Huntley: A Mason Family Country HouseWrenn, Tony P.
History
Huntley: A Mason Family Country House
Wrenn, Tony P.
Huntley (Va.)
Windows and Doors
Windows in the facade are unique in that they are set into recessed
brick frames. While the frames in the root cellar are arched, those in
the residence are square panels, with the window set into the center of
the frame. According to architectural historian E. Blaine Cliver, the
exterior window construction is quite simple with a double beaded frame
set into the brick two to three inches from the front surface. The
simplicity of the window framing, which is Federal in style, would place
the house somewhat after the late Colonial period, in the early
nineteenth century. Windows on the ground and first floor are
six-over-six, double-hung sash, except adjacent to the entrance on the
first floor porch where they are four-over-four. Windows on the second
floor consist of a single, nine-pane sash, which opens to the side on
hinges. The pane size is eight and a half inches by ten inches and a
large portion of the glass is early. The exterior shutters consist of a
single panel of fixed louvers and much shutter hardware survives. This
includes several types of shutter stops, which are generally wrought
rather than stamped. A fine boot scraper also exists at the rear first
floor entrance.
The door entrance in the south front has framing sidelights and an
elliptical fanlight with wood tracery. In general, the oval fanlight
came into use in the 1790's and went out of common use around 1825;
although according to Mr. Cliver it probably was not common in this area
until after 1800. The stiles of the entrance are basically the pilaster
type although the reeding within the pilaster is rounded rather than
flat. An opposing door at the north or rear of the center room was also
originally exterior. The keystone over the fanlight has a beaded center
portion which is similar to those found in the work of nineteenth
century architect Asher Benjamin.
Interior Features
The center first floor room has a fine mantel which is also similar in
proportion to the Federal styles of Benjamin. The mantel is somewhat
busy, and a little heavy, yet it has delicate detail and reeding on the
sides. The mantels in the side rooms are much simpler, as might be
expected in ancillary rooms. Basically, however, their proportions are
the same, dateable to the early nineteenth century but with much less
style involved. All four of the side mantels are of the same basic
design, but each has been given an individual detail or refinement.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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