Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

General Notes:

From study of the Botetourt Inventory this building is itemized as belonging to the outhouses of the Kitchen. For a discussion of general considerations, see Research and Archaeological Report on Governor's Palace Kitchen, General Notes, page 1, which likewise includes a discussion regarding the existing foundations. In this case, the foundations of the Kitchen and Scullery are treated together, as noted in the above reference.

The south extremity of the west wall was found in the existing remains of the building. The northern extremity was determined as noted in the above reference. Likewise, the difference in wall thickness of existing remains from those of Kitchen indicated a smaller structure. Thus a length for the Scullery was obtained. The width, though, remained problematical. It was felt that very likely the Scullery would have been built later in the colonial period than the Kitchen (which was specified to be built with the first Palace building and group, (See Palace Notes book) but obviously not later than the period of the Botetourt Inventories. The period selected, with this in mind, for the character of the detailing, was of the first half of the eighteenth century and more specifically the second quarter. The width, since the length fell at 24 feet, would remain roughly proportionate to it and was selected at 18'-6" below the water table. This general proportion at ± 24 feet to 16 - 18 feet seemed 2 fairly conventional in local eighteenth century plans of smaller buildings. The next larger size was the customary ± 20 feet by ± 40 feet, as exemplified in the Kitchen where the width and length were better indicated. This conventional proportion is further born out for the Scullery by the consideration of its proximity to the Kitchen and from the point of view of design — which would undoubtedly have been a definite factor in the eighteenth century. Such a consideration would naturally lead to the employment of an harmonious relationship of proportion rather than the reverse, between these two buildings.

The building was made to include one room on first and one on second. By referring to the Botetourt Inventory, it would seem likely that the Scullery was used for the "sloppier" side of the kitchen department: salting and preserving, tallow and soap making, etc., relieving the kitchen of a multitude of space-taking tasks and leaving it freer for the definite purpose of preparing the food. The determined size of the plan - devoted to such use - would preclude a division other than that employed - one room.

In general, all exposed surfaces of building are constructed in design, texture, detail, character, materials, closely to eighteenth century local methods and precedent. Unexposed or hidden portions are built of stock materials in modern building technique to be as permanent as possible, since to construct these parts in the eighteenth century manner would not have made as permanent a job and the cost would have been prohibitive. Certain portions, as itemized in following pages, depend for their correct exterior or exposed appearance on following the eighteenth century methods of constructing their related, hidden structure 2a and parts. In such cases, the eighteenth century convention was followed throughout.

Brickwork: See page 16, Research and Archaeological Report on Governor's Palace Kitchen.

Wood: Heart yellow pine was the great building material locally in the eighteenth century. This has been used as far as possible. Where other woods could be used for greater permanency and ease of construction demanded, it was felt permissible to employ them and their use is itemized in the following notes. The use of other woods is due chiefly to the great difficulty in procuring as good a grade of heart pine as that employed in eighteenth century. When not possible, the other kinds were found to be more satisfactory.

For further facts on remains of original foundations and structure, see notes and archaeological drawings prepared by H. S. Ragland for the Department of Research and Records.

Exterior paint colors:

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EAST ELEVATION:

SHINGLES: Handsplit cypress shingles procured and hewn locally after general local eighteenth century precedent. Roofing methods are modern for framing, sheathing, and insulation and papers because hidden and more permanent than eighteenth century methods. See General Notes. Typical eighteenth century ridge combing employed. Wherever necessary, concealed flashing was inserted according to modern building practice. Roof framing, sheathing, paper, etc. of stock material in modern building practice.

DORMER WINDOWS: No dormers. Dormers are not customary in the smaller outbuilding units of this period. Claremont, Surry County; Tuckahoe, Goochland County, are examples of this convention.

CORNICE: The exposed members are combined to follow closely eighteenth century examples: 1) Stratford dependencies, Westmoreland County, 2) Carter's Grove dependencies, James City County, 3) Westover dependencies, Charles City County. The material is heart yellow pine, run to details by modern, mill manufacture. The blocking of the cornice is by modern building methods, since hidden from eye. For end boards to cornice, see North and South Elevations.

Contrary to eighteenth century usage, a crack between facia and soffit boards was left to provide air ventilation for the roof. Since the roof itself is not open with spaced roofers and no paper as customary in eighteenth century, but is tight by modern construction, circulation of air being necessary for preservation of the roof portions, this feature was employed. It is not noticeable and does not mar or 4 alter the authentic eighteenth century character of the cornice.

