The statue of Lord Botetourt that currently stands in front of the Wren Building is a 1993 reproduction of the original located on the ground floor of Swem Library. One of the traditions at William & Mary is to dress up the statue for the holidays, such as hanging a wreath on the statue's outstretched hand. From the 1920s to the 1970s, campus tradition dictated that all freshman had to salute Lord Botetourt as they passed the statue.

Lord Botetourt was a figure so revered by Virginians that they erected a statue in his memory which stood first at the Old Capitol building and then was purchased by William & Mary in 1801. Barring a brief period during the Civil War when it was kept in the Public Asylum for safety, it stood in the Wren Yard until 1958, when it was removed to protect it from the elements. In 1966 it was installed on the ground floor of the newly erected Earl Gregg Swem Library. A bronze replica by Gordon Kray, class of 1973, was installed in the Wren Yard in 1993.

Who was Lord Botetourt?

Norborne Berkeley, 4th Baron Botetourt (1718-1770), was governor of the Virginia colony from 1768 to 1770. He was also a member of the Board of Visitors. Previously he had been a member of parliament for Gloucestershire, England, 1741-1763. He died suddenly while still in office and was buried in the crypt under the chapel in the Wren Building. He had the reputation of being a generous, courteous, and sympathetic gentleman and was greatly loved by his constituents. Today, the top prize given to a graduating senior for scholarship is the Lord Botetourt Medal.

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The President's House, located northeast of the Wren Building and facing the Brafferton, was built in 1732 and has been used by every William & Mary president. It is the oldest university president's house in the United States.

In 1781, during the American Revolution, the President's House served as Cornwallis's headquarters. It accidentally burned while occupied by French troops before the Battle of Yorktown and was rebuilt with money from French king Louis XVI. In 1862, during the Civil War, the house was used for various purposes including as Federal Headquarters for the area. After a raid by Confederate General Mosby's men on Union troops in Williamsburg, defensive works were thrown up by the Federal troops across the Old Campus in the spring 1865. The President's House was used in these works and some of its windows and doors were bricked up and loopholed.

The house has undergone a number of renovations in its history. From 1928-1931, the President's House, along with the Brafferton and the Wren Building, were restored to their colonial appearance as part of John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s restoration of Williamsburg. The kitchen building was reconstructed for use as the President's study and library. The garage built by President Benjamin Ewell remained as a fire house. A new small, frame building was built near the kitchen for storing tools and fire apparatus.

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The Brafferton Building, located on the south side of the Wren Yard and southeast of the Wren Building, was built by William & Mary in 1723. It was originally used as an Indian School and believed by some to be the first of its kind in America. Its intent was to educate and prepare Native American boys for the Anglican priesthood, an endeavor that met with little success. Today it houses the President’s and Provost’s Offices.

Funds for the construction came from the estate of English scientist Robert Boyle in the form of profits from the Brafferton Estate in Yorkshire, England. After the Revolutionary War, English funding ceased to come in and the Indian School was closed. In 1865, the Brafferton served as the office and quarters of the commanding officer of the Union garrison in Williamsburg. And in the spring of that year, it was also used as part of the Union defensive works after a raid of troops under John Singleton Mosby.

Throughout the years, the Brafferton has also served as a residence for professors, a dormitory for students, an armory for the Wise Light Infantry, the Alumni Association office, and even the Music Department. Hot and cold running water was installed in 1912, and in 1918, it became the headquarters for the Students' Army Training Corps. Its functions continued to change throughout the 1920s: Business Administration office (1920), Dean's, Registrars, and College Physician's offices (1921), Flat Hat office (1922), President's and Treasurer's offices (1922). It was restored 1931-1932 and has been the home of the President's Provost's offices since 1985.

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Affectionately known as “the soul of the college,” the Sir Christopher Wren Building is often shortened to either the Wren Building or the College Building. The oldest collegiate building still in use in the country, the Wren Building is a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places. Built between 1695-1700, its construction began before Williamsburg was founded and while Jamestown was the capital of the Colony of Virginia.

The Wren Building anchors the Historic Campus and remains a vital part of William & Mary - containing the Great Hall, the Wren Chapel, numerous graves, classrooms, offices, and the Department of Religious Studies.

Atop the Wren, a weathervane displays a metallic 1693 banner - the founding date of the second oldest university in the U.S.

The Historic Campus - the Wren Building, the Brafferton, the President’s House, and the Wren Yard - sits at the heart of 300+ years of education. Within the walls of Wren, generations of students have attended classes, eaten meals, recited prayers, and reveled in celebratory events. The north wing contains the Great Hall, while the south wing includes the Chapel.

As described by William & Mary professor Hugh Jones in 1724: "The Building is beautiful and commodious, being first modeled by Sir Christopher Wren, adapted to the nature of the country by the gentlemen there."

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