Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library Research Report Series - 1371
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library
Williamsburg, Virginia
1990
ARCHITECTURAL DEPARTMENT OF
WILLIAMSBURG RESTORATION, INCORPORATED
This site has been completely tested for foundations for the most part by excavation. Unexcavated portions were thoroughly tested by the rod down to undisturbed clay at one foot intervals. Wherever the rod indicated brick, paving, rubble or soft-spots, such areas were then excavated and whatever foundations uncovered were recorded graphically and textually. All dirt was screened to discover any fragments of utensils, ceramics, iron, etc., and these were placed in boxes with the portion of the site in which they were found marked thereon.
The detailed descriptions of the various foundations, etc., are listed below according to numbers which refer to various portions as shown on the archaeological survey drawing. In each case all evidence obtained from examination by excavation is stated in this report. Also the probable type of structure and purpose of the numbered foundation in question is stated as an assumption, based on archaeological evidence. All such assumptions and statements are subject to changes due to further research or data.
Besides these descriptions, a number of explanatory photographs were taken. The number of each photograph and the station point from which such view was taken is likewise shown on the drawing.
3| WALLS AT 1 | Brick: | Small, dark and very hard with clear ring and almost vitreous. Size 7 1/4" x 3 1/2" x 1 3/4". Single course deep. Similar to brick at wall 3-4 and round curb just South. Laid in English bond. |
| Mortar: | Of oyster shell lime with medium heavy aggregate of broken shell. | |
| Probable Use: | For small outbuilding such as privy or shed. Period is later than that of wall 2-5 as the round curb and wall 3-4 are the same kind and size of brickwork as at 1 and overlap wall 2-5. | |
| Condition: | Too fragmentary for re-use. | |
| WALL 3-4 AND ROUND CURB | Brick: | Same type brickwork as 1. Pier at 4 different type and size of brick. Size 8 1/2" x 4" x 2 1/2". Brick in curb same as 1. Curb is built up of 1/2 bricks. Floor of curb in pattern as shown. See section I. Wall 3-4 and pier at 4 laid in English bond. |
| Mortar: | For wall same as 1. Pier has oyster shell lime mortar. Curb same as for wall 2-5 and walls at 1. | |
| Probable Use: | For smoke house. This includes round curb and wall 3-4. Pier at 4 earlier and probably belonging to period of wall 2-5. Round curb was common feature of smoke houses. When curb was excavated it was found full of ashes and charcoal. | |
| Condition: | Too fragmentary for re-use. | |
| 4 | ||
| WALL 2-5 | Brick: | Size 8 ½" x 4" x 2 ½". See section "J - J". Bond hard to classify due to section shape of wall. |
| Mortar: | Of oyster shell lime. | |
| Probable Use: | Shape of wall unusual. See section "J - J". This wall is overlapped by wall 3-4 and round curb. At southern end is a 9" x 9" pier. Wall did not butt chimney at 5 being stopped 8" clear. This wall in conjunction with wall 6-7 and foundations of chimney at 5 may have comprised foundations for a frame outbuilding. Chimney at 5 could hardly have been used as a chimney in this case, only as an earlier foundation re-incorporated. | |
| Condition: | Too fragmentary for re-use. | |
| CHIMNEY 5 | Brick: | Large size 9" x 4 ¼" x 2 ½" in general but some few other sizes mixed in. Brickwork sloppy, but closers are used at outer corners. Laid in English bond and approximately 5 courses deep. 4 courses = 12" ¾+ In some cases brick gives appearance of having been re-used. |
| Mortar: | Joints crudely finished. Oyster shell lime mortar. Seems less tough and full of oyster shell aggregate than chimney 13-14. | |
| Probable Use: | Outbuilding whose use required chimney. As brickwork has mixed sizes, some of which seem re-used, and as the mortar seems different than at chimney 1-4-15, a later period may be given chimney 5 than chimney 14-15. However, this chimney is earlier than walls 2-5 and 6-7, and all are earlier than wall 3-4 and round curb. | |
| Condition: | Fit for re-use if important. | |
| 5 | ||
| PAVING 9 | Brick: | Edging of ½ - ¾ bricks laid flat. Between edging are broken bricks laid random and flat on a bed about 4" deep of brick rubble, mortar and marl. |
| Probable Use: | Northward from the foundations of the main house the outbuilding foundations line up roughly on the west line of the house extended. Since paving 9 lies east of the outbuildings and other paving remnants were found south of it, the general circulation and access to the outbuildings must have been on this general line extended north and south-particularly since the west edges of the outbuildings rest near the approximate west lot line. | |
| Condition: | Too fragmentary for re-use. | |
