Alexandra Foley visits the historic gates that came from Foley’s ancestral home

Alexandra Foley (left) with GoLakeHavasu president/CEO Terrance Concannon and Councilwoman Jeni Coke under the gates that came from Foley’s ancestral home

Alexandra’s brother, Thomas Foley (The ninth Baron Foley) on his visit to Lake Havasu City with visitor center employee Jan Kassies.

A Historic Heirloom

By JOEY POSTIGLIONE, TODAY’S NEWS HERALD

The London Bridge might be Lake Havasu City’s biggest tourist-attracting antique, but it’s not Havasu’s only one.

Three days into the New Year, the Alexandra Foley took a road trip to Havasu to visit the gates of her ancestral home that visitors now walk through when entering the English Village. Foley was welcomed to town by Councilwoman Jeni Coke and Go Lake Havasu president/CEO Terrance Concannon.

The gates at the Village are from 19th Century and come all the way from Witley Court in Worcestershire, England. According to English-Heritage.com, Witley Court first came into the Foley family possession in 1655 when ironmaster Thomas Foley bought the property following the English Civil War.

Foley’s grandson expanded the Witley Court and the property stayed in the Foley’s possession until 1833 when Thomas Foley, fourth Baron of the estate, sold it to William Ward, the 1st Earl of Dudley.

According to a 1974 note from Lake Havasu City Columnist Jack Hardie, the Foley iron gates ended up in Lake Havasu City after a representative for Robert McCulloch bought it at auction for “just under $1 million”

Hardie pointed out in his note that the gate is dated to 1862 which is “fairly modern as castles go.”

Alexandra Foley says she first heard about the story of her family gate 20 years ago from her father Adrian Foley, eighth baron Foley.

“I then told my brother (Thomas Foley, ninth Baron Foley) who was visiting last year and then I thought ‘well I have to go see it now,” Foley said.

While this is Foley’s first time in Lake Havasu City, this isn’t the first time she has visited country or state.

“I am a fanatic about the American West,” Foley said. “...I was partially brought up here.”

While Foley’s father came from British nobility, her mother was American Heiress Patricia Meek who lived in Los Angles.

Foley says that along with visiting Lake Havasu City on this trip she has also made stops in Prescott, Tombstone and Tucson.