John Burgwin built this town house in 1770 on the massive stone foundations of the abandoned town jail. Beneath this is the dungeon where Lord Cornwallis kept his prisoners, and the remains of a tunnel to the
Cape Fear River. In 1781, when Lord Charles Cornwallis retired to
Wilmington, after the Battle of Guilford Court House, he established his headquarters in this, 'the most considerable house in the town'. It has been carefully restored and a fine collection of eighteenth century furnishings and decorations acquired. From the front entrance you look through the house to the parterre garden. The plan of the garden and plant material are typical of the eighteenth century. This charming property creates a link with the past and is an excellent example of a colonial gentleman's town residence.