City Directories and History: Mayfair, often referred to locally as the Chappell place (Mayfair), was designed and constructed by Colonel William Alston in 1824. From that time forth, it has remained as on of Fairfield County’s outstanding examples of antebellum architecture. After the house was completed the property was donated to his daughter, Mrs. Burrell Cook as a wedding gift. The Cook family resided here until 1883 when the property was purchased by Thomas Chappell, whose family continued living here until 1945, at which time his granddaughter, Mrs. R.C. Bruce acquired the property.
The home reflects the finest of craftsmanship displayed in Fairfield County and remains in excellent condition even though it has often been neglected or left vacant. The house has many designs similar in proportions and detail to that of the Davis Plantation home at Monticello as well as several private homes in Winnsboro, SC. There are extensive similarities between the Wolfe Home on South Congress Street and Mayfair which were likely constructed by the same local contractor.
Click on the More Information > link to find additional data – A Fairfield County Sketchbook, by J.S. Bolick, 2000 (Courtesy of the FCHS)
Also see link: Fairfield County History / Sites and Structures
“Mayfair was designed and built by Colonel William Alston in 1824. He was of the low-country Waccamaw River, Georgetown County family of that name, which has given the state two governors and many other influential leaders. It was the home of Col. Alston’s daughter, Mrs. Burrell Cook until 1883. Thomas Chappell bought Mayfair at auction in 1883 and lived here until 1945. It was then purchased by his granddaughter, Mrs. R. C. Bruce. She has recently sold it to Silas McMeekin of Columbia, a relative of the Chappells and a native of the Jenkinsville-Monticello area. The low-country influence can be seen in the style of this fine house, the carvings and decorative designs being among the finest in the county.”
Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC
Mayfair is architecturally significant for its high-quality classical design elements which indicate that the builder was familiar with stylistic detailing. Mayfair is a two-story, weather boarded frame residence with hipped roof in the Federal style, said to have been constructed ca. 1824. The façade (south elevation) features a central, two-story, polygonal pedimented portico. The central gable end has a center fanlight and dentil work. The portico displays a plain balustrade, with four wood colonettes and pilasters on both levels. The section of the façade protected by the portico is sheathed in flushboard. The door on the first level features a traceried fanlight and transom with decorative molding. The second level door has traceried sidelights and a fantail with decorative molding above the door.
According to local tradition, Mayfair was the home of Burrell B. Cook, a moderately wealthy planter, who served in the Twenty-eighth General Assembly of South Carolina from 1828-1829. Listed in the National Register February 6, 1985. [Courtesy of the S.C. Dept. of Archives and History]
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