Nestled in the wilds of Virginia, this rural farmhouse was once the handsome landmark home of a US state senator. But time and neglect have had their way with the property and it's now a homage to history. Photographer Leland Kent of Abandoned Southeast was able to gain access and recently captured the farmhouse before major restoration works start. Click or scroll on to take a wander around this curious time capsule – just wait until you find out what's hiding in the garden...

According to Leland Kent, this wood-framed farmhouse was built in 1929 to replace a mansion built established 100 years prior. Once you've taken in the faded clapboard exterior, which would've originally been painted a dazzling white, access to the property is via the raised porch, which opens out into this surprisingly airy entrance hall. The ornate, sweeping staircase and piano add to the sense of grandeur; it's not hard to imagine some of the parties that could have taken place here a century or so ago. 

Of course, it wouldn't have been all play in this grand stately house. After all, this was the home of the highly-regarded educator and change-making politician, Blake Tyler Newton. Most notably, Newton served in the Virginia Senate from 1955 to 1965 and was a big supporter of public school desegregation. His unwillingness to back down on the matter eventually cost him his job as president of the State Board of Education. 

Newton lived in Hague, a small town in Virginia's Westmoreland County, his whole life, where he enjoyed multiple careers as a politician, school principal, school superintendent and lawyer. Home would have been a place of refuge for the busy man and this large welcoming lounge would've greeted him warmly when he returned home after a hectic day. It remains decorated with a floral area rug, an ornately carved writing desk and a wooden and velvet sofa.

The dual-aspect room benefits from plenty of natural light, meanwhile the brass candle-style chandelier would have kept things bright after dark. This was no small feat, considering in 1925 just half of all homes in the US had electric power. The fireplace would have also cast a cozy glow, but given this abandoned farmhouse was built on the cusp of the Great Depression, it could also have proved an economical way of keeping warm. 

Through the double doors, you'll find this irresistible snug – while the deep cyan walls and woodwork might be peeling, the rich hue beautifully offsets the fine pair of deep pink wingback armchairs positioned around the fireplace. We can just imagine Newton escaping the chaos of family life to enjoy a moment's peace in this inviting space! 

While the snug offers solace, the dining room is a place of togetherness. We can imagine Newton, along with his wife Bertha and their three children, enjoying many a happy mealtime in this striking formal space. We love the bright white wainscotting, which lifts the floral paper beautifully. But never mind all that – what's for dinner? Well, the farmhouse sits on one of Virginia's three peninsulas surrounded by wineries, so think seafood and a glass or two of merlot.

It's time to peek up the stairs. Yet again, you'll be greeted by a generous hallway area and plenty of beautiful period features. We are particularly enamoured with the intricate carvings along the rises of the staircase, and who knows what dazzling wood grains are hiding beneath the dust and debris of those floorboards?

While the bones of the house and the architectural details are what make it, the furniture and decorative items – like this ornamented oval mirror – left in situ imbue the house with personality and a real sense of how the previous inhabitants lived their lives that we don’t often get to see.

In what might have been the master bedroom, refreshing mint green walls frame a regal slumber space. But really, this is a room for sleep if this highly decorated four-poster bed is anything to go by. Whoever lived here last took their sleep very seriously. That's two mattresses, a layer of foam and a mattress topper we spy. 

Speaking of comfort, there's also a mint green fireplace to keep the chill away on those cold Virginia winter nights. The far corner of the room is reserved for this handsome wooden dressing table set-up, possibly used by Bertha. We love the space-saving corner storage cabinet above – what curiosities could be stowed away in there?

The suite also includes this small but perfectly formed ensuite bathroom, painted in the same soft shade of mint green. The original lozenge-shaped bathtub remains, however, the square grid-style tiling has since crumbled away from the walls.

Back out in the hallway, you can appreciate the sheer scale of the property's dimensions. This landing is so big that the beautiful glass-fronted dresser, which appears to have been emptied of belongings, takes up barely any square footage. 

Rather than grandiose displays of wealth, the house is refined and elegant in its design. Subtle structural features such as this beautiful Art Deco arched doorway frame the living spaces beautifully and create an easy flow from room to room.

Another grand bedroom, this statement space is painted a dapper shade of powder blue that works beautifully against the rich mahogany furniture. The bed frame is without doubt a masterpiece of carpentry, with an ornate carved design and a towering oversized headboard. We wonder who slumbered in this spectacular spot?

This bedroom also benefits from an ensuite. Unlike the highly decorative nature of the bedroom, the vintage bathroom suite is simple, with the rounded edges of the bath and sink harking back to the 1930s. The mustard floral wallpaper looks in surprisingly good condition, but sadly the salmon square tiles below are in need of some serious restoration. 

Back out in the hallway and you can see that this property needs some serious work, with patches of damp and mold spreading across the walls and ceiling needing urgent attention before they do any more damage. From here you can spot a further room, which is accessed through a set of beautiful double French doors. 

 This small, unassuming room contains a single bed with a carved wooden frame and a regal chair. Sadly, structural damage is all too evident in the ceiling, where plaster has fallen away leaving the wood exposed. With its glass doors, it seems unlikely that this room was intended as a bedroom – we wonder what its original use was...

Outside, there's more history to unearth as according to Leland Kent, the grounds contain a private cemetery where Newton and other family members were laid to rest. Thankfully, a new page may be turning for this historic abandoned farmhouse as renovations are now said to be underway. With any hope, its fascinating history and hallowed halls will be revived and preserved for generations to come. Watch this space...

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