| FOUNDATION 11 | Brick: | Walls composed of broken brick or batts (½ and ¾ lengths) in general 2 courses deep laid in a sort of English bond, 4 ¼" wide and 2 ½" deep seeming to be re-used 9" x 4 ¼" x 2 ½" brick. Paving of same size brick laid flat on a thin base of brick, rubble and mortar. Only middle portion left. This shows no trace of fire on surface of brick. |
| Mortar: | Oyster shell lime heavy with shell aggregate. Heavier than at chimney 14-15. | |
| Probable Use: | Outbuilding such as dairy or salt house. Probably not smoke house as surface of brick does not show traces of fire. In general smoke houses had dirt floors to absorb fatty drippings from curing meats. Dairies usually had brick or wood floors for cleanliness. | |
| Condition: | Too fragmentary for re-use. | |
| 6 | ||
| PAVING 10 | - Brick: | Composed of brick rubble, mortar and marl. Is similar to under layer below paving at 9. See remarks thereon. |
| Condition: | Too fragmentary for re-use. | |
| BRICK AT 12 | - Brick: | Three brick without mortar and of mixed sizes. |
| Probable Use: | Undetermined. | |
| BRICK AT 8 | - Brick: | One course deep. North part laid flat. Size 8 ½" x 4 ¼" x 2 ½". South part one course deep laid on edge. Size 8 ¾" x 4 ¼" x 2 ½". |
| Mortar: | No mortar in evidence either in joints or on tops of bricks. | |
| Probable Use: | Since no mortar is in evidence this would not represent a wall foundation but rather fragmentary paving or gutter construction - a casual fragment of some kind. | |
| Condition: | Too fragmentary for re-use. | |
| BUILDING | ||
| 13-14-15-18-19 | - Brick: | In walls at 13, chimney at 14, walls at 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, size is 9" x 4 ¼" x 2 ½" laid in English bond. Wall at 21 is of mixed and broken sizes. Walls at 13 and 15 butt chimney foundation and are less heavy and deep. Wall 15 to 19 less deep than at 15. At 15 walls are 3 courses deep - at 13, 4 courses deep with all tops approximately flush. Chimney is 10 courses deep, see section "H". Walls at 15 and 13 have brickwork considerably broken. Wall 15-18 is 2 courses deep. From 18 to 19 it is 1 course deep. |
| Hearth at 14 of stone and brick as shown. Brick under fire shows effects of fire, - stone shows effects of use as hearth. Brick are 8 ¼" x 4" x 2 ½". Brick and stone are laid on thin bed of sand which in turn is on thin bed of brick rubble, mortar fragments and marl. | ||
| 7 | ||
| At 17 brick is one course deep, and gives appearance of having been a wall or some other substantial foundation, but may or may not have bonded with main wall 15-19. | ||
| At 21 wall does not bond with main wall 15-19. It seems later due to mixed sizes. | ||
| Wall at 20-19 is the same as main wall 15-19. | ||
| Mortar: | Oyster shell lime with fairly heavy shell aggregate in general throughout whole foundation. | |
| Probable Use: | Size of building, the large, much used hearth and underfire and heavy walls at 13 and 15 would indicate a frame kitchen. The walls at 13 and 15 would not be so heavy for ordinary frame construction and seem, therefore, to indicate foundations for brickwork such as ovens. | |
| The wall at 21 is later than the general foundation. | ||
| The wall at 17 may have been for a wing or porch and since the corner of the main walls is broken out at 19 it is possible wall 17 may have been repeated here. | ||
| Since building 22 paving is at a higher grade than hearth 14, it shows that 22 was intrusive and later. This intrusion would cause removal of other paving of kitchen and its west wall. | ||
| Size of kitchen - 17 feet by 28 feet - one which is in general common for single unit small structures of the kind and period. | ||
| Condition: | Chimney foundations only fit for re-use. | |
| 8 | ||
| WALLS AT 22 | - Brick: | 8 ½" x 4 ¼" x 2 ½" for walls. 8 ¼" x 4" x 2 ½" for paving. This paving is of brick on edge with mortar joints. Walls are three courses deep laid up in English bond. |
| Mortar: | Firm oyster shell lime mortar both in wall and paving with heavy shell aggregate. | |
| Probable Use: | Since the paving shows no traces of fire, use of building probably similar to that at 11. The building is intrusive as related to foundations 13-15-19, etc. See remarks under general considerations of the outbuildings. | |
| Condition: | Not fit for reuse. | |
| PAVING 16 | - Brick: | Similar to paving within borders at 9. Also on same kind of fill. No connection was discovered between 9 and 16 other than as shown by the above and the drawing. |
| Condition: | Not fit for re-use. | |
| WELL AT 26 | - Brick: | Curb is laid in English bond - but is badly broken and out of "true" and about 50% has disappeared. It is scribed against outer surface of well, not being bonded to it. |
| Well is laid up with headers not radial. Size 9" x 4 ¼" x 2 ½". Ditto size for curb. Eastern half of upper five feet destroyed by former excavation for 4" soil line and elbow from adjacent building. See elevation "E-E". | ||
