History
Completed in 2000, the dream of original owners, Dennis and Cindy Pryor, was to design a lavish family home fit for royalty, reminiscent of the English countryside. The estate house’s initial planning and conceptualization began with The Pryors’ interior design firm sourcing furnishings and artwork across Europe, about four to five years before breaking ground on the property. The Pryors and their son spent approximately ten years living in the 38,000 square foot estate house before selling the property. Dover Hall underwent a significant transition from being a private residence to an exclusive luxury events
venue in 2014. The Pryors even left about 90% of the estate’s originally sourced furnishings behind, juxtaposing a unique blend of history, authenticity, and character to the modern construction of the house. The Dover Hall Experiences team took over the management of the estate house in 2017. Our vision is to create an unparalleled guest experience through unforgettable events and upscale lodging. Since then, our team has hosted thousands of weddings, holiday parties – indeed, anything that warranted a celebration!
Sustainability
Since we took over management of Dover Hall in 2017, we have pledged to nurture the Earth with the same love we offer our employees, clients, guests, and vendors. Sustainability has a permanent seat as one of seven core company values!
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Our partnership with NOPE Compost Co. results in nearly 25,000 pounds of pre-consumer waste being diverted from the landfill every year, which is then composted by a local farmer to produce nutrient-rich soil eliminating the need for synthetic fertilizers.
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Through a collaboration with Steve White, President of the Richmond Beekeepers Association, we have introduced honey bees to the property, which play a vital role in pollination of over 90 different crops and are crucial to the health of our local ecosystems.
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Known for our luxurious chandeliers throughout the home and spiral staircases, we have replaced all 3600+ bulbs with their LED counterpart, resulting in just 1% carbon dioxide emissions.
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Every year, we provide more than 1000 gallons of used kitchen oil to a third party who converts it into biodiesel, which is nearly carbon neutral and in turn, significantly decreases greenhouse emissions.
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Our culinary team is focused on procuring ingredients from environmentally friendly and local organic farms, as well as utilizing compostable materials when disposables are needed.
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In the vineyard, we maintain grass in between the rows to prevent soil erosion and chemical runoff into the nearby ponds on the property. We also utilize re-usable bird/insect netting rated for 10-year usage to minimize waste and produce the best possible fruit.
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Our 31-unit geothermal HVAC system uses the Earth’s temperatures to heat and cool 38,000 square feet, thus reducing the need for fossil fuels and generating just 25% of the carbon dioxide emission that a normal system would produce.
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A robust recycling program including cardboard, glass, and plastic diverts an enormous amount of waste from going to the landfill every year.
