Historic Rugby
HomeProfileRugby, TnDoobie BrothersToby Keith
Cowboy Cookin' On The RangeLinks to Additional ArticlesLinks to Additional Articles-2BlogContact Me

Historic Rugby: An English Colony In Tennessee
By Vernell Hackett(Nashville Scene)

Toward the end of the 1870s, Thomas Hughes, who at one time was the second-most famous English author next to Charles Dickens, purchased some 75,000 acres of wilderness on the Cumberland Plateau, planning to establish a Utopian colony for the second sons of well-to-do families in England.

It became the last English colony founded in the U.S.
Hughes, who wrote “Tom Brown’s Schooldays,” picked the area in what is now Morgan County, Tennessee, as much for the scenic beauty as for the prices offered by the Boston capitalists who owned it. His dream was to develop an agricultural community that maintained the cultural and social graces of English gentry. 

When dedicated on Oct. 5, 1880, Rugby had a population of 175. Today there are fewer residents in this township, which 37 years ago began to preserve, restore and protect itself from outside development, seeking to rebuild itself as a historic community. 

Rugby is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is pursuing Landmark Status with the National Park Service. The National Trust for Historic Preservation says Rugby is one of the most authentically preserved historic villages in America. Visitors should stop first at Rugby’s restored Schoolhouse Visitor Centre, where they can watch a 12-minute video and see a variety of extremely detailed interpretive exhibits before they head out to tour the buildings in the town. 

Kingstone Lisle was the home built for Hughes, but he was never to reside in it. His wife became ill in England and he was forced to make only short visits to Rugby because of his wife’s poor health. Visitors can walk through the ground floor of the home, which is furnished in period pieces.

The Thomas Hughes Free Public Library, built in 1882, is the most historically authentic building visitors will see in Rugby – the interior has remained unchanged since it opened in October of 1882. Magazines and books from the period offer a diverse look at what the colonists were reading during that day and time.

Christ Church Episcopal, built in 1887, continues to have services, and visitors are invited to attend on Sunday at 11 a.m. when they are on the grounds.

Many of the original homes are privately owned, open to the public only during the annual Pilgrimage of Homes in the spring and at Christmas.The Harrow Café serves British and Appalachian food. The selection is varied in this restaurant, named after the original eating establishment in Rugby. The cafe is open daily for breakfast and lunch and on Fridays and Saturdays for dinner. Strolling through the shops, visitors will find an interesting assortment of goods. The Rugby Commissary offers locally-made traditional Appalachian handcrafts, British Isles products, old-time Watkins extracts and spices, and much more. The Board of Aid building has an extensive Victorian and local history bookshop. 

Guests may stay overnight in the restored Newbury House Bed and Breakfast and Pioneer Cottage, both built in 1880.  It is always a good idea to make reservations although if there are rooms available, visitors may book the room the day of their arrival. Two other Victorian cottages are available for guests by booking through Historic Rugby.

There’s no doubt why Hughes chose this area when visitors stroll along nearby trails and drive through the nearby state parks and recreation areas. The rivers sparkle crystal clear with waterfalls that shimmer in the sunlight. Gorges are deep with an air of adventure about them, and the bluffs offer extraordinary views of the surrounding forest and plateau area. Many of the trails date from the 1880’s, such as “The Gentlemen’s Swimming Hole,” and they wind their way through deep forests where wildlife abounds. 

Area attractions include Highland Manor Winery, Colditz Cove and Northrup Falls, Pickett State Park, The Big South Fork Recreation Area, Historic Stearns and the Big South Fork Scenic Railway, Blue Heron Historical Museum, Muddy Pond Mennonite Community, and the Obed Wild and Scenic River.Historic Rugby hosts several festivals throughout the year which attract many of its 65,000 visitors from all 50 states and many foreign countries. The area is beautiful at any time of year, so visitors can choose from the Spring Music and Crafts Festival, the Pilgrimage of Homes, the Halloween Ghostly Gathering, and Christmas at Rugby.   

Visitors who have an interest in learning area crafts can attend workshops at Rugby, which sponsors them as part of its effort to preserve the arts and craft traditions of the Cumberland Plateau. Instructors are highly experienced and classes are geared to both beginners and the advanced students.

Admission to Historic Rugby is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors (60+), and $2.50 for students K-12. Preschoolers’ admission is free.