| Mortar: | Oyster shell lime with shell aggregate. | |
| Probable Use: | As well and foundation of some superstructure to shield it. The round well with square curb or foundation scribed thereto at grade is very common in colonial wells of the locality. At date of writing well was excavated to about 8' in depth. The curb is in bad condition and existing corners to which dimensions were taken are slightly out of original positions. | |
| 9 | ||
| Condition: | Below it is broken, upper part of the well seems to be in good enough condition for reuse. Curb not fit for reuse. | |
| GUTTER 25-23 | Brick: | Gutter laid in English bond, brick size being 8 ¾" x 4" x 2 ¾". See section "F-F" on drawing. Base seems to have been more roughly laid than the curbs as curbs run in true lines while base or foundation weaves slightly from side to side causing slight projection first on one side then the other beyond outer curb faces. Curb is 2-courses deep, base is 1 course deep. |
| Mortar: | Oyster shell lime - shell aggregate. | |
| Probable Use: | As a gutter - either open or covered at grade as no evidence was found to determine this except that over the lot in general, much thin flagging was found in broken pieces which may have served as a cover, flush at grade. The gutter pitches from the south downwards toward north some 4 ¼". At its north end it crosses the adjoining lot line. Beyond this point no further excavation was made, because of the adjacent garage. | |
| On the Prentis site, the Lottie Garrett site, and at both Governor's Palace wells large gutters and drains were used to carry off unused water. It is an obvious feature to employ in connection with a hand operated well. The brick work of the drain seems later than that of the well. | ||
| Condition: | Good enough for reuse at certain portions. | |
| MAIN FOUNDATION STEPS 30 | Brick: | Two sizes 9 x 4 ¼" x 2 ½" and 8 ¾" x 4" x 2 &" laid in English bond at cheeks and all headers on steps except bottom course which is of stretchers. Slots are left at termination of nosings in the cheeks. See Section "A-A". |
| 10 | ||
| Mortar: | Oyster shell lime with small shell aggregate. More than usual amount sand. Mortar is badly disintegrated. | |
| Probable Use: | As basement steps. Slots left in cheek for riser nosings customarily of wood. Steps and cheeks out of true giving appearance of having been built askew with masons attempting to line up by widening treads on one side and narrowing on other in order to bring top risers in line with foundation walls. | |
| The peculiarly haphazard basement construction as well as shallow outer foundation walls indicate the cellar as having been added after the building was up or else inserted in a very poor manner. This would explain the poorly constructed steps and the difference between the brick work in them and that of the outer walls. See section "A-A". | ||
| Condition: | Not good enough for reuse unless important to do so. | |
| WALLS 29-28-27-39 | Brick: | Laid in Flemish bond, size 8 ½" x 4" x 2 ½". See section "C-C". Wall is well laid up. At 28 it is broken through by a modern wall 28-37. Just west it is further broken until it disappears at 29. |
| Beyond this point is a piece at 31 which has fallen into the basement on its side. The wall turns south at 27 and terminates at 39, but no further traces of it were found south of this point. The wall is shallow. | ||
| 11 | ||
| Mortar: | Has oyster shell lime, small amount of shell aggregate and larger amount of sand than usual. This may place the wall at later period in 18th century or early 19th century but not conclusively. It seems similar to mortar of steps 30. | |
| Probable Use: | As foundation wall for a frame building without a basement. This is the only continuous portion of wall found, but is not extensive enough in itself to determine the size and shape of the original structure belonging to it. | |
| Condition: | Too fragmentary and light for reuse. | |
| MODERN WALL 28-37 | Brick: | Description not required. |
| BRICK AT 38,40 | Brick: | 1 course deep. Mostly laid in Flemish bond. Brick size is 8-¾" x 4 ¼"-½" x 2 ½", but not enough whole brick to establish a good average. |
| Mortar: | Oyster shell lime with shell aggregate. Tops of brick show traces of mortar. Some lumps of mortar at joints, but most joints filled with sand and clay mortar. | |
| 12 | ||
| Probable Use: | Bottom course of wall, perhaps, if 38 is taken alone. If 38 and 40 considered together the bottom course of chimney foundation would be indicated. This seems likely. The brickwork in general clearly indicates its having been the bottom course of walls or other mass of brickwork. This brickwork rests on undisturbed clay. | |
| Condition: | Not fit for reuse. | |
