Windsor Ruins

Windsor Ruins

The ruins consist of 23 standing Corinthian columns of the largest antebellum Greek Revival mansion ever built in the state. The mansion stood from 1861 to 1890, when it was destroyed by fire.

Windsor mansion was constructed as a 3-story block, consisting of a ground floor basement, with living quarters on the second and third floors. The main block was 64 ft (20 m) on each side. A 3-story ell projected from the east side of the main block. The ell measured 59 ft (18 m) by 26.5 ft (8.1 m).

Archeological examination suggests that outer walls were constructed of wood covered in stucco. When completed, the 17,000 sq ft (1,600 m2) mansion contained three hallways and 23 to 25 rooms, each with its own fireplace. A featured innovation for that time period was the inclusion of two interior bathrooms supplied with rainwater from a tank in the attic.

On February 17, 1890, a fire started on the third floor when, according to tradition, a guest dropped ashes from a cigarette or cigar into construction debris left by carpenters who were making repairs. Windsor mansion was destroyed leaving only the columns, balustrades, cast iron stairways, and pieces of bone China.


Location

Rodney Road
Port Gibson, Claiborne County
Mississippi, USA

Getting There

The ruins is situated about 30 miles southwest of Vicksburg and about 10 miles northwest of Port Gibson. Unfortunately, there is no public transportation that goes directly to Windsor Ruins. Visitors typically need to drive or take a taxi to get there. Some tour companies offer guided trips to the ruins from nearby cities like Vicksburg and Natchez.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Mississippi that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.