Throughout the years, the William Brown House has served multiple functions (colonial tavern, almshouse/poorhouse, and historic house museum). Each of these periods of use has altered the building in some way. Because of these alterations, and due to the lack of documentary evidence for the colonial period, we often have to rely on architectural investigations and similarities between the Brown house and other period buildings to better understand how the Brown house may have originally looked. During this preservation project, we really wanted to investigate the porches on the William Brown House. There is a lot of deterioration and rot on them and they need to be repaired. But before we approved $20,000 - $40,000 for porch repair, we thought it'd be a good idea to see how historically accurate the current porches are for the colonial period. Thanks to the Maryland Heritage Area Authority, we received a grant this year to investigate the historical accuracy of the porches. We contracted with GWWO Inc./Architects out of Baltimore. They created the conditions assessment report a few years ago that was integral to the start of this project. You can read the full report HERE if you want (Copyright 2018 GWWO, Inc./Architects). Below is a summary of their findings. We at London Town will be reviewing their report and thinking about the best way forward these next couple of years. Precedents and Similar Buildings Tulip Hill, 1756 :: Mount Clare, 1763 :: Upton Scott House, 1763 William Paca House, 1763 :: John Ridout House, 1763 :: Whitehall, 1766 Chase-Lloyd House, 1769 :: James Brice House, 1772 Front Porch (Ravine / East side) The current porch seems fairly accurate. The brick and stone porch is an indication of this entrance's status as the main entry point. The current preservation project will repoint the brick work to help keep this porch in good condition for the future. Southern Porch The current porch is most likely an acceptable design for the colonial era. This is a side entrance and thus not meant to be an entrance for the general public. This porch is in middling shape. Some of the steps need replacing and it requires a repainting. Back Porch (West side) This porch has the challenge of having the highest elevation change due to its location over the cellar entrance. Before the preservation project started there was a pair of staircases flanking this porch. We took them down due to deterioration. Once the preservation project is finished, the recommendation is to construct a new pair of stairs similar to the old ones. Riverside Porch This porch appears to be "overbuilt" for the colonial-era sense of aesthetics. This is because we should be thinking about this building from a Georgian (symmetrical) perspective. As such, this porch and set of stairs should be similar to the southern porch. To make that change, we need to think about how best to remove the porch and pillars without damaging the underlying brickwork. The final decision about what to do with the riverside porch will be made later in this preservation project. #williambrownhouse #preservation #worcestereisenbrandt

Today's post about the William Brown House preservation project is focused on a challenge we've run into with the building's windows. There'll be a longer Facebook and blog post about how we're preserving all the windows later this fall. The first photo shows the type of "surprise" we've received for most of the windows when the exterior trim has been removed. A lot of the space behind the exterior window trim has either been empty or just packed with bits and pieces of wood and brick. This lack of structure and support around the windows is why many bricks above each window are not staying in place. The second picture shows some of the brick in the jack arch not laying flush with the rest of the brick. That is because the piece of trim just under it is the only thing currently supporting that brick. If we removed it right now, that brick would fall out. This last picture shows the custom piece of wood that the Worcester Eisenbrandt crew is creating to go behind the trim. Once it is installed behind that trim, the brick will have more support. At this point the Worcester Eisenbrandt crew has encountered this issue with almost all the windows on the north and west sides of the building. We expect that the other two sides will also need this type of specialized repair. #williambrownhouse #preservation #worcestereisenbrandt

The William Brown House project is meant to accomplish a few goals. First and foremost, the preservation work will repair damage caused by moisture. This includes repointing the brick (replacing damaged mortar), repairing the windows, ensuring that the seams and joints for windows and doors are weather-proofed, and repairing some interior damage in the attic. This photo shows a large portion of mortar that needs repair. There are many other areas on each side of the William Brown House where mortar deterioration equals or surpasses what is seen in this photo. Worcester Eisenbrandt will first remove the damaged mortar. After the damaged mortar is removed and the area cleaned, they will then repoint the bricks. The mortar used for repointing will be specially-made to match the mortar already used for the William Brown House. The worst damage to the windows is on the river (north) side. This is the side that receives the most damaging weather. As such, the preservation work is starting on this side. This photo shows a the damage to just one of the thirty-eight (38!) windows in the William Brown House. If you look closely, you can see where paint is peeling off of the right side. Further examination shows that there is quite a bit of wood rot. Both of these issues will be addressed for this window and the others during the project. Look for a post just about the windows later this fall. Though most of the work will be done on the exterior, there is some interior damage that needs immediate repair. This photo shows an area in the attic where the wooden joist has rotted away and the brickwork is so damaged it is not supporting the roof joists. This is definitely one issue being taken care of during this project. The three items mentioned above are the most important preservation issues for this project. The size of the William Brown House means that this project will take about 20-24 weeks. Each side will be cleaned using an environmentally-friendly detergent. After the cleaning, the brickwork will be repointed and the windows taken out of the building for repair. Any other issues will be addressed as they arise and the work load allows. #williambrownhouse #preservation #worcestereisenbrandt

The much-needed preservation project has started for the c.1760 William Brown House! The first part of the project will focus on repairing moisture damage to the building. This includes repairing or replacing rotted wood in the exterior windows as well as repointing the brickwork. We expect this phase to last about 24 weeks. Also included in the first phase is some preservation work in the attic. There are some rotted joists and deteriorating brick supports that will be fixed. London Town is working with Worcester-Eisenbrandt (WEI). Based in Baltimore, WEI specializes in historic house restoration and renovation. Past projects include the Washington National Cathedral, Mount Vernon, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We are grateful for the support of County Executive Steve Schuh, the Anne Arundel County Council, Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks, Delegate Pam Beidle, Senator John Astle, the Maryland Heritage Area Authority, and our many donors who contributed funds to this project. During the next few months, look for regular updates on the project. You'll take a detailed look at the history of the William Brown House, discover some of its interesting architectural features, journey up to WEI's workshop in Baltimore, and of course be the first to learn of any surprises uncovered during this project. #williambrownhouse #preservation #worcestereisenbrandt

Colonial Cocktails Teaser