Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

ARCHAEOLOGICAL REPORT
BLOCK 17, AREA H
(Rear of Red Lion Inn on Pierce Lot)

During the fall of 1940 the rear or north portion of Colonial Lot 57 and part of Colonial Lot 58 were excavated for the purpose of archaeological investigation. This investigation produced no evidence of eighteenth-century building having existed in the area other than near the northwest corner. Fragmentary remains of a foundation were found in approximately the same location as a building shown on the Frenchmen's Map. This proved to be the remains of an "L"-shaped building with a wall thickness of (see archaeological drawing for dimensions). Only one course of brick existed in some places and a slight fill of crushed brick and shell mortar fragments in others as an indication of where the wall was originally located. No evidence of the north wall could be found although it is likely that it lined up with other outbuildings on Colonial Lots 55 and 56. A modern dwelling which stood on this site and was recently demolished accounts for the removal of the early brickwork.

Under what was probably the northwest corner of the early building was a 7' - 6', x 5' - 6' rectangular fill extending to a depth of 3' - 4' below the existing grade. This fill was composed mostly of clay and top soil mixed with many pieces of eighteenth-century fragments which consisted of broken pieces of china, broken ale bottles, many pieces of clay pipes and a few scraps of small rusty iron objects.