Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

SUMMARY of INFORMATION SOURCES, graphic and descriptive, relating to Red Lion Tavern, Duke of Gloucester Street, Williamsburg, Virginia.

LOCATION

The exact location of "The Red Lion" as discussed in this report and as restored within the Colonial Area is shown on the map of Williamsburg (illustration 3).^* This is on the northerly side of the Duke of Gloucester Street, in Block 17, Area 3B.

LOT AS SITE OF ORDINARY

York County Records, Book III, Deeds and Bonds, p. 1. Lot 58 was granted by the feoffees of the City of Williamsburg to Francis Illustration 3
Plan of Williamsburg
Lots 56, 57, 58 indicated site of RED LION on Colonial Lot 57 is in red.
The purpose of this map is to indicate location of building at a glance. It is proposed to have such a map on opening page of all architectural reports. 4 Sharpe, May 15, 1713. Sharpe was an "ordinary keeper" who "received an ordinary license, May 19, 1718 and again a renewed license September 21, 1719.^*

A definite if faint glimpse of the physical appearance of a building on Colonial lot 57 before mid-18th century is given by a sketch drawing, prepared by Jos. Davenport, Surveyor of the City of Williamsburg, made in "obedience to an order of York County Court" dated May 16, 1743 in a dispute between Seth Seekright, lessee of Thomas Penman, Plaintiff, and John Burdett, Defendant, over the precise boundary line between lots 57 and 58.

Davenport's sketch of a house on lot 57 shows a building a story and a half high with a center doorway and window in each side; one window, toward the east end, appears wider than the window at the west end and suggests a shop window or large window to admit more than the usual amount of light. There are three dormers in the roof and a chimney at each end. The building on lot 57 is less long and of lesser architectural importance than the building on Burdett's lot (58) adjoining. Both buildings were placed a substantial distance to the left of the center of the respective lots. 1768 - Walter Lenox advertises his wig shop as follows:

"March 24, 1768. Walter Lenox, Perukemaker, Begs leave to inform the Public in General, and his Customers in Particular, that he has moved to the house known by the name of the Red Lion, next door above Mr Rind's Printing Office, where he carries on his business ...."^#

- Frenchman's Map, C. 1782-86, shows a long building on the site, with two outbuildings.

- Rochambeau Map, 1782. Map of Williamsburg, believed to be a copy of Benjamin Bucktrout's map of 1803^* shows the name Crump on lot 57, the name Greenhow on lot 56, and the name Meade on lot 58.

- Insurance Map, 1802, Policy No. 585. John Crump and Easter Whitfield, joint owners of lot 57, jointly insured the property with Mutual Assurance Society. Description of property in Policy No. 585:

"A Dwelling house 40 by 27 feet, one story high, built of wood and cov'd. with wood." ^#

It has not been completely established that this is a description of the property known as "Red Lion Inn."

1815 - Robert Anderson revalued the buildings which had [?] been previously valued in policy #585. This appeared on Insurance Policy No. 1387 and described "a dwelling of wood, one story high and covered with wood, 48 x 26 feet," occupied at east end by George Bray; and by Edward Tingle in the smaller, west end of property. Note on insurance plan: 3 outbuildings, consisting of one brick kitchen, one kitchen of wood and a chicken house.

- Recollections of Mr. John S. Charles, long a resident of Williamsburg, Principal of Matthew Whaley School for nearly twenty years. His typed transcript of "Recollections" is dated February, 1933, but prepared several years previously. They include glimpses of Williamsburg as early as 1860. Recalling the Red Lion, he says: 6.

MAIN STREET

PORCH

"A" dwelling of wood - one story high, covered with wood 48'x 26'

Occupied by George Bray occupied by Edward Teagle

S W E N [directionals arranged with "S" being at 12:00; "W" at 3:00; "N" at 6:00 and "E" at 9:00]

The above dwelling marked "A" is within 30 feet of three wooden buildings and one Brick Building covered with wood.

Brick Kitchen covered with wood.

Wood Kitchen covered with wood.

Chicken House.

BACK STREET

Valuation: $1700.00
1815/
[Insurance policy No. 1387, p. 8]
Copied for shapes. See Photostat of original, Dept. of Research and Records.

On the site now occupied by the new dwelling owned by Mr. Bryhn, and the house next to the Cogbill house, there stood, up to a few years ago, a long one-story-and-a-half frame building with dormer windows, and two doors opening on the street. The uptown door was the entrance to the part used as a dwelling, and the downtown door was the entrance to the store once kept there. This house was the original "Red Lion," and not the little reddish brick house now at the N.W. corner of Duke of Gloucester and Colonial streets, which in recent years has been erroneously called the Red Lion.

This old Red Lion was evidently one of the originals, On account of its age it became dilapidated and a menacing fire trap so it was removed not many years ago.

7.

Where the house of Mr. Donegan now stands, there stood, until after the War Between the States, a two-story frame house with porch on the western front, which was used as a residence; and in the eastern end there was a store for many years, which had the distinction of having been the only store here for a long period of the War.

