WESTTOWN, PA — The Westtown-Brandywine Historical Society launched a petition Sept. 14 seeking a preservation easement for the 1823 Darlington Inn before Westtown Township sells the two-acre property at public auction, a measure intended to protect one of the township’s remaining historic structures.
The property sits at the intersection of Route 202 and Route 926, at the entrance to the township. It is part of Crebilly Farm, which Westtown acquired after a campaign to prevent development of the land.
The proposed easement would protect the inn’s exterior while allowing a future owner to modify its interior and rear, according to the society. The group modeled its proposal on an easement approved by the Chadds Ford Township Board of Supervisors for the historic Painter’s Folly building.
The Darlington Inn was constructed with serpentine stone walls, period shutters and hardware, and a beehive oven, the society said.
The building also features carvings that local artist David H. Taylor began in 1843. They depict Henry Clay, the Whig lawmaker and presidential candidate whom Taylor admired, as well as Taylor’s dog, Lincoln, which was added around 1860.
The inn later served as a gathering place for members of the abolitionist Whig and Republican parties, according to the release.
The society said residents who supported preserving Crebilly Farm had believed the effort also protected the inn and were disappointed to learn that the township’s proposed sale carried no legal safeguards for the structure.
“We intend to present this petition to the Westtown BOS prior to the sale of the Darlington Inn,” the society said.
The petition is available at https://c.org/ZqcxCKtNMh.
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