Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

See Drawing

Block 1 - Area A

Subject: Archaeological Report on Old Foundations found on Bassett Hall property, Williamsburg, Virginia.

Date: April 2, 1932

Submitted herewith is an archaeological drawing showing old foundations recently found by excavation on the Bassett Hall property.

Foundation "A", found about 80 feet east of Bassett Hall house, appears to be a very old foundation. The bricks are Palace size, (9" x 4½" x 2½" or 2-5/8"); the bond, English; the mortar, oyster shell. Two periods of construction were found. The original walls are Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. In the North East corner, a very large chimney, formed by walls 1, 2 and a part of 3, was found. Its immense size (8' - 10" wide x 4' - 8½" deep), suggests that the building may have been a kitchen. At the south end of the building at No. 5, another chimney foundation was found. The cellar, enclosed by walls Nos. 8, 9, 10 and 11, was evidently dug out after building was completed, for the footings of the original walls are three feet above the floor. Original walls 3 and 4 were partially undercut and underpinned by walls 9 and 10. The original west wall was not found but apparently wall No. 7 indicates its location, and that it was slightly underpinned by wall No. 8. Cellar steps were found at No. 6. A glance at the plan is sufficient to show that they were built after the chimney.

Walls Nos. 12, 13, 14 and 15 are not bonded to original wall 2 No. 3 and are evidently the foundations of an addition.

Many objects and articles of the colonial period were found in excavating the old well and foundation "A". They were turned over to Mr. Goodwin.

At "B", remains of a double colonial chimney foundation were found, and about 250 yards South East of Bassett Hall house the foundation of an ice house was uncovered. Miss Edith Smith told me that there had been an ice house at that location.

Careful excavations were made at all sites of buildings, indicated on the Frenchman's Map, but no other foundations were found. However, about 250 feet South west of Bassett Hall house, approximately at the location of an outbuilding shown on the Frenchman's Map, fragments of brick and mortar were found, which may perhaps indicate the site of that building.