GUTTER AND LEADER: See Research and Archaeological Report Governor's Palace Kitchen, page 3 for explanation of the grade gutters of brick. Those on Scullery are same as for above reference.

WALL SURFACE: Brick, laid in Flemish bond, of same size as those found in ancient foundations. See General Notes. Glazed headers are random - after wall surface of advance buildings shown in early photo. Mortar and joint as in reference. Headers and stretchers at corners are ground, above water table, as at advance buildings and so-called Debtor's Prison, Williamsburg. Common eighteenth century convention locally.

PORCH: None. Portland Stone steps inserted at door with molded nosing copied from fragments of ancient steps found on site. Step made new by modern stone working methods in texture after same sources as nosing. Step placed on brick foundations; since they are hidden from eye are made of modern, stock materials laid by current building practice.

FRONT DOOR: Of a type exemplified in following: 1) King's Mill dependency, James City County, 2) Carter's Grove dependency, James City County, 3) Stratford dependency, Westmoreland County. Trim a typical molded one - door 6 panelled and typical. The panel molds so customary in eighteenth century doors of vicinity as to preclude necessity for quoting individual precedent. Frames are morticed, tenoned, pegged as are nails and stiles of doors. All the woodwork run to detail by modern mill manufacture. Frames and trim of new heart yellow pine. Door of white pine. Brick arch gauged and laid in lime-putty mortar, narrow joints. Jambs have headers and stretchers ground as in above precedent and as typical in most brick structures of the period. Relation 5 of water table to first floor as in King's Mill dependency, James City County, giving door a position cutting through water table.

At head of door, steel angles are inserted to bear backing up brick. Since they are hidden and far more permanent than wood headers common to eighteenth century practice, they were used. See General Notes on hidden structure. Concealed flashing likewise was inserted at head to aid permanency. Frames are anchored to wall with galvanized iron strips. These are entirely hidden and are a modern method of building to insure permanency. Frames are anchored to wall with galvanized iron strips. These are entirely hidden and are a modern method of building to insure permanency.

WINDOWS: See note under Front Door regarding relation of water table to first floor. For this reason, window sills are closer to water table than in usual precedent. The long narrow opening here is not as pronounced as in Kitchen because of the generally reduced proportion - but retain the character of King's Mill dependency, James City County. The thin gauged brick arch and ground brick at jambs are same character and precedent as for Front Door. Cell woodwork new to detail by modern mill manufacture. Frames and sills morticed, tenoned and pegged. Ditto sash. Frames, sills, trim of heart, yellow pine. Sash of white pine - a concession to permanency and ease in working since superior to the customary use of yellow pine of the eighteenth century convention. Sash glazed with English crowned glass manufactured in Britain by the ancient disc method to simulate the like effect of eighteenth century glass of locality here. Frames are attached to wall. Head is supported and flashed 6 as for Front Door.

Upper sash is fixed. Lower sash moveable on pulleys, cords and weights. Several instances came to light in restoring Colonial buildings in Williamsburg where apple wood pulleys, cords and lead weights were found. It was considered justifiable, therefore, to employ this arrangement here. Fixed top sash was common practice locally in eighteenth century.

Below sill is a course of ground, bevelled brick as at King's Mill dependency, James City County. This was used here to accentuate the long, narrow window opening.

SHUTTERS: None. Not customary practice in eighteenth century, second quarter, to have exterior shutters on brick buildings.

BASEMENT WALL: Building has no basement, as shown by ancient foundations. Below water-table wall laid in English Bond, as were existing foundations with random glazed headers. For discussion of brickwork, see reference in General Notes.

CHIMNEYS: Chimney was adapted closely to a fine, eighteenth century example, south of Newport News pike, east of Carter's Grove. Its mass related well to that of Scullery. The English bond below water-table the water table, Flemish Bond above it all continue around the chimney. In the original example, the headers were glazed to the first shoulder. Here this feature was omitted, since the Scullery was not so treated.

BARGE BOARDS (END BOARDS) CORNER BOARDS: See North and South Elevations.

GENERAL NOTES:

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NORTH ELEVATION:

SHINGLES: See East Elevation.

DORMER WINDOWS: None. See remarks, East Elevation.

CORNICE: Ditto.

GUTTER AND LEADER: Passage between Scullery and Kitchen paved to act as gutter for the buildings as well as nearer portion of court yard to east. See Research and Archaeological Report on Governor's Palace Kitchen, General Notes, page 1, for discussion of this gutter and its significance.

