Literacy Steamed in History Oyster Toast in Sequestered Glen By MARIMAR MCNAUGHTON Photography by JOSHUA CURRY With your finger, you can trace the French basketweave design in the relic outbuild-ing, constructed of old English corner bond bricks that may have been brought from Great Britain to the New World. An estimated 350 years old, and consid-ered by local historian Jack Fryar to be the powder mag-azine for the original Charles Towne settlement on the western bank of the Cape Fear River in 1664, the brick structure was repurposed as a smokehouse, possibly for the gentleman planter John Grange, who was granted, in November 1728, thousands of acres of land surround-ing it, where he established Clarendon Plantation. The land changed hands at least four times during the Revolutionary War alone. When Clarendon was offered for sale and sub-sequently sold again in The ruins of the 17th century smokehouse frame the view of the 20th century home at Clarendon Plantation, the site of the Cape Fear Literacy Council’s inaugural oyster roast November 8. 1834, then owner, Marsden Campbell, announced the sale in the People’s Press and Wilmington Advertiser and described his real property as, “335 acres of tide swamp; 654 acres upland. There are 220 acres of low land in a high state of cultivation, which have averaged upwards of seventy-two bush-els of rice to the acre.” A dwelling house, brick barn, mill house, threshing mills, overseer’s house and quarters for 100 hands were on premise, along with 50 to 60 head of cattle and as many sheep, and “all other conveniences 16 WBM november 2014 for such an establish-ment, which need not be described as those wishing to purchase will of course visit the Estate.” Saturday, November 8, guests of the Cape Fear Literary Council’s oyster roast may visit the estate to relish the beloved bivalve while drinking in the historic lineage of the former rice plantation, occasionally an on-location set for the popu-lar Irving-inspired television series, “Sleepy Hollow.” Almost 100 years after John Grange’s ownership, Washington Irving penned “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” in 1820. Set in 1790 and inspired by the Revolutionary War, Irving describes the fictitious loca-tion to his readers: “this sequestered glen has long been known by name of Sleepy Hollow ... A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere.” That Cape Fear history, literature and film should converge during the inau-gural roast is hardly accidental. Clarendon’s present-day co-owner, Rachel Pace, is also chairwoman of Cape Fear Literacy Council’s board of directors. Gates open at 4:30 pm. CFLC patrons are welcome to wander the grounds, visit the smokehouse ruins, and enjoy the sunset. The good ol’ fashioned Southern-style oyster roast follows with all the fixin’s, libations and live music. beachbites
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