Built 1730 Designated NHL April 15, 1970 Area 71 ha | Architect Unknown NRHP Reference # 70000854 Opened 1730 Added to NRHP 15 April 1970 | |
West St. Mary's Manor is an early Colonial-era house built between 1700 and 1730. The 1-1/2 story brick and frame house is located near St. Mary's City, Maryland, and is an example of a William and Mary-era country house, representing a transition from early one and two-room plans to a more elaborate four-room center-hall plan. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970.
Contents
Description
The gable end walls of the 40-by-31-foot (12.2 by 9.4 m) house are brick with double chimneys, while the front and rear walls are clapboard. A brick "chimney pent" is situated between the projecting chimneys at both ends. The front elevation, facing south, is five bays wide, while the north elevation is three bays.
The interior comprises four rooms about a center hall running through the house. The main rooms are on the south side, with smaller rooms on the north. All of the first floor rooms have wainscoting and fireplaces. The chimney pents serve as closets for the main rooms. The center hall is divided by an arch, with a stair to the rear.
History
West St. Mary's Manor originally included 2,000 acres (810 ha) granted to Captain Henry Fleet in 1634, the earliest grant recorded in Maryland. The house was built between 1700 and 1730, possibly by the family of Daniel Bell, who were one of 15 leaseholders for the larger property.
The house has been renovated and expanded with historically-sympathetic additions.