WALL SURFACE: Same as for East Elevation. See references thereon. The gable is frame with antique beaded weatherboards from Antique Warehouse miscellaneous sources. Wood gables on brick buildings occur in 1) House at Smithfield, Virginia, 2) Marlfield, Gloucester County, Virginia. The framing of the wood gable is hidden and constructed in common pine in modern carpentry method. This wall is insulated with mineral wool for practical reasons. See General Notes about hidden structure.

PORCH: None.

FRONT DOOR: None.

WINDOWS: In 1¼ story eighteenth century buildings where no dormers occur, it was common practice to insert a small, gable window. This convention was followed in the Scullery and an 8 light one was inserted. The frame and sill and trim are made new to detail of heart yellow pine by modern mill manufacture. The frame and sill are morticed, tenoned and pegged according to customary eighteenth ^century practice. Ditto for 8 sash, which is made of white pine to insure greater permanency and ease in working. Top sash is fixed, lower moveable on wood pulleys, etc.. For this feature see Windows, East Elevation. The exterior trim was employed in eighteenth century when shutters were not used, as at 1) Tuckahoe outbuildings, Goochland County, 2) Mercer Shop, Fredericksburg, Virginia. Muntins and trim profiles have same precedent as windows on East Elevation. Ditto for glazing.

Hidden head flashing is employed here for practical consideration of permanency.

SHUTTERS: None. See Wall Surface.

BASEMENT WALL: See East Elevation.

CHIMNEYS: None on this elevation.

BARGE BOARDS (END BOARDS) CORNER BOARDS: A simple rake and cornice stop were used run new to detail of heart yellow pine by modem mill manufacture. Such features were commonly employed in eighteenth century locally to finish the weatherboarding at shingle line in almost all frame structures, varying slightly at cornice stop. In outbuildings or houses of lesser importance the simpler types were customary 1) Tuckahoe outbuildings, Goochland County, Virginia.

GENERAL NOTES:

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WEST ELEVATION:

SHINGLES: See East Elevation.

DORMER WINDOWS: Ditto.

CORNICE: Ditto.

GUTTER AND LEADER: Since a brick terrace was employed on this side by Landscape Department, no gutter was needed, the grading of the paving being so adjusted as to accommodate itself as a gutter.

WALL SURFACE: See East Elevation.

PORCH: None.

FRONT DOOR: None.

WINDOWS: See East Elevation.

SHUTTERS: None. See East Elevation for references and remarks.

BASEMENT WALL: Ditto.

CHIMNEYS: Ditto. East and west sides of the chimney are the same.

BARGE BOARDS (END BOARDS) CORNER BOARDS: See North and South Elevations.

GENERAL NOTES:

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SOUTH ELEVATION:

SHINGLES: See East Elevation.

DORMER WINDOWS: None. See East Elevation for reasons.

CORNICE: Ditto.

GUTTER AND LEADER: None.

WALL SURFACE: See North Elevation. The use of an outside chimney against a brick end with wood gable as at Marlfield, Gloucester County, Virginia. The joint between chimney and weatherboards is sealed by hidden flashing.

PORCH: None.

FRONT DOOR: None.

WINDOWS: When gable ends are as largely covered by an outside chimney, it was not common in eighteenth century buildings of a small size to have windows. Therefore, none on this building.

SHUTTERS: None.

BASEMENT WALL: Same as for East Elevation.

CHIMNEYS: See references on East Elevation. Above the top shoulder this chimney goes into the common bond, as in precedent referred to, and as generally so done in eighteenth century brick chimneys of this type locally.

BARGE BOARDS (END BOARDS) CORNER BOARDS: Same as for North Elevation.

GENERAL NOTES:

GENERAL NOTES:

See General Notes, pages 1, 2, and 2a.

In general the interior was built as in exhibition interior, with the application of a general decision for such features to use antique material as far as possible. It was further decided to employ a typical exposed beam and framed ceiling — since no such feature was displayed among the restored buildings - as an exhibit of colonial methods of framing, typical of this locality. The following precedent for methods of beaming may be cited as having been referred to for authenticity in arrangement of the parts: 1) Bacon's Castle Surry County, 2) Christ's Cross, New Kent County, 3) Kitchen on Smith place, Suffolk, Virginia, 4) Rolfe-Warren House, Surry County, 5) Tabb House, York County. For further remarks, see following pages.

"Antique Warehouse" Brick Pool — Eighteenth century handmade brick were procured in quantity. Much of it came in small lots. The larger lots were used in specified "Restoration" projects. Remnants and small lots were combined into groups; all similar brick in size, texture, color were piled together in a "pool". Small lots necessarily lost their identity in this case. The whole is referred to as on above heading for brevity in the following notes.

