Talbot Hall has been the plantation home of the Talbot family since 1800. The land appurtenant to this home was patented in 1650 to Wm. Langley as a body of 825 acres in consideration of his having imported sixteen persons into the colony. After remaining in the Langley family for one hundred and twenty-five years, it was purchased in 1774 by Thomas Talbot, great-great-grandfather of the present owner, Minton W. Talbot, the sixth of the Talbot name to own it.
The house faces exactly west to the Lafayette River, and an interesting and unique landscaping feature is the planting of two rows of large trees widening apart going westwardly from the house to the river – that on the right pointing to the setting sun of the longest day in the year, June 21st, and the left pointing to the setting sun of the shortest day in the year, December 21st, thus staging every sunset directly in front of the house.
A brick Chinese Moon-gate, the only one in Virginia, it is said, leads down to the Garden of Reflections in which fine views are had of large specimen virgin-growth pines.
A museum, containing rare art objects, historical documents and possessions of prominent personages occupies the fourth floor. Furniture by Chippendale, Heppelwhite, Sheraton and Duncan Phyfe add to the interest of the home. A unique feature is the ancient Federal coat-of-arms, eagle, stars and e pluribus unum in plaster bas-relief over the parlor mantel, and this was thought to have saved the house from being burned during the Civil War.