The Loudoun House, located in Lexington, Kentucky, is considered one of the largest and finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the state. Designed by New York architect

Alexander Jackson Davis Alexander Jackson Davis, or A. J. Davis (July 24, 1803 – January 14, 1892), was an American architect, known particularly for his association with the Gothic Revival style. Education Davis was born in New York City and studied at ...

, the house was built in 1851 for Francis Key Hunt (1817–1879), who was named after his mother's cousin, Francis Scott Key. The home was built on 50 acres of land given to Hunt and his wife, Julia Warfield, by her parents upon their marriage. Following the death of his father during a cholera epidemic, Hunt inherited more than a million dollars and set to building the Loudoun House. Inspired by the W. C. H. Waddell mansion on Murray Hill in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

, Hunt wrote to A. J. Davis, who designed a castellated Gothic Revival villa for Hunt after a brief correspondence. Hunt hired Lexington builder John McMurtry to construct the home. The project was expected to cost $10,000, but wound up costing three times that amount and taking four years to complete. He named the home "Loudoun" in honor of the song "The Bells of Loudon", his wife's favorite. Loudoun House is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. It is one of the five surviving castellated Gothic Revival villas designed by Davis in the United States. The house currently houses the Lexington Art League.

References

{{National Register of Historic Places Houses completed in 1851 Houses in Lexington, Kentucky Gothic Revival architecture in Kentucky Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Kentucky National Register of Historic Places in Lexington, Kentucky Alexander Jackson Davis buildings 1851 establishments in Kentucky