| BRICK AT 41,42 | Brick: | 1 course deep as at 38,40. Size 9" x 4" x 2 ¼", but too few brick to establish a true average size. At 38,40 the average size seems different, slightly, but 41 and 42 may have been contemporaneous. See Below. |
| Mortar: | Same as for 38 and 40. | |
| Probable Use: | Either contemporaneous and related to 38 and 40 or not so related. Judging by size alone the two do not seem to be related. The proximity and shape of the 4 parts would indicate their being related, however, particularly as they all are 1 course deep and at about the same grade, and there are too few bricks at 41 and 42 to be sure about an average size. Thus 41, 42, 40, 38 may have been a chimney foundation. Their position in relation to wall 29-27-39 would indicate this. | |
| Condition: | Too fragmentary for reuse. | |
| BRICK AT 44 | Brick: | Size 8 ¾" x 4" x 2 ½". Brick are on edge. Are handmade and seem same as in other old portions. Size only approximate as too few brick to establish a true average. |
| 13 | ||
| Mortar: | Slight traces of oyster shell lime mortar on sides of brick. | |
| Probable Use: | A casual fragment, but it does lie on building line - see plan of Prentis Site. | |
| BRICK AT 45 | Some brick and mortar as modern walls 28 - 37. Represents a modern intrusive structure. Note this pier is on ancient building line. | |
| BRICK AT 46 | Brick: | Size is 9" x 4 ¼" laid in common bond. This because the wall is only 4 ¼" thick. |
| Mortar: | Has thin mix of oyster shell lime and sand in unusually large proportion. | |
| Probable Use: | Inspection of shape etc. of this brickwork indicates it as small area way for basement opening. It is a trough. with sides partially missing. The brick is the same size as at steps at 30 and fragments 41 and 42. It also carries out the general building line on which lie bricks at 45,44, and the Prentis foundation walls. | |
| Condition: | Could be reused if important. | |
| BRICK AT 49 | Brick: | Size is 8 ½" x 4 ¼" x 2 ½". 1 course deep sloping east as if portion of fallen brickwork. |
| Mortar: | Oyster shell lime in quantity with heavy shell aggregate. Traces of brick show the mortar. Loose from this brick was a closer of same kind of brick with well line-tooled joints adhering to 3 sides. | |
| Probable Use: | Casual, fallen fragment. | |
| 14 | ||
| BRICK AT 35 | Brick: | Size in thin wall one brick thick, 8½" x 4" x 2 ¾", laid in common bond which is only bond possible under circumstances. Size in corner or pier is 9" x 4¼" x 2½". This is in English bond. See elevation at "D-D". |
| Mortar: | In thin wall it is like trough on area at 46. In pier or corner it is of oyster shell lime with shell aggregate. Where two walls butt is a 2" wide crack filled with same type mortar as in the thin wall. | |
| Probable Use: | Note that pier or corner which is broken on north edge and west edge is approximately in line with pier at 36 and brick at 37-38 and termination or broken end of wall at 39. This may indicate a partial cross wall at this line or at least a line of supports for a beam or partition on first floor. Note also that the bricks 35-37-38 are the same. The corner or pier at 35 seems to have rested on the basement level, but the thin wall butting it is at a higher level at its base. This thin wall has some brickwork as another similar wall at 34 which in turn is at a higher level. These two thin walls suggest vaguely another area or basement opening or a minor retaining feature at the basement shelf line. See discussion on basement. | |
| Condition: | Not fit for reuse. | |
| WALL AT 34 | Brick: | Same as thin wall at 35 |
| Mortar: | Ditto | |
| Probable Use: | As explained under 35. See elevation at "K-K". | |
| Condition: | Not fit for reuse. | |
| BRICK AT 32 | Brick: | 4 stretchers in a row one course thick Approx. mean size 9" x 4¼" x 2½". |
| Mortar: | Traces of mortar on tops and sides but none at joints. Mortar of oyster shell lime. | |
| 15 | ||
| Probable Use: | Casual fragment. | |
| Condition: | Not fit for reuse. | |
| BRICK AT 36 | Brick: | 4 courses deep and in bad condition. Brick size 9" x 4" x 2½" laid in English bond. |
| Mortar: | Oyster shell lime. Mortar has heavy shell aggregate. | |
| Probable Use: | See remarks under wall at 35. Note that bottom of this wall indicates approximate basement wall dirt shelf. See remarks on shelf under "Basement." | |
| BASEMENT 31,33,37,43,47,48 | ||
| As mentioned above the basement had dirt walls with a ledge of earth part way up varying in width, height and general regularity. As shown on the plan by a heavy dotted line the area is irregular also. The consideration that this earth-walled cellar was an afterthought seems logical as the stepped walls would form proper retaining qualities for the main foundation walls which were so shallow. At the west and south the shelf and earth walls seem to have been closer to the building line than to the east and north, perhaps due to the greater weight of a possible chimney at 38-42. In all cases, the dirt walls are steeply sloping | ||