The last house on the square facing on Duke of Gloucester street was upon the present site of Mrs. D. Armistead's residences, and was known as the Morrison house. This was a story-and-a-half frame house, with dormer windows. There was a porch along the street; but was high from the ground at the back. This old domicile was evidently also one of the originals, and being worn out in service, it was pulled down in 1883.^*

Mrs. Victoria Lee in her recollections of Williamsburg (since 1861) speaks of the Red Lion as "a story-and-a-half house," ... "a few yards west of the Blassingham house." She continues:

The Red Lion was a rather long house, three doors opening on the street. This old house had a very interesting interior; I remember a hunting scene painted above the mantel in the west living room. Like so many other houses in Williamsburg, this house was occupied during the war by three families of refugees. The Red Lion was only a few feet east of the house in which I now live.^**

These two memory accounts by Williamsburg citizens not only establish the location for the Red Lion in positive terms, but they both recall the continuance of the building, down to the end of the 19th century.

This old Red Lion, ... on account of its age ... was removed not many years ago. ^***

The exterior appearance of this building that Mr. Charles speaks of as having been "removed not many years ago" was fortunately recorded graphically in a pen and ink sketch by an unknown amateur 8. artist (Photograph of drawing, #356, Coleman Collection, M. 8) and attributed, by its penciled notation "near 1900."

This sketch shows a fairly long building of frame and clapboarding; it is a story and a half in height, with three doorways and five windows. (See attached illustration.) There are three roof dormers and a chimney to the left of center of the building. The building appears in a ruinous condition, with sagged roof and left gable partly collapsed.

There are two points to be born in mind by the individuals who are interested in tracing the design history of the reconstructed Red Lion. The first is the location of the chimney -- "to the left of center of the building." This off-center location of chimney, it can be observed, suggests two periods of construction and two parts to the plan. These two parts are indicated clearly by the insurance drawings of 1815 when Robert Anderson revalued the building on lot 57. On the longer part (up to where the chimney occurs on the pen and ink drawing) the occupancy "by George Bray" is noted, while the smaller part was "occupied by Edward Teagle." As point two of our observation, there is evidence showing the existence of a porch for the Teagle house, also, as shown on the insurance map. This is indicated by the torn edge of the roof, without cornice boxing at the part where the porch is situated on the plan.

EVIDENCE OF ARCHAEOLOGY

- Archaeological Drawing: Block 17, Area "C", dated 6/17/31.

- Archaeological Report of H. S. Ragland, Block 17, Area "C" (Red Lion and Burdett Sites) 3/11/32. Copies are incorporated in Archaeological Report, "Red Lion Site," August, 1941.

- Supplementary Archaeological Report, Block 17, Area "C", east, west side of Colonial Lot 58. [Summer of 1941.]^*

Most all foundation evidence was removed in course of various late construction incidents. There remained one wall with fireplace base, situated within about two feet-eight inches from Lee House. The foundation was interpreted to be old, possibly of the early 18th century. The dimension from north to south coincided approximately with the building on this plot, shown on lot 57 Insurance Policy #1387 which was given as 26'-0" in depth. 24'-10½" on Arch. Drwgs. but with other Colonial brickwork 1' more.

Here was evidence of archaeology -- an old wall with a chimney. On the other hand, there existed a pen drawing of Red Lion before its destruction around 1900. These two evidences of a building were studied and combined. They appeared to be one and the same building. It is true that the distance between the Lee House and the building shown in the drawing was greater than the distance between the same Lee House and the old excavated foundation. This increase of distance could have been a natural departure from reality or liberty assumed by the amateur artist.

However, at this time when first schemes were being made and the project studied -the Architects Perry, Shaw and Hepburn expressed the need for photographic data on which to base the design of the Inn. The existence of such a photograph was rumored and finally located. On June 16, 1932 William Perry wrote to Mr. Kenneth Chorley: 10.

Miss Annie Galt is in possession of a photograph of the old Red Lion Inn. . . . We understand, indirectly, that it will not be made available to us. Before proceeding with the plans of the Red Lion Inn ... we believe that it would be most advisable to see this photograph if possible. Is there any way ... etc."

Discussion of the missing and wanted photograph is further recorded in a note from Mr. Chorley to the Files, dated June 20, 1932. He said:

"... discussed with Mr. Perry on Saturday morning, his letter of June 16 concerning 'Filling in the Gaps -- Red Lion Inn. Block 17 ...' I and suggested to him that Mr. Shaw write to Miss Annie Galt direct, requesting the use of the photograph she has.

There was a gap of several years when the project for the restoration of Red Lion was again reviewed. This was in 1940, preceded by additional digging and examination at the west side of the adjoining lot 58 (summer of 1941).

The building restoration was based on the available evidence as previously related. No photograph of the Red Lion had been procurable. Work proceeded to the stage of "roofing the building." A chimney had been completed at the west end on the old colonial foundation and also the central chimney.

