Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

ARCHAEOLOGICAL REPORT.

Submitted herewith is a drawing showing all foundations found on the Raleigh Hotel (or Market Square Tavern) lot.

Although most of the recent Raleigh Hotel is modern, parts of it are very old

Walls 4, 5, 6 and 7 and the remains of basement steps 8 are bonded together and are undoubtedly the foundations of the oldest part of the building. What was the original colonial house (A), for the brickwork is colonial in bond, mortar, brick size and color, and the timbers above are hand hewn and framed for a complete house. According to the following advertisement in the old Virginia Gazette it was probably the house, purchased by Gabriel Maupin, September 26, 1771 and enlarged for the purpose of keeping a tavern.

Virginia Gazette — Sept. 26, 1771: "Gabriel Maupin has lately purchased the house in Market Square lately occupied by Thomas Craig, and is making considerable additions and improvements for the purpose of keeping a tavern. He will move his shop also to the house, and continue to make saddles and harness."

That Maupin actually enlarged the building is indicated by the following record of the Mutual Assurance Society.

Policy No. 970 - Revaluation No. 109.

2

Assured - Gabriel Maupin - Sept. 23, 1809.
"Said buildings that are now owned by Peter Rob: Deneufville and are now occupied by Peter Rob. Deneufville, and are situated South of the Main Street, East of the Court House Square, North of Francis Street and West of the cross Street dividing Lightfoot lot. James City County.
valued at

Dwelling House	$2000.00	- 58' x 31'	- 1 Story wood
Store House	500.00	- 16 x 24	- 1 " "
Kitchen	500.00	- 29 x 18	- Wood
Counting House	500.00	- 16 x 24 -	"

Additions B and C were added on both ends of the original house. Walls 11, 12 and 13 of addition B, although full of patches and recent brickwork, and in places entirely modern, still retain fragments of what apparently is colonial brickwork. Chimneys 14 and 15 appear to have been practically rebuilt, but the bases still show fragments of colonial brickwork. Foundation of addition "C", including walls 2 and 3 and chimney one, also, has indications of modern work. Some of the mortar is lime (with no oyster shells) and the bond is modern. However, the house covered the present area by 1809, the date of the insurance policy, for the dimensions of the complete foundation 57' — 22 ½" x 31' - 3 ½" including A, B and C, practically agree with the measurements 58 x 31, given in the policy.

Both additions (B and C) to the original house A, as well as building I, were probably built prior to 1786, for the Frenchman's Map shows the whole area covered by a building. Foundation I is so close to foundations A, B and C that the whole was evidently plotted by the Frenchman as one.

Foundations D, G. and H are shown as colonial as the 3 Frenchman's Map shows buildings at those sites.

The Frenchman's Map shows no building at site E. The large chimney foundation found there indicates a kitchen, apparently the one insured in 1809 for the dimensions of the foundations practically agree with the measurements given in the policy. Except the chimney foundation of the kitchen, the other walls appear to have been rebuilt, for they are full of bats and are built on a fill. Also, more than a foot of fill was excavated inside the building, recently used as a garage.

Foundation K, is a fragment of a colonial foundation, the Frenchman's map showing a building at the site.