| 16 | ||
| In the Southwest corner is a deep, funnel like hole or pit with earth sides. This was full of debris or "fill" and was readily excavated to its original proportions. At the bottom, resting on undisturbed, solid clay were decayed remnants of wood boards laid flat. It is difficult to explain the purpose of this pit unless it contained a cistern tank of some sort or served as a drain or sump pit. | ||
| Starting at 33 and continuing in a haphazard manner is a series of fragmentary paving brick with here and there pieces of thin, broken stone. This paving follows roughly the limits of the cellar area and is laid on the dirt floor. For the most part it is composed of mixed sizes of brick laid in a random manner the units being in general broken parts of whole brick. | ||
These are of different periods. It is difficult to ascribe the periods in sequence from brick sizes alone since early structures might be removed and the brick reused in later work either mixed with brick from other sources or in entirety. In this case an assumption can be made by studying the relation in plan of the various foundations, keeping in mind the foregoing remarks on brickwork.
There seem to be three general divisions of brick size for a sequence assumption made possible by the tri-period juxtaposition of the foundations.
Foundation 13-15-18-19-20 may be established as a kitchen. North of it and of the same general type of brickwork is chimney foundation 5-6. East of it is well 26 and of the same kind of brickwork. These three may be called First Period.
The Second Period will include the intrusive foundations 22,11 and 6-7 which may or may not be related to 2-5 and which must have included the foundation only of chimney 6. Since the wall of 6-7 turns north at 7, it would seem reasonable to assume a structure which would link 2-5 to it. Thus the First Period kitchen and building with chimney north of it would have disappeared with the erection of 3 buildings of Second Period.
18The Third Period concerns alterations to the Second Period Building at 2-6-7 where the fragmentary foundations of a smoke house intrude and north of it a fragmentary foundation of the same type brickwork as the smoke house at 3. The most that can be said for the Third Period, then, is that building 2-6-7 was replaced with a smoke house, a small structure appeared north of this, and that the two structures at 11 and 22 of the Second Period probably remained in existence. During all the periods the well at 26 must have been in use.
The foundations of the main house are very fragmentary. By referring to the detailed description of these fragments in the preceding notes we find a definite north line, a definite east line, a good indication of the south or "building" line and an assumed west line. (This west line was determined by the line of demarcation between undisturbed clay soil and the fill and debris in the cellar depression as well as the west wall of the basement steps.) Within these limits are the overall dimensions of 32 feet depth (north to south) and 35 feet width (east to west). Note also that there is a line of construction east and west 20 feet north of the south or "building" line. Two possibilities may be assumed from these facts:
19Of the alternatives the second seems to have more reason. The wall now existing at 29-27-39 is light and seems later than the brickwork along the line 35-36-37-38 (the assumed division between the earlier front and later rear parts), appears more in the nature of the foundation for a leanto or light addition. The basement also indicates a front portion of more importance, even though this cellar was inserted later than the period of the front. The wall 29-27-39 is in Flemish bond, whereas brickwork at 35-36 is in English bond. If this two period assumption is taken as a working basis, the front portion can be considered as a 1½ story frame, "A" roof house with a leanto at the rear of some 13 feet in depth and the width of the building erected at the same time as the crude basement.
The first period includes buildings at 1, 3, 4, and 5.
The second period includes buildings at 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8.
The third period includes buildings at 1, 2, 3, 9, 10 and probably 6 and 7
The buildings of the second period were chosen for reconstruction:
1st - because it hardly seemed possible for the buildings of the first period to have been contemporary with those reconstructed at the Prentis House on the west.
2nd - in order to obtain a modern living unit for a small family.
Foundations of the main building of the first period, 35' ± x 20', indicate a story and a half house with two rooms on the first floor, no hall, and the stair in one room. The second floor would have two rooms. The addition would add a one story leanto.
QUESTIONS