It was at this moment of "near completion" that the long-awaited and unexpected photograph of the "Old Red Lion" was given to Mr. Kendrew. With it there was a series of revelations which we will undertake to record by first describing the photograph.

Photograph ,#6524, called "Red Lion Inn." This was loaned to the Restoration by Miss Annie Galt Oct. 29-31, 1940, and who recalls the date of photograph as 1892.^#

Photograph

The building as restored was surprisingly similar to the Galt photograph, including the nature of windows, doors and dormers. There were, however, four dissimilarities. (1) The building of photograph was located -- not 2'-8" from the old Lee House, but an actual distance of nearly eight feet. (2) There was no chimney evident at the west end of the building, but only the chimney "slightly to the left of the building center," as previously discussed. (3) There was an additional window on the ground floor, making the result two windows on either side of the central doorway. (4) Then the dormers were differently place -- namely, dormers in approved reconstruction occur over end windows of south elevation, and over third window from the east end of building."^**

RED LION
Block 17, Colonial Lot 57

CHRONOLOGY

1717 -

Francis Sharpe obtained title to lots 57 and 58. This was a renewal of title, first granted in 1713. The title of 1717 must have been confirmed by erection of building on each lot, for Sharpe was able to bequeath both lots to his sons.^*

1718 -

Sharpe obtained license to operate an ordinary on either lot 57 or lot 58.

1719 -

Sharpe died. He bequeathed lot 58 to his son, Jacob. Jacob Sharpe sold lot to Thomas Pattison -- before 1742. Lot 47 was bequeathed to his son John.

1742 -

• John Sharpe, son of Francis, was a planter in Surry County. As owner of lot 57 and house, he rented his property to Thomas Penman, a carpenter, for seven years.
• -Mention of Billyard house.
• -Mention of "convenient kitchen, 16 feet by 12 feet, with a brick chimney."
• -The owner, [John Sharpe] is "to pull down a back shed .... adjoining to the Mansion House on said lot, and rebuild it 2 feet wider."
• -Owner "to pale in the said lot and put the said house in tenantable order by next March."
• - Owner "... to build a smoke house 8 feet square."^##

13.

1742 -

John Sharpe sold lot 57 to Henry Wetherburn,, "tavern keeper," October 1, 1742.^#

1743 -

Lawsuit, Seekright vs. Burdett,, recorded in York County Records.^** This record gives evidence oft (1) Location of lot lines; (2) Sketch drawings of the two ordinaries on property, on lot 57 -- an ordinary presumably Red Lion,; on lot 58 -- Burdett's ordinary.

1749 -

Penman, still in possession of lot 57, according to deed to lot 56. This deed describes the eastern boundary of lot 56 as "the lot of Henry Wetherburn now in possession of Thomas Penman."

Absence of records regarding lot 57 until end of century.

1766 -

Nov. 6, first mention of name "Red Lion," without clue to location.^***

1768 -

March 24, "Walter Lenox, Perukemaker .... has moved to the house known by the name of the Red Lion, next door above Mr Rinds Printing Office."^# The precise location of Mr. Rinds Printing Office has been conjectured to be Ludwell-Paradise House, based on the circumstance that Rind is reported to have lived at Ludwell-Paradise House from 1770 to 1773.^##

So far as historical proof or contemporary records known to us are concerned, there exists today, no evidence to indicate that the house on lot 57 was named Red Lion during the 18th century.^*

1782-86 -

Frenchman's Map shows a building and a small kitchen on lot 57. No architectural characteristics.

1800 -

The several maps of the City of Williamsburg, approximately 1800 indicate ownership of lot 57 as in the name of Crump, 58, in the name of Meade, and lot 56 in the name of Greenhow.

1802 -

Insurance Policy No. 585, Mutual Insurance Society, shows that J. W. Dixon owned property east of lot 57.

1808 -

Dividing-line-fence built between lot 57 and lot 58.

1808 -

Account of Union Tavern relates to building on lot 57. Record Report, Addenda 6:17:32, assumes that Union Tavern was the former "Red Lion."

1815-20 -

Esther Whitfield's estate taxed for 1/3 of lot 57; Edward Teagle, 1/3; Helen Maxwell, his wife, 1/3.

1820 -

All parcels of lot 57, listed as one lot in tax records.

1820 -

"Tax history of lots not clear." ^**

C. 1860-1900

• "Western Part," says Mr. Charles, was "frame, with porch after the War Between the States, used as residence."
• - "Eastern End ... a store for many years ... distinction of having been only store here for a long period of the war." House of Mr. Donegan (ownership in name of Bryhn) on site 15 after around 1900.

1861 -

Building known as Red Lion on lot 57 used as home for refugee families during the War-between-the--States, according to recollections of Mrs. Lee.

1900 -

Before the end of the century the old house, described by Mr. Charles as "the original 'Red Lion' ... became dilapidated ... and it was removed not many years ago."

THE RED LION