Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Attached herewith is an archaeological drawing, showing foundations of outbuildings recently uncovered by excavations on the Neale lot, at the corner of Duke of Gloucester Street and Palace Green.

The foundations, all of brick, are of two distinct periods and of two distinct buildings, the later foundations superimposed on the first.

The earliest foundation is small, about 12' x 16' (see drawing for exact dimensions), and the building was evidently frame for the walls are only 9" wide, and the chimney at the eastern end of it, clearly, was built outside.

Notes in the research files, entitled "Neale House Outbuildings" dated November 7, 1930, contain an extract from an agreement dated 1760, between James Geddy (the owner of the property), and Hugh Walker and John Goode to make repairs, etc. to the house and to build a shed 16 feet long by 10 feet wide, with an outside chimney. (It is not stated in the notes where this agreement was found). It seems very probable that the 16' x 12' foundation and the outside chimney are remains of the building authorized in the agreement and built in 1760.

On the north side of the foundation just described are the three walls of an addition to it, (the fourth wall being the north wall of the original building and not bonded to the others); for these foundations are at the same level with the original building and, like it, are under the foundations of the same later building. The 12' x 16' foundations with its addition comprise, then, the earliest foundations of the period of 1760.

Superimposed over the foundations of the first period are walls of a later building, the walls crossing and in places resting upon the first period foundations, as is shown on the drawing. This foundation of 9" walls is 30 feet long in an east and west direction and 24 feet wide in a north and south direction, with an interior wall running east and west about 8 feet south of and parallel to the north wall, with a large double chimney centered on the south (or 16' x 30') portion of the foundation. Part of the first period foundation was removed to make room for this chimney. Apparently the walls of the second building were built of old bricks, for they are very rough and full of bats. Perhaps, they were first used in the first building. Mrs. Rogers, formerly Miss Peachy, who owns and occupies the Peachy House (Norton House) on the adjacent lot, told me she remembered the old building which stood on this site. She said it was originally the kitchen of the Peachy House, and that it was destroyed when she was a child. She said it was a frame building with a gable roof, no dormers, chimney in the middle of the house, two rooms on the ground floor, with wood floors, which were "springy" and that the attic was lighted only by windows in the ends of the gables, at the east and west ends of the building. (The chimney is a double chimney and the largest fireplace faces east toward the Peachy House, supporting Mrs. Rogers' statement that it was originally the kitchen for that house.) Colored servants lived in the house when she knew it. Mr. B. D. Peachy, a brother of Mrs. Rogers, also remembered the building, and his description agreed with his sisters. He said that he did not think that there was any stairway to the second floor, and that the attic space there was unused. The south part of the foundation (16' x 30') with chimney in the center of it fits the building described by Mrs. Rogers 3 and Mr. Peachy, both of whom said the building was very old when they knew it. However, the whole foundation (24' x 30') was built at one time, for all the outside walls are bonded, and the interior wall at the east end. It would appear, therefore, that the second building was like this:-- On the portion of the foundation 16' x 30' there was the kitchen proper of two ground-floor rooms with a fireplace in each room, an unfinished attic in gable above, and over the 8' x 30' portion two small rooms, or one long room, with a lean-to roof above. The little 9" wall in front of the western fireplace, apparently was built to hold fill to support the hearth.

The brick paving or floor at elevation 80.83 was the floor of the first building, and ran back into the fireplace. It was necessary to remove it in the fireplace to locate the back of the chimney. The brick paving under the south wall of the second building was the outside paving at the time of the first building. The elevation is slightly lower than the inside paving of the first building. There are two layers of outside paving along west wall of second building, the lower of the date of the first building and the upper the second. The fragment of yard paving from near the south west corner of the second building to the well evidently (from the elevations) is of the first period. The other yard paving shown on the drawing south and east of the well was of the last period. It consists mainly of bats very irregularly laid. There was also paving at elevation 81.66 over the eastern large chimney of the first buildings, which was probably comparatively recent yard paving after both buildings were gone. It was necessary to remove this paving to find wall below it.

Laid on a fill of debris in the east fireplace of the double chimney of the second building, was brick paving which perhaps was the hearth of the second building. The chimney foundations were reduced in width at the level of this paving indicating that it was laid at the floor level of the second building. The elevation is 81.25. The elevation of the paving previously mentioned of the first building is 80.83, or 1'-5" lower. As Mrs. Rogers said the second building had a wood floor, it was probably laid over the first building's brick floor and at the elevation of the fireplace paving of 81.25. It was probably laid on sleepers on fill of debris, as Mrs. Rogers said it was "springy".

The old well shown on the drawing is probably the one referred to in the agreement previously mentioned, made between James Geddy and Hugh Walker and John Goode in 1760. It was filled with trash and earth, which has been taken out. Part of the bucket was found in it.

Three boxes of objects, china, glass, iron, etc., found when excavating these foundations and well, have been turned over to Mr. Rutherfoord Goodwin. The excavated foundations have been left uncovered, and the surplus debris hauled away and the premises cleaned up. A heavy wood cover has been placed over the well to protect the public.

Submitted herewith is drawing showing remains of foundations of outbuildings recently uncovered by excavations at above described site. Two foundations were found, one above the other. Both are 30' x 16', the lower or older one is marked A on the drawing, the upper, B. Mrs. Bullock has made a sketch (see her notes) from information obtained from an old insurance policy (Policy No. 7581, dated May 21, 1810, assured Roscoe Cole) loaned to her by Mrs. Virginia Peachy Rogers, which shows the site of a "stable of wood entire, 30' x 18'", at the approximate location where foundations A have been found. Mr. Charles, in his "Recollections of Williamsburg", page 34 paragraph 2, Peachy Block, says, "On the Northeast corner of this block there stood in 1861, and many years before, a large frame building used as a barn, stable, etc.; on the Northwest corner stood a smaller frame house used as a stable". The Frenchman's Map also shows a small building at the same location, so it seems fairly conclusive that the walls marked A on the drawing are the foundations of a colonial stable, which remained until after the Civil War.

Foundations B are of a later building, perhaps also a stable or carriage house, for no chimney foundations were found. The bricks, largely bats, are roughly laid and were probably taken from the earlier building.

Within the area of Foundation B is an old septic tank. The top 2 is slightly above the surface of the ground and is open. A temporary wooden cover has been placed over it to protect the public, I think it should be filled.

Near the northeast corner of the lot on the property line, separating it from the Court House Green, remains of a small vault were found, perhaps a small child was buried here and the grave bricked up.

The site has been backfilled and all objects found in the excavations have been turned over to Mr. Rutherfoord Goodwin.

Figure - Digital version unavailable