history
Runnymede has a rich history, much like Charleston itself.
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The original land grant of 300 acres was made to John Cattell in 1705. In the year of 1777, the property was conveyed to Abraham Ladson and parts of the tract were eventually sold to Nathaniel Fuller and Glenn Drayton. At the time of Ladson’s death, the remaining land was conveyed to Lambert Lance and later to John Julius Pringle. Runnymede was first known as “Greenville” and later as “Sarah Place” in honor of Pringle’s wife, Sarah. When Pringle had taken possession of the property, a fire had claimed the original mansion. Once the new mansion was built on the property, the property was dubbed Runnymede due to its similarity to Runnymede in England. Both properties have a great oak in the center of the yard while their meadows open up to flowing rivers.
After Pringle’s death in 1841, the property passed to his son William Bull Pringle, who later sold his portion of the property to Charles C. Pinckney. Pinckney, discovered it was rich in naturally occurring deposits of phosphate, that were scattered about the land. In 1865 the mansion built by Pringle was set on fire and destroyed by the Union Troops during the Civil War. Pinckney then rebuilt a third home which is rumored to be one of the only country style, Victorian homes in the Low country at that time.
The property remained in the Pinckney family and withstood the ravages of Hurricane Hugo until 1995 when Floyd and Shirley Whitfield purchased the storied land from the Pinckney family. Unfortunately, in 2002, a familiar fate was bestowed on the mansion built by Charles C. Pinckney. A fire of mysterious causes ravaged the old mansion, leaving only a few recognizable objects such as a two- story brick chimney from the kitchen house and a bell inscribed with the date of 1704.
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To this date, Runnymede has persevered through war, fire and natural disasters. Each time the property is challenged, it responds through maintaining its original beauty and charm. The woods are flourishing and the grass is lush and green. The magnificent oak which dates back more than a thousand years remains in the center of the property and surely will stand for years to come.
