. She is given the honor as the first woman ashore on Plymouth Rock.
The Revolutionary War
Captain John Chilton
John Chilton III (left, sword raised) married Lucy Blackwell and moved to Warrenton. When war broke out, he served as Captain of the 3rd Virginia Regiment from 1775 to his death at the Battle of Brandywine on Sept. 11, 1777. He perished along with his troops as they held the line to the rest of the American Army could escape. His diary is among the best records of the war.
The Civil War
Warrenton exchanged hands 67 times during the war, essentially making it an occupied town. The backyard at Chilton House was used as a small farm and as a camp for both union & confederate troops. Civil War era bullets are still regularly found when gardening or digging on the property.
The 20th Century
Austine Chilton McDonnell Marries William Randolph Hearst Jr.
"The Wedding of the Year" at Chilton House
Austine was part of the 3rd generation of Chiltons to live in the house, a prolific journalist who married into the most well-known journalism family in the nation, The Hearsts. They were married at the Warrenton Court House, received their guests in the reception rooms, and held dinner on the grounds behind the home.
Today
Chilton House restored!
Today, the house is occupied by John Chilton McAuliff, the tenth generation in Warrenton. The entire branch of the Chilton family contributed to the restoration project, including Mary McDonnell, Barbara McDonnell, Kathy McDonnell, and William McDonnell McAuliff.
Prices The price includes accommodation and Continental breakfast. All diets are welcome but we must know your requirements prior to arrival. Booking Confirmation & Deposit Bookings of more than 3 days require a 25% deposit per room. Payment in full is required on arrival. All bookings by email are confirmed by email. Cancellation of booking By making your booking, our agreement is a legal contract and you agree to our terms and conditions. Should your travel arrangements change you should inform us as soon as practicable to allow us to re allocate the room(s). Cancellation Policy Effective June 15, 2018 We understand circumstances beyond your control may cause you to cancel your visit to the Chilton House. As a small, non-chain property, it is hard to fill a cancelled room reservation on short notice. Therefore, we have the following policy regarding cancellations: • If you must cancel your reservation, please call or email us right away. • Cancellations given with at least 14 days’ notice prior to 6 PM of expected arrival will incur only a $50 (per room) administrative fee. • Cancellations or date changes received with less than 14 days, as of 6:00 PM, prior to your scheduled arrival will be charged for the first night of your reservation. • Cancellations or date changes received with less than 7 days, as of 6:00 PM, prior to your scheduled arrival will be charged for the full value of your reservation. • Early departures for whatever reason will be charged per the original reservation. If you need to cancel the booking due to adverse weather conditions or exceptional family circumstances we are happy to transfer your booking to another date if at all possible should this be acceptable. Payment Payment should be made on or before arrival by either cash, credit or debit card, or cheque supported by a current cheque guarantee card. All credit card transactions are secure and no data collected is offered to third parties for any reason. All transactions comply to the relevant legal requirements at the time of the transaction. Non-availability of Accommodation We would only cancel your stay if your accommodation was unavailable for reasons beyond our control. We would however attempt to find you alternative accommodation, if we were unable to find suitable accommodation our liability would not extend beyond this point. Pets Sorry, non service pets are not allowed at this time. Acceptance of Children We welcome children of ages 10 years and above. We can accommodate for young babies and by prior arrangement and free of charge, a highchair and a travel cot can be provided; however we do ask that you provide all your own bedding for the cot. Arrival Your accommodation will be available to you from 3:00 pm on the day of arrival, unless otherwise arranged. We may not be able to accommodate you if you arrive earlier than the agreed time as we will be busy preparing your rooms. However, you may drop off your bags, pay for your stay and collect your room keys at an earlier time by prior arrangement. It is much appreciated if you will notify us of your estimated time of arrival (a telephone call on the day before or morning of arrival is fine). Late arrival procedure Please ensure you contact us to let us know if you will be arriving later than 10:00 pm, and inform us of your new estimated time of arrival. A lockbox can be found next to the mailbox, for which the code is 0426. Check Out Please vacate your room by 11am, unless otherwise arranged. The room will be ready for re-occupation from 3.00pm, unless otherwise arranged. Smoking No smoking anywhere at Chilton House. There is a fire alarm system in operation and if this is set off by guests smoking anywhere in the house you will be asked to vacate the premises and forfeit any monies paid, this is non-negotiable. Damages and Breakages Please take care when staying in our home. You are responsible and liable for any breakages or damages which you cause to the accommodation or its contents. We ask is that you do report any incidents when they occur. We do not normally charge for minor breakages, but we may charge you for repair or making good if the damage or breakage is significant. Liability We do not accept any liability for any damage, loss or injury to any member of your party or any vehicles or possessions, unless proven to be caused by a negligent act by ourselves or our employees or contractors whilst acting in the course of employment. Privacy Policy Any data collected during the course of this booking will be stored on our computer(s). With your permission we may from time to time contact you about promotions and offers. We will not share your details with any third party.