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INTERIOR
First Floor - "Scullery"

Floor: Laid in antique brick from "Antique Warehouse Pool". It was laid on sand, in turn supported by a reinforced, concrete floor slab for permanency, since hidden from the eye. See "General Notes" on hidden structure. The slab was further necessitated because the original firmness of soil was disturbed in excavating & refilling in and around the ancient foundations during research. The slab is born by the walls of the building, which in turn rest on concrete footings lowered to firm soil. These are hidden well below the finished grade.

The brick are laid in typical 18th century method on the sand base, joints being filled with same material - as at "Stratford" kitchen Westmoreland Co.

Floor Nails: None

Beams: See "floor" for r.f.c. slab.

Walls and Wall Coverings: The walls are brick - 2x4's provide strapping on which is laid metal lath to receive plaster which is worked up to an uneven surface by workmen using small trowels and no "straight edge", to simulate the customary, 18th century type of wavy finish coat. Since the furred space is hidden, and essential for permanency in accord with modern building knowledge, the brick wall was diminished in thickness by the thickness of the furring so that in exterior appearance the distance from outer face of brick wall to that of finished plaster surface would be in accordance with the usual 18th cent. local precedent. Metal lath and first two plaster coats were constructed for permanency in modern building technique - The skim coat or finish coat, however, was laid on in 18th cent. manner.

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Ceiling: See "General Notes" for remarks on exposed 2d floor framing. All antique material used - Source "The Va. Mill" - Buckingham Co." All joinery, cutting, notching done by hand in 18th century technique of the mortice -tenon & peg.

Baseboard: Antique beaded base - from "antique warehouse" misc. sources.

Chair rail: None

Cornice: None

Panelling or Wainscot: None

Mantel: None

Fireplace & Hearth: Follows closely construction and methods of brickwork of the smaller, first floor fireplace at "King's Will" depency James City Co. - with further reference to outbuilding fireplaces at "Stratford" Westmoreland Co. Above the throat a "Covert" cast iron stock damper was inserted - with the customary type of plaster smoke chamber, wind shelf and terra cotta flue. This fireplace was too small to build in the exact 18th cent. manner of the examples noted above & to insure permanency & effective making - the modern construction was follow - all hidden. All exposed portions of the fireplace follow the above mentioned precedent closely. No hearth was inserted since brick floor precludes the need.

Windows: Are similar to those in "kitchen" see report on same. Splayed jambs of plaster - sash, frame, trim, & stool all as for "kitchen". Window stools were run to detail by modern mill mfg. of antique material from "Antique Warehouse" misc. sources.

Closets: None

Doors & Trim: For exterior door construction see "East Elevation". Plaster jambs employed - no trim - jamb straight being typical of smaller brick structures locally in 18th century.

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Color: Walls - ceiling framing - woodwork whitewashed. Baseboard painted black - typical baseboard color locally in 18th century. Whitewash common interior treatment in outbuildings of the period - see Reports of Department of Research & Record on colonial Virginia outbuildings.

Equipment: No heating installed. One base plug on north wall for emergency. Plate painted in with baseboard. Panel board & control located in "Laundry" building.

INTERIOR
Second Floor - Garrett or Attic

Floor: Of antique flooring from "Antique Warehouse" misc. sources. Laid in usual 18th century method locally.

Floor Nails: Cut nails used - in shape as near as modern mfg. comes in stock nails to the 18th century flooring nail. Nailed on face just as in 18th century locally.

Beams: See "Ceiling" & further remarks under "General Notes" & for examples of precedent.

Walls and wall covering: Walls are of stock 2 x 4 framing - roof slope stock rafters. Wall surface of plaster on metal lath - plaster & lath same as for "Scullery".

Ceiling: Ditto

Baseboard: Same as for "Scullery"

Chair rail: None

Cornice: None

Panelling or wainscott: None

Mantel: None

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Fireplace & Hearth: Small edition of same as for "Scullery".

Windows: See "North Elevation" for construction & materials glazing. Trim within same type as without a simple beaded trim & back band - as at "Tuckahoe" outbuildings Goochland Co., Va.

Closets: None

Doors & Trim: None

Metal Work on Doors: None

Color: Same as for "Scullery". Floor treated to show natural wood.

Equipment: One base plug on north wall - same as for "Scullery".

Stairs: Same as for "Governor's Palace Kitchen" - see p. 23 on the "Research and Archaeological Report" thereof.

Basement: None - See "General Notes". See "Scullery" "Floor" for description of